Last spring Doherty underwent a single mastectomy and recently she has undergone reconstructive surgery on her breast. After the surgery Doherty took to Instagram to share a video from the doctor’s office where she thanked her surgeon Dr Jay Orringer and wrote, “I consider myself very lucky and very blessed to have this man as my doctor.”

The surgery was carried out in order to place a temporary implant known as an expander. The implant will help the muscle tissue expand in preparation for a permanent silicone implant.

Many patients that undergo a breast reconstruction will receive an inflatable tissue expander before receiving a permanent implant. Doherty received hers fairly soon after the mastectomy and explained that her it needs to be extra-enlarged before her next radiation treatment as the radiation will shrink it.
In the video Dr Orringer can be heard saying, “Radiation acts like a shrink wrap effect around the expander. Whether you lose 20 percent volume or 30 percent, it’s difficult to know.”

Doherty, who was diagnosed with cancer last year, has been extremely open about her battle with the disease and shared a number of personal and intimate videos with her followers documenting the journey to recovery.

Earlier in November she was given a Courage Award at the American Cancer Society’s inaugural Giants of Science Gala where she said that she accepted the award “on behalf of every single cancer patient out there because it takes a lot of courage.”

Doherty will have the permanent implant inserted once the expander has done its job and she has completed her radiation treatment.

Now the trend is slowly changing. As plastic surgery becomes more widely accepted and part of our everyday lives actresses and even actors are more willing to admit that they too are human and are using the help of plastic surgeons to keep the youthful, beautiful look they are so famous and applauded for. In a recent interview Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting of The Big Bang Theory fame revealed that she has undergone breast augmentation surgery and is incredibly happy with the results: “I had no boobs! And it really was the best thing ever! I always felt ill-proportioned. My implants made me feel more confident in my body. It wasn’t about trying to be a porn star or wanting to look hot and sexy.”

The TV star’s comment shows that old-fashioned perception of breast augmentation being solely the prerogative of porn stars is now truly a thing of the past. As Cuoco-Sweeting points out the real goal of breast augmentation surgery is to make the patient feel confident and beautiful in their skin by achieving a proportionate and harmonious overall look. The goal of the surgery is to attain a naturally stunning look with the minimum possible risk. American Board of Plastic Surgery certified plastic surgeon Dr Warren Lent believes that the best way to turn patient’s dream into reality is to come up with a plan that will suit the needs and expectations of each individual patient while keeping their wellbeing and safety as the most important consideration. This way results worthy of the most stunning Hollywood actresses will be possible for everyone.

One of the fastest growing plastic surgery procedures of 2014 that is likely to maintain its popularity in 2015 are procedures that targets an area of the body that many people feel uncomfortable about – the neck and jaw line. As we age the skin around the jaw line and neck area loses its elasticity and becomes saggy and unattractive while extra fat under the skin adds to the problem. It is one of the tell-tale signs of aging that many patients wish to get rid of, or at least significantly improve, in order to regain their youthful appearance. An increasingly popular procedure targeting this problem area is fat removal around the neck and jaw line. Fatty tissue accumulates around the jaw line and the fat is removed with liposuction surgery. The result is a smoother, more contoured jaw line and a tighter, more youthful looking neck area. In 2015 procedures focused on the neck and jaw line are forecasted to remain just as popular as in the previous few years. In addition, a new injectable contouring drug is currently in its last stages of clinical trial making a non-invasive approach to neck and jaw line procedures more a thing of the present, rather than the distant future.

A buzz-word that permeates the entire field of plastic surgery is “volume”. An unavoidable part of the aging process is loss of volume in the facial features such as cheeks, lips, and the under-eye area. While it is important to maintain a strict facial skincare routine, no amount of cosmetics will counteract the effects of deep level volume loss. As a result, patients are eager to undergo procedures aimed at restoring volume and a youthful glow to the face. Fillers such as Restylane or Juvéderm are still gaining popularity among patients and fat injections are also on the rise. The most important aspect of volume restoration is choosing the right fillers in order to end up with seamless, beautiful and glowing results.

Other popular plastic surgery procedures in the last year included procedures aimed at young mothers, also known as the “mommy makeovers”. This set of procedures targets areas that are typically problematic for post-pregnancy women. The “mommy makeover” can entail a tummy tuck, liposuction, breast lift and dermatological procedures. Along with “mommy makeovers”, fat grafting (fat transfer) for breast augmentation has gained popularity in 2014 and procedures aimed at men are at an all-time high. While previously men opted for liposuction almost exclusively on their breast area, 2014 marked a definite change in attitudes with an increasing number of male patients looking to improve the appearance of their midsection. Similarly to women, fillers and Botox treatments were very popular amongst men and this trend is expected to continue well into 2015. Though plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures will continue to gain popularity in 2015, some procedures are likely to attract less patients then before. Non-surgical approaches to fat removal seem to be losing popularity as patients realize that longer lasting, more dramatic results can be achieved by a skilled plastic surgeon.

