Teardrop vs. Round Implants for Breast Augmentation

The teardrop implant has a teardrop shaped base while round implants have a perfectly round base.  They are both made of a silicone material. Teardrop implants contain a more cohesive silicone material which makes it more stable with its unique shape. In order to hold the shape of the teardrop, the cohesiveness of the silicone must be thicker which makes it more stable.

ADVANTAGES OF TEARDROP AND ROUND IMPLANTS

• Some women prefer a more natural look which is what they would get with the teardrop shaped implant. The natural breast should look fuller towards the bottom of the breast and a little flatter at the top which is the teardrop look.
• Women who just want to look full and are not concerned with concealing their augmentation can have round implants. The round implant just looks full all around. Other than that, there is no real advantage of one over the other.

Both types of implants are equally safe and neither implant is of better quality than the other.

TEARDROP & ROUND IMPLANT LIMITATIONS

Many patients want a larger breast size than they currently have room for. This means that once the implant is placed, there still has to be enough breast tissue to close the incision. Therefore, the main limitation to a round implant is the skin envelope.

With the teardrop implant, the main limitation is in the base width of the breast. For example, the breast sits on the chest wall and the implant must be limited to the width of the breast base on the chest wall. This factor is an important limitation to both types of implants but is more critical for the teardrop implant. Overall, the limitations do not directly come from the implants themselves but more from the anatomy of the patient.   

CANDIDACY

The implant type mainly depends on what a woman wants to see when considering the shape and fullness. However, there are other factors for candidacy. A patient who already has large breasts would not be a good candidate for the teardrop implant because their breast tissue would simply camouflage the shape. A person with small breasts and tight skin is the best candidate for the teardrop implants. The round implants are a little more flexible when it comes to candidacy.  A person with small or large breasts would be a good candidate for the round implant. A person with droopy breasts would also be a good candidate for the round implants but may need a breast lift in order to gain the more natural appearance. 

RISKS

There are two types of breast implant surfaces: smooth and textured. The idea behind the textured implant is to help prevent shifting of the implant and to reduce the occurrence of capsular contracture.  Capsular contracture occurs when excess scar tissue forms around the implant and deforms the breast. It is natural for scar tissue or a capsule to form around the implant but it becomes a problem when the scar tissue becomes so thick that it deforms the breast. Evidence shows that capsular contracture is less likely to occur with a textured implant. The teardrop implant only comes with a textured surface whereas round implants can be obtained with either smooth or textured surfaces. 

With either implant, there is a risk of the implant shifting and sometimes turning on its side. If the implant is round, it is not really an issue because it stays in the same configuration even if it spins on its base. However, if a teardrop implant turns to its side, the person can end up with an odd shaped breast.

REVISIONS

Capsular contracture is one of the main reasons a woman might have a follow-up procedure. This happens more often when the implant is a smooth implant or if it is placed above the chest muscle. When capsular contracture occurs, the implant must be removed. The scar tissue, which has changed the shape of the breast, must also be removed. If a woman chooses to have a new implant placed after capsular contracture has occurred, it is best to replace that implant with a textured implant to reduce the risk of capsular contracture occurring again. If the initial implant was placed above the chest muscle and a revision is necessary due to capsular contracture, the replacement implant should be placed below the muscle since the risk of capsular contracture is lower with a “sub” pectoral implant, i.e. under the muscle.

BREAST IMPLANT RECOVERY 

Doctors try and get a patient back into the swing of things as soon as possible so they suggest a maximum of 2 weeks off work after the procedure.

With either implant, a patient is released the same day as the procedure and is told to go home and take a nap. In the evening, it is advisable for the patient to shower and wash their hair. A patient can expect to be sore but the healing process quickens if the patient uses the chest muscles with arm movement. Although soap and water is permitted to run down the incisions, soaking in a bath or swimming is not permitted until after 6 weeks of healing.

Patients are advised to refrain from rigorous activities. In addition, the patient will not be able to wear underwire bras during the six weeks of healing because the underwire can irritate the incision 

BREASTFEEDING WITH IMPLANTS

Breast implants before pregnancy is always a concern for women. However, no matter what type of breast implant a person gets, it is not going to affect breastfeeding an infant. Even after breastfeeding is concluded, the breast tends to tighten up and the implant is not affected by the growing and shrinking of the breast tissue. The breasts will get larger during pregnancy and sometimes stay larger after breastfeeding. Nevertheless, the implants do not need to be removed.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Teardrop and round implants are variations of silicone implants in different shapes. Anyone interested in having breast implants should consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can examine the patient and make a decision on which implant will give the desired results.

Cosmetic Town is the premier online cosmetic surgery news and information resource. We connect patients with the best doctors for cosmetic procedures. Get the answers to all of your questions and find a doctor near you.

Written by Cosmetic Town Editorial Team - SP

Based on an exclusive interview with Jonathan Kaplan, MD in San Francisco, CA