Posted: March 20, 2017
3 Breast Implant Profiles
Implant manufacturers typically use three profile types:
- Low profile
- Moderate profile
- High profile
All three are roughly circular, but each profile type is different in its height and overall shape.
Moderate-Profile Implants The standard breast implant shape is one with a moderate profile; most implants conform to this shape. Moderate implants are shaped like a rounded disc and have a flat profile with a slight dome shape on their top surface. The Benefit? They provide both volume and roundness when implanted into the breasts, but with their relatively flat profile, they still give the natural look that many patients want to achieve.
High-Profile Implants Breast implants with a high profile are thicker in the center than they are on the edges. They’re more spherical than moderate-profile implants but also have a smaller diameter. This difference in shape means that for any given implant size, high-profile implants provide more projection and roundness. The Benefit? Because of this fullness, high-profile breast implants can be very eye-catching. They tend to have a less natural look than moderate-profile implants, but many women wish to achieve a high, full look.
Low-Profile Implants Low-profile breast implants are thinner and flatter than moderate implants. They’re wider at the base than moderate- and high-profile implants of the same size. The Benefit? Their shape means they’re often the best choice for a woman with a wider frame They provide the least amount of outward projection and tend to give breasts a softer look.
Your Body Goals
When choosing a breast implant profile, your surgeon will speak with you in detail about your goals for your breasts and for your appearance overall. For instance, if you want your new breasts to be much larger but still look natural, your surgeon might avoid high-profile implants. This is because large, high-profile implants project outward from the body significantly. This makes them eye-catching but can give them an augmented look. Choosing moderate- or low-profile implants is more likely to give a natural look to your new breasts. Of course, if you want the full, round look of high-profile implants, let your surgeon know!
For a patient with a petite frame, who just wants to enhance their breasts a little while still keeping them in proportion to the rest of their body, the surgeon might choose a high or moderate profile in a small size because that will be more likely to give the patient the look they want. Any particular combination of implant profile and size will look different, depending on your body’s proportions. That’s why an experienced, board-certified surgeon tends to make the ultimate decision after examining your body and taking into account your desires.
What Works Best in Your Body
By definition, breast augmentation is all about enhancing your breasts by increasing their size and, in some cases, altering their shape. While this is the overall goal, and while you probably have some ideas as to how you want your breasts to look, it’s likely that your body itself will have something to say about the matter! This is because the different profiles of breast implants differ in their base circumference, which means the size of your frame influences what kinds of implants you can use. Higher-profile implants have a smaller circumference, so they can fit more easily in someone with a small frame or narrow chest. What does this mean? If you’re petite and would like to have large breasts, you’ll probably do best with higher-profile implants, as they have a smaller circumference. On the other hand, if you have a larger frame, your chest wall is more likely to be wide enough to accommodate implants of different sizes.
Talk to Your Surgeon!
A highly qualified, board-certified surgeon with experience performing many augmentation procedures will be able to make an educated decision about the implants that work best for your body and your needs. At North Texas Plastic Surgery, our surgeons are all of the above, plus they have the advantage of an advanced 3D technology called Crisalix. This is a virtual reality computer program that allows you to see what your body looks like with different-shaped breasts. To get the most out of your surgical consultation, consider the information above and give some thought to what you’d like your breasts to look like. Speak openly about your questions and preferences with your surgeon. The combination of your goals and expectations, along with the wisdom and experience of your surgeon, will help you achieve the results you want!