Why Women Choose Implants
Women come to breast augmentation for reasons that are practical as much as cosmetic. Some are unhappy with their natural size and want a fuller shape; others want to correct breasts that aren’t symmetrical, restore volume lost to pregnancy or weight change, or rebuild after breast cancer surgery. Whatever brings you in, the first conversation is about what you’d like to change, and which implant best gets you there.
Add Size & Shape
Increase size and projection for a fuller, more balanced silhouette.
Correct Asymmetry
Even out breasts that differ in size or shape from one side to the other.
Restore or Reconstruct
Regain fullness after pregnancy or weight loss, or rebuild after a mastectomy.
Renewed Confidence
Wear the swimsuits and outfits you like, comfortable in your own figure.
Saline, Silicone, and Gummy Bear
Every implant is made of a silicone shell, but what fills it is where the three options differ, and that difference is what you feel and see. Saline holds sterile salt water; silicone gel feels more like natural tissue; and the newest cohesive gel, nicknamed “gummy bear,” is thick enough to hold its own shape. Each has real advantages, and Dr. Roudner walks through all three so the decision is an informed one.
Saline
Filled with sterile salt water. Saline can show a little more rippling or a visible edge, and it carries a higher risk of rupture than the newer options.
Silicone Gel
Durable and well established, with little wrinkling and a smooth, natural look. The trade-off is a firmer feel than saline.
Cohesive “Gummy Bear”
The newest generation. A thicker gel holds its shape and resists folding, rippling, and leaking, with a firmer feel, like silicone.
Cohesive Gel, in Detail
Cohesive silicone gel implants are the most recent advance in breast augmentation and reconstruction. Because the gel is more tightly bonded, closer to solid than liquid, it keeps its form rather than taking on the shape gravity dictates, so the breast conforms to the implant instead of the other way around. That same cohesiveness makes folds and ripples unlikely, and if the shell is ever disrupted the filling tends to stay put rather than leak. Cohesive gel implants have also been associated with a low rate of capsular contracture, the firm scar tissue that can form around an implant, though the reason isn’t fully understood.
Shape, Surface, and Placement
Beyond the filling, three more choices shape the final result. The implant can be round or teardrop; its surface smooth or textured; and it can sit over or under the chest muscle. Most patients lean toward round and smooth, but the right combination depends on your frame and your goals, Dr. Roudner explains each option and recommends what suits your anatomy.
Round or Teardrop
Round reads full and modern and is what most patients choose; the teardrop (anatomic) shape is fuller at the bottom and flatter at the top for a natural line, and is often chosen for reconstruction.
Smooth or Textured
Most patients choose smooth. A textured surface, closer to fine sandpaper, can help discourage capsular contracture, worth considering if you tend to keloid.
Over or Under the Muscle
Placement can be in front of, just inside, or fully behind the chest muscle. Sub-pectoral placement, under the muscle, looks more natural and lowers capsular-contracture risk.
Choosing With Dr. Roudner
There is no single “best” implant, only the one that fits your body, your goals, and how you want to feel. In an unhurried consultation, Dr. Roudner reviews material, shape, surface, and placement, and sets honest expectations along the way. Implants are durable but change over time and aren’t always lifetime devices, so a future revision is something to plan for. Good candidates are in good health, at least eighteen, and clear about what they’d like to change.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between saline and silicone implants?
Both are common, well-established options. Saline is filled with sterile salt water and can show a little more rippling; silicone gel tends to feel more natural with less wrinkling, though it’s firmer than saline. Dr. Roudner reviews both at your consultation so you can decide which suits you.
What are gummy bear implants?
Gummy bear, or cohesive gel, implants are the newest generation. A thicker, more cohesive gel holds its shape and resists folding, rippling, and leaking, even if the shell is disrupted, while keeping a soft, natural appearance and a firmer feel similar to silicone.
Should I choose a round or teardrop implant?
Round implants read fuller and more modern, and most patients choose them. The teardrop (anatomic) shape is fuller at the bottom for a more natural line and is often selected for reconstruction after a mastectomy. Dr. Roudner helps you decide based on your frame and goals.
Do breast implants last forever?
Not necessarily. Implants change over time and may eventually need to be replaced, so a future revision is worth planning for. Dr. Roudner checks implant health at your follow-up visits and will tell you if one is ever worth considering.
