Clear Lake
Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
575 East Medical Center Boulevard
Webster, TX 77598
Phone: (281) 282-9555
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Med Center/Museum District
Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
1801 Binz Street #300
Houston, TX 77004
Phone: (713) 521-4777
Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Breast Implants
Today, women considering breast augmentation have more choices than ever when it comes to breast implants. At Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Webster, TX, our board-certified plastic surgeons take the time to help patients understand all of their options. They make choosing breast implants an enjoyable, collaborative process between patient and doctor.
We offer the latest breast implants in a wide selection of options for women from Pasadena, League City, and surrounding communities. To get started, request a consultation to meet with one of our breast enhancement specialists using our online form. Or call us at
(281) 282-9555, and a member of our staff will help schedule an appointment.
Breast Lift with Implants (Traditional & Donut)
Before & After Photos
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Choosing Saline or Silicone
We offer most breast augmentation patients a choice of saline or silicone implants. Both types of implant have a silicone elastomer outer covering, called the shell. Advantages of each type are described below.
Saline Implants
Saline breast implants are surgically implanted under the breasts and then filled with a sterile saltwater solution through a valve. Advantages of saline implants include:
- Smaller incisions: Because the implant shell is filled after being inserted, a smaller incision is needed. Often, an incision of less than 1 inch is made just along the edge of the areola, where it is usually completely inconspicuous.
- Adjustable size: The volume of saline implants may be adjusted after the implant is placed, enabling your surgeon to fine-tune your new breast size by adding or letting out saline.
- Approved for younger patients: While silicone gel implants have a minimum age requirement for the patient (at least age 22 for breast augmentation), saline breast implants can be used in qualifying patients as young as 18.
- Lighter: Saline implants are also known for being lighter than silicone implants of the same size.
- More affordable: Saline breast implants are typically more expensive than silicone implants.
Silicone Implants
Silicone breast implants have the same type of silicone shell as saline breast implants but are pre-filled with cohesive silicone gel instead of being filled with saltwater after placement. Today’s cohesive silicone gel is very different from the old-style silicone liquid that was used in silicone breast implants for approximately 30 years up to 1992. Today’s gel is thick and will not run the way saline or old-style liquid silicone would run. The U.S. FDA approved the use of cohesive silicone gel implants in November 2006 because it determined through a series of studies that the implants were safe. The primary advantages of silicone breast implants, according to most women and plastic surgeons, include:
- Have a significantly reduced possibility of rippling over saline implants.
- Feel much more like natural breast tissue than saline implants.
Is Silicone the Best Choice?
There is no doubt that if you feel a silicone breast implant and a saline breast implant at the same time, you will agree that silicone feels more like natural breast tissue. For this reason, many women want silicone breast implants. However, not all women are at risk for noticeable rippling, and not all saline implants will feel unnatural once they are in place on the chest wall. Many factors influence rippling and feel, including:
- Placement of the actual implant (above or below the muscle)
- Amount of natural breast tissue covering the breast implant
- Implant size
Your surgeon can help you understand how these issues will impact your specific results. We primarily use Allergan Natrelle® implants, which contain a highly cohesive gel and offer options that allow you to customize your results. Your surgeon will consult with you to ensure your breast implant choice is the best fit for your goals. If you are unhappy with your current implants, be sure to ask your surgeon about elective breast implant exchange.
Meet Our Plastic Surgeons
Each plastic surgeon on our team has the training, experience, and talent needed to provide the natural-looking results patients want while ensuring their safety and comfort.
Request Your Consultation
Choosing Breast Implant Size
Many women find that choosing a new breast size is the most exciting part of preparing for breast augmentation. Making this choice can be stressful, as well, because it may involve more thought than you anticipated. With the help and guidance of your experienced surgeon, you can confidently choose the size that will provide the results you want. At your consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your body type and aesthetic goals in order to recommend the breast implant size that is best for you.
Keep an Open Mind
We recommend not having a specific breast implant size in mind when you come in for your consultation. That’s because breast implants are measured in cubic centimeters (cc) instead of bra cup sizes, which aren’t standardized from one brand to another. The same-size breast implants often don’t provide the same results between women. It’s better to bring in photos showing the results you’d like or show your surgeon cases from our online photo gallery.
Know What You Want
Most women say that they want to look natural because they don’t want anyone to know they’ve had surgery. Their choice of breast implant size may be conservative because of concerns over how they will be perceived by family, friends, or co-workers. But, not all breast augmentation patients are concerned about people knowing they’ve had surgery. Some women are not conservative; they know what they want and if it is a larger look, they know that is what they will have. After all, breast augmentation should be for your own happiness and satisfaction.
The Rice Test
The rice test is valuable as a fast and easy way to approximate your appearance with various breast implant sizes. Just remember that it is only a general guide for sizing and should be considered mainly as a way to begin educating yourself and prepare for your breast implant consultation.
By giving yourself time to adjust to the potential new image and being realistic with your expectations, you are likely to be happy after surgery and not have regrets about your choice of size.
Custom Breast Augmentation
You have more choices than ever when it comes to breast enhancement. We’ll help you decide which implant is best for you.
Learn MoreOther Choices
Once you have decided on your implant material and size, you have other choices to make, including:
The Keller Funnel®
When placing silicone implants during surgery, you can opt to have our surgeons use a device called the Keller Funnel, which enables them to use smaller incisions. The funnel also prevents contact with the implant—by your physician’s gloves or your skin—making the procedure more sterile and potentially reducing the risk of capsular contracture. There is a small upcharge for this option.
Shape
Implants come in 2 shapes:
- Round optimizes fullness in the upper breast and cleavage. Round implants can have smooth or textured covering and do not need any particular position.
- Teardrop, also called “anatomically shaped” or simply “shaped,” are fuller at the bottom than the top to mimic a natural sloping breast shape. Shaped implants are always textured on the outside to help keep them oriented properly, with the more narrow end higher than the wider end.
Profile
An implant’s profile refers to how much it projects from the chest wall. The most common profile options are moderate, moderate plus, and high. It’s important to choose a profile that produces results that look natural on your body.
Surface
The surface of the implant shell can be either smooth or textured. A textured shell is required for shaped implants because it keeps them from rotating within the implant pocket.
Payment Options
We’ll work with you to make your aesthetic dreams come true. We offer flexible financing plans to meet most budgets.
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