2015, just as 2014 was, will be characterized by patients asking for the most natural-looking, beautiful and seamless results with the lowest possible risks. Trends and fashions may change but choosing a US board-certified experienced plastic surgeon will ensure the successful outcome of any plastic surgery procedure and will make patients face each and every New Year with a smile.

There are a number of reasons why plastic surgery patients can end up with an unqualified surgeon and a botched procedure. Costs of procedures performed by unlicensed or unqualified physicians can be much lower than those of US board certified surgeons as they are not bound by the strict medical regulations of the board. In other cases, patients who are normally extremely well-read up on the actual procedure they are planning to undergo fail to check the credentials of the surgeon as they have innate trust in doctors. In some instances the desire for a procedure can be so great that it overshadows considerations of safety and people are willing to settle for an unqualified doctor just to have the procedure done.

That is exactly what happened to Nafsika Lourentzatos, a New York City event-planner who dreamed of having her breasts enlarged from a young age. A friend told her of a procedure where silicone is injected to the breasts as an alternative to breast augmentation and the physicians she recommended were even willing to perform the procedure on an underage Ms Lourentzatos. After undergoing the procedure Ms Lourentzatos noticed no visible difference in the size of her breasts and felt that the procedure, which cost less than half of a traditional breast augmentation surgery was in vain but at least left her with no visible scarring or any other ill effects. Unfortunately, just a few years following the procedure she noticed lumps in her breasts and chest plate and had to turn to a doctor for help. It turned out that the injected silicone caused immeasurable damage to Ms Lourentzatos’s chest area and she had to have her breast removed to avoid the silicone entering her blood stream. What followed was a long series of painful corrective surgeries and a deep psychological trauma. She later found out that the “medical professionals” who performed her procedure were arrested in Colombia as they had no license to practise medicine in the US.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons cases such as that of Ms Lourentzatos are common and they advise all patients to check their surgeon’s credential s before embarking on a consultation. They stress the importance of confirming that the surgeon is a certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and if the facility hosting the operation is accredited.

Why is it better to undergo plastic surgery procedures in winter rather than summer?

Of course it is possible to undergo plastic surgery procedures during the summer months and the results of surgery will be just as rewarding as in the winter. There are many aspects that need to be considered for a successful procedure and choosing the time to do it might be fairly low down on the importance list. However, the main reason for summer not being the best time for plastic surgery is the convenience factor. All procedures involve a post-work recovery plan which is often much easier to stick to in the winter than during the sweltering heat of summer. Bandages, compression wear and other special undergarments worn by patients following surgery can get fairly hot and sweaty and it is much more pleasant to wear them in cold weather. Also, cold weather calls for comfortable loose sweaters and long sleeves which make it easier to discreetly conceal bandages or compression wear. Recovering and recuperating after a procedure takes time and in the winter months people are more likely to stay indoors anyway, making recovery time less stressful as there is no need to turn down social calls or summer party invitations. Another great advantage of winter over summer is the relatively low intensity of the winter sun. While in the summer long days in the blazing UV rays are almost unavoidable, winter months give our skin a much needed rest from sun damage. Skin rejuvenating and skin resurfacing procedures such as laser rejuvenation or microdermabrasion are much safer during the winter as UV rays are less likely to cause damage to the sensitive post-treatment skin.

If for whatever reasons patients still need to undergo their plastic surgery procedure during the summer period there are a few things that can help the recovery process. Minimizing bruising and discoloration is only possible if patients follow the post-procedure instructions as closely as they can. Cold compresses and bandaging can improve the look of the treated body part while post-work makeup (designed specifically for extra sensitive skin) can help the appearance of facial skin following rejuvenating and resurfacing skin treatments.

Is there an ideal time for plastic surgery procedures?

The best time to schedule a plastic surgery procedure is between September and February. The weather during this time is pleasantly cool and days are becoming shorter, making it the perfect period to book an appointment with your Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon and schedule a bit of me-time. These months are great to avoid the patient traffic that often appears during the spring season in preparation for summer. In fact, patients who undergo their procedure during winter are most likely to be fully recovered and enjoying the full effect of their transformation by the time summer arrives.

Is the time of year really that important?

