Fashion trends tend to follow a 10 year cycle. In the 1970’s, a small flat chest was en vogue. This changed to a curvier aesthetic in the 1980’s and back again to the “waif” look in the early 1990’s thanks to Kate Moss. However in 1992, a new and improved Wonderbra hit the market, permanently altering breast aesthetics by giving women the ability, regardless of their native breast tissue, to create voluptuous volume in the upper third of the breast. This aesthetic has remained so popular that Victoria Secret has built an entire empire on it. A desire for more “upper pole fullness” is one of the most frequent requests that I hear from my Boston area breast augmentation patients. But while many patients think that a bigger implant can do the trick, this is not always actually true. Creating more volume in the top third of your breast is going to come down to proper implant selection. One of my favorites for delivering and maintaining upper pole fullness with a natural look and feel is the Mentor® Boost silicone gel implant.
Understanding Implant Selection
If you are considering a breast augmentation, it’s important to understand a few things. Size is only one component when deciding on an appropriate implant for your anatomy and needs. Other things to consider include:
- Type of implant — silicone gel or saline
- Cohesiveness of silicone gel, if using
- Projection
- Placement either above or below the pectoralis muscle
I typically use a smooth, round implant and insert it through an incision in the inframammary fold, which is the crease beneath your breasts. There are other options that may be appropriate for certain patients. If one is right for you, we will discuss it in detail during your initial consultation.
Why an In-Person Breast Augmentation Consultation is Critical
One of the many reasons why it is critical to schedule an in-person consultation is that the key to an exemplary result is matching the right implant or implants to your anatomy, lifestyle and desired outcome. Patients today are more informed about breast augmentation Boston than at any other time in my 15 plus years as a plastic surgeon. This is fantastic and leads to very robust conversations for me with patients. The internet is a great resource, but it can also be misleading. The implant that worked for your friend or favorite TikTok star may not suit your body at all.
During our meeting, I will listen closely to what bothers you about your body contour. We will look at photos of breasts that you admire in order to ensure that we are on the same page in terms of what you want to achieve aesthetically. Then, I will perform a through physical exam, taking precise measurements of your chest, and assess:
- Skin tone & texture
- Native breast volume
- Nipple position
- Degree of sagging in breast tissue, if any
Benefits of Mentor® Boost Implant
The Mentor® Memory Gel Boost™ implant combines a proprietary, highly cohesive gel with an innovative implant shell design and precision fill ratio to create a breast implant that feels natural while still being stable enough to retain its shape. The latter is what helps to create upper pole fullness particularly in patients without a lot of native breast tissue. When I place a breast implant, a softer fill is going to create more volume at the bottom while one with a thicker or more cohesive fill is going to maintain more volume at the top. It’s like the difference between a Ziplock bag filled with water versus one filled with Jello. Before the Mentor® Boost, the trade-off for a gel with a higher degree of cohesiveness was that it generally didn’t feel very natural. What I love about the Boost is that I can deliver the best of both worlds. It also comes in two options for projection, which is how far the implant extends out from your chest wall, and fullness of the fill. This allows for more extensive customization.
Safety of Breast Implant
Aside from its efficacy, the Mentor® Boost is also FDA approved and extremely safe. The rupture rate for silicone implants in general is lower than for saline. An advantage of Mentor®’s design is that between the high level of cohesiveness in the gel and their unique shell, there is less chance of a silicone leak. With the Boost, I can give you that Wonderbra look at the top of the breasts as well as peace of mind. A win-win for all.
To find out more about a breast augmentation, or any other surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Sean Doherty at his Boston or Brookline office, contact us today or call (617) 450.0070 to schedule a consultation.