Breast Implants

One of the most important decisions you’ll make when considering a breast augmentation procedure is the kind of breast implants that will suit both your aesthetic goals and your unique body type. Board-certified plastic surgeon Daniel C. Mills, MD, FACS offers some of the most advanced breast implants available, including both traditional silicone and saline models. Plus, Dr. Mills offers structured saline implants and the revolutionary Gummy Bear breast implant, a special type of silicone breast implant that can often provide an even more natural look and feel. At your initial consultation, Dr. Mills will present all of your options and answer your questions, and together, you will decide the type and size of implant that can best meet your needs.

To learn more about breast implants, please continue browsing through the information provided on this page, or simply contact our practice to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mills.

• Breast Implant Types
• Breast Implant Shapes
• Breast Implant Surfaces
• Best Breast Implants for You
• Breast Implants Cost

What Types of Breast Implants Are Available?

Breast implants are available in a variety of types, including cohesive silicone gel (gummy bear), traditional saline, traditional silicone, and structured saline. Dr. Mills offers each of these options at our practice and will help you decide which is best suited for you at the time of the consultation

Gummy Bear (Cohesive Gel) Implants

The Gummy Bear breast implant (medically referred to as the Cohesive Gel implant) contains more cohesive internal silicone, and can therefore retain its shape and provide a more natural look and feel when compared with other breast implants. Dr. Mills’ expertise with breast augmentation has allowed him to participate in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s clinical trials for Gummy Bear breast implants, and he chooses to offer Sientra® Cohesive Gel implants and the Natrelle® 410 Cohesive Gel Implant at our practice. During your initial consultation, Dr. Mills can evaluate you to determine if Gummy Bear breast implants are right for your needs.

Learn more about Gummy Bear breast implants.

Silicone Breast Implants

Approved by the FDA for use in breast augmentation patients aged 22 and over (and breast reconstruction patients of any age), silicone breast implants are known to both look and feel like natural breast tissue. Composed of an outer silicone shell encasing a thick silicone gel, silicone breast implants are often less prone to rippling and can be beneficial for women who are very thin and patients who are having breast reconstruction.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants can be attained by women over the age of 18 and can be very effective at providing beautiful breast augmentation results. Made of a silicone outer shell and filled with a saline (saltwater) solution, saline breast implants have been a mainstay in breast enlargement procedures for decades.

IDEAL IMPLANT® (Structured Saline Implants)

The IDEAL IMPLANT® is an advanced, newly FDA-approved saline implant option available at Dr. Mills’ practice. Designed with two separate compartments that both contain one to three “baffle shells,” the innovative structure of the IDEAL IMPLANT® helps to restrict the movement of the saline (saltwater) solution within the implant. In turn, this creates an exceptionally natural appearance and feel.

In addition to its close resemblance to natural breasts, the IDEAL IMPLANT® offers the advantage of a low capsular contracture rate as well as a higher immunity to complications like wrinkling, folding, and breakage than the usual saline implant. Furthermore, regular MRI screenings to detect a potential rupture are not necessary, as any leak(s) will cause a clear deflation in volume that will be apparent to the naked eye in the rare case a rupture occurs. This provides patients both confidence and peace of mind knowing that their implants are fully intact.

What Are My Breast Implant Shape Options?

There are two breast implant shapes available today: round and teardrop. Both options offer distinct benefits, and the most appropriate option will depend on the look each patient is seeking to achieve.

Round Breast Implants

Round implants are generally an ideal choice for women wishing to achieve more fullness in the upper and lower portion of the breasts, as the consistent shape of these implants is designed to add volume both above and below the nipple.

Teardrop-Shaped Breast Implants

Teardrop-shaped implants—also known as anatomically shaped or anatomically contoured implants—are often an excellent option for patients seeking to increase volume in the lower portion of the breasts without adding significant fullness to the upper portion (much like the shape of natural breasts). They are also usually recommended for women who have very little breast tissue and need implants to generate the majority, or potentially all, of their breast shape.

What Are the Different Breast Implant Surfaces?

The surface of breast implants can either be smooth or textured. Both options offer unique advantages, and the proper choice will depend on the preference of the patient and/or the implant type/shape she chooses

Smooth Breast Implants

Chief benefits of smooth breast implants include their soft consistency and ability to move freely in the breast pocket, both of which contribute to a very natural look and feel. One potential downside of smooth implants is that rippling may become noticeable on the skin’s surface; however, the risk of this occurring is low.

Textured Breast Implants

Designed to remain securely in position within the breast pocket, textured implants have a decreased risk of implant rotation, which is particularly beneficial for anatomically shaped implants. In addition, studies have shown that textured breast implants have a reduced rate of capsular contracture.

What Are the Best Breast Implants for Me?

Each type of breast implant has advantages and disadvantages, and the best option for you depends on your specific body type and cosmetic desires. When you first meet with Dr. Mills for your initial consultation, he will explain all the differences between breast implants and even show you some of the many varieties. He will also employ VECTRA® 3D imaging to show you a digital representation of how various implants would look on your own body. Not only can this help you more clearly understand which implant shapes and sizes are best-suited to your figure, but it helps establish proper expectations for what can realistically be achieved.

Throughout the entire consultation process, Dr. Mills will carefully listen to all of your questions and concerns, ultimately helping you choose the specific breast implant model that can meet your goals.

How Much Do Breast Implants Cost?

The average cost of breast implants at our Orange County, CA practice is $6,835 for saline and $8,085 for silicone. In addition to the implants themselves, this price reflects the plastic surgeon’s fee, anesthesia fee, operating center fee, and pre/post-operative vitamins and supplements. Like most cosmetic procedures, supplementary expenses may be applied based on each patient’s specific treatment plan.

To help make breast implants as affordable as possible, Dr. Mills accepts payment through Prosper HealthCare, ALPHAEON® CREDIT, and CareCredit® for those who do not wish to pay via credit card, check, or cash. These trusted lending institutions offer numerous plastic surgery financing options that break the overall cost of treatment into monthly payments with minimal to no interest rates.

Contact Aesthetic Plastic Surgical Institute

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Mills, please contact Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Institute for more information on breast augmentation with implants.

If you would like more information on surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures for the breasts, body, facial, and skin, please visit our main website at www.danmillsmd.com.