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Saline or Silicone? And Other Important Implant Decisions
While the choice between saline and silicone is among the most important breast implant decisions, many women don’t realize that it’s just one among many choices that they’ll have to make. There are many different breast implant options available, and you’ll need to consider these factors before you can find the breast implant that’s right for you.
Saline and Silicone Breast Implants
Saline implants consist of a solid silicone shell filled with sterile saltwater. They can be prefilled to a certain size, or filled at the time of the surgery after being implanted. This allows greater choice and customization during your breast augmentation. Saline implants can be inserted by a smaller incision than silicone implants. Despite all these benefits, however, saline implants may not feel as natural as silicone-filled implants if you lack sufficient breast tissue. Silicone implants are filled with silicone gel. They come in a variety of sizes, either with smooth or textured shells. Because they come prefilled, silicone implants require a longer incision. They offer a more natural field and saline implants, but may rupture without your knowledge, so that regular MRIs after your breast augmentation surgery will be necessary.Gummy Bear Implants
The most recent implant to hit the US market is the cohesive gel, or “gummy bear,” breast implant. Unlike other silicone implants, gummy bear implants can retain their shape when cut in half. Their texture and stability has resulted in the “gummy bear” nickname. Proponents of gummy bear breast implants say that they:- last longer
- maintain a better shape
- resist wear and tear associated with gravity
- are less likely to leak
Bethenny Frankel Talks About Her Breast Surgeries
Most celebrities prefer not to discuss their plastic surgeries in public. But then again, most celebrities aren’t Bethenny Frankel. The 41-year-old talk show host recently discussed her experiences with cosmetic breast surgery on her Bravo TV show. Her journey with breast surgery didn’t begin until her early 30s, but Frankel says that she experienced issues with her breasts as early as teenagehood.
“I was in high school and probably about 30 pounds heavier and my boobs used to sag. They were bigger and they were saggy. They would almost like touch your stomach, when you feel like it’s hot and sweaty. I could’ve put a diet Coke can underneath and hold it because they were heavy and saggy.”Frankel managed to shed her extra weight in her late 20s and early 30s. Unfortunately, like many women who undergo weight loss, she found that this resulted in her breasts shrinking in size. This left her with excess skin on the breasts. “They were small. They were nice. They were probably like a C, but they were really still saggy,” Frankel says. After consulting the doctor about getting a breast lift, Frankel decided against the procedure, because she was apprehensive about unwanted scars. “I felt self-conscious that as a single woman going out and meeting men. I felt like I would be scared. So, he said put a small implant in it and it will lift it. I ended up with a D, and I didn’t feel like it was right on me. I felt kind of sloppy.” However, as the years wore on, Frankel grew increasingly dissatisfied with the state of her breasts. After several years, she returned to the doctor to have her implants removed and breasts lifted. She says that the procedure has made a huge difference in her bodily appearance and self-confidence. “I did feel much better. I felt like I was a little hotter, you know, a little perkier.”
“Fanny Pack” Lipo Featured on The Doctors
They’re called problem areas: parts of the body where fat endures despite your best efforts at diet and exercise. One of the worst problem areas is your lower back, just above the tailbone, which often carries a fatty deposit popularly known as the “fanny pack.” Fortunately, with liposuction, you can fight back against the pack. One woman’s journey through weight loss and surgery was recently profiled on The Doctors. “I’ve been overweight for most of my life and I recently lost 70 pounds and I feel amazing,” says Christina, who appeared on the hit ABC show. “Even though I’ve lost all this weight, I still have a problem area which I call my fanny pack. It’s the little area of fat that’s just above my butt. I have so many pairs of jeans that I wish that I could wear but the only things that will fit me are leggings. Fanny packs are not flattering and I’m ready to get rid of mine.” Technically known as the lumbosacral fat pad, the fanny pack is usually impossible to remove with diet and exercise alone, says Dr. Travis Stork. After everything else had failed, Christina sought the help of a cosmetic surgeon to remove her fanny pack with liposuction. Liposuction to remove a fanny pack is a relatively quick plastic surgery that can take place under local anesthetic. After liposuction surgery to remove the fanny, the fatty deposit is gone for good, as long as you maintain a decent exercise regime to avoid gaining more weight. Liposuction that targets problem areas is often performed after major weight loss. Christina’s recovery after her liposuction was relatively fast and comfortable. She wore a compression garment for about a week and was able to return to regular exercise within 10 days.
Exercise May Prevent New Fat From Forming After Liposuction
A recent study by researchers from the University of São Paulo has revealed that exercise after liposuction surgery may do more than simply maintain the results of the procedure. According to the study results, which were published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a lack of exercise after recovering from liposuction can cause an increase in harmful visceral fat.
The Brazilian researchers, who wanted to learn about the health benefits of exercise after liposuction surgery, followed 36 women in the months after they received the liposuction to remove abdominal fat. The women all admitted to not having engaged in regular exercise before the surgery. Two months after their liposuction surgery, half of the women were asked to begin a regular exercise routine, working out three times per week.
Four months after the surgeries, the researchers found that all of the study participants still had flatter bellies. However, the women who had not exercised experienced an increase in visceral fat, which did not develop in the group that had exercised.
What is visceral fat?
These are fatty deposits that surround the internal organs, especially the liver. They lie deep within the abdominal cavity and can often go undetected; unlike subcutaneous fat, they cannot be pinched. Visceral fat has been linked to a number of health issues, including:- metabolic disturbances
- heart disease
- diabetes
- breast cancer
- gallbladder problems