Though the timing of any plastic surgery procedure is worth considering, it’s mainly to do with the patient’s comfort and ease of recovery. It is equally possible to be safe and achieve beautiful results in the summer, winter months are simply more suited for plastic surgery procedures. As always, the single most important factor to the outcome of your procedure is the experience and knowledge of your surgeon. Board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent has extensive experience in a variety of plastic surgery procedures, aiming for the most aesthetically pleasing results while placing equal importance on the safety and comfort of the patient. Dr. Warrant Lent is an excellent choice if considering plastic surgery, be it during the toasty fun-filled days of summer or the cozy, festive months of winter.

What types of procedures are most popular amongst teens?

To understand what types of procedures teens are requesting most often it is important to realize that the motivation for plastic surgery procedures amongst teenage patients is often different to that of more mature patients. Whilst older patients are often seeking out plastic surgeons to regain their youthful appearance or to enhance their looks in order to stand out from the crowd, teenagers are more likely to want plastic surgery to feel and look more like their peers, to achieve a more “normal” appearance. Feeling the sense of belonging to a group, being accepted and loved by one’s friends is especially important during our teenage years when we get our sense of self largely by comparing ourselves to others. As a result, plastic surgery procedures requested by teenagers are often aimed at making their look more symmetrical and balanced in their facial features as well as their bodies. One of the most popular plastic surgery procedures is rhinoplasty or nose-jobs in which the size, shape and functionality of the nose can be changed giving a more harmonious and balanced look to the patient’s facial features. Breast augmentation is also a firm favorite among teenagers as well as skin procedures such as microdermabrasion aimed at reducing severe acne scars and evening out skin tone. Another large group of plastic surgery procedures favored by younger patients is aimed at correcting functionality, allowing patients to go about their normal day to day activities and join in sports groups or other teams that would have been embarrassing or even painful prior to surgery. Breast asymmetry, deviated septum and even urinary incontinence can affect teenage patients and plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation/reduction, rhinoplasty or vaginoplasty can mean an enormous improvement in patients’ lives. Prominent, protruding ears is another area of major concern to teenagers, which can be treated with a procedure known as Otoplasty, but commonly referred to as ear pinning.

What to consider before a plastic surgery procedure?

As with any patient thinking about plastic surgery it is important to pinpoint what exactly is bothersome for teenage patients. The best way forward is to talk to a Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Warren Lent as they will have the knowledge and experience to talk about options for each individual patient. Though many people appear to be experts on plastic surgery no one knows plastic surgery procedures better than plastic surgeons themselves so it is important to consult with a doctor before deciding on a procedure. Whilst plastic surgery might be a solution to some concerns teenage patients might have, it is important to realize that teenagers are still expected to grow and change in their body shape and even facial features. Surgeons might advise to wait a few years with certain procedures in order to achieve the best and longest lasting results. In addition, some procedures incur considerable down-time following surgery and it simply might not be the best time for teenage patients to take several weeks off from their studies. Finally, if patients are under 18 years old parents or legal guardians will always need to give their consent for any plastic surgery procedure. Their support is also needed prior to the operation and during the recovery period so it makes sense for parents to be on board with the surgery plan.

The dangers of plastic surgery for teens

Teenage patients can be excellent candidates for plastic surgery procedures. Usually they suffer less from underlying medical conditions and often recuperate much faster than adults. However, it is important to keep in mind that any surgery, including all plastic surgery procedures comes with its own set of risks and possible complications. In addition, just as with more mature patients, plastic surgery can have a profound impact on the teenage patient’s life but it is important to have realistic expectations of what plastic surgery can achieve. Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Warrant Lent will prepare you for the procedure so that you can enjoy the best possible results – even at a younger age.

There are a number of reasons why a patient might consider breast implant surgery. Some people suffer from low self-esteem as they feel that their breasts are too small for their frame, making them look child-like and disproportionate. Others hope to feel more womanly, sexy and curvaceous by having full, larger breasts. In some cases, overly large breasts can become a burden, straining women’s backs and causing severe prolonged pain. Patients can also complain of sagging breasts following major weight loss, pregnancy or natural aging and unlucky genetics. In addition, there are cases in which breast surgery follows on from more devastating life-saving surgeries where one or both breasts had to be removed and now they wish to go back to normal. Whatever the reason for Beverly Hills breast plastic surgery in all these cases the single most important aspect of the surgery preparation process is choosing a well-trained, experienced board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, such as Dr. Warren M. Lent. Though a large number of patients spend a lot of time researching the desired breast size and shape, looking into various types of procedures that could be right for them, it is important to point out that the best results will only be achieved with the help of an excellent surgeon and his team of medical professionals.

What type of breast surgeries does Dr. Warren Lent perform?

Board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren M. Lent has extensive experience in performing a wide variety of breast surgeries. Breast augmentation is a procedure in which a breast implant is inserted behind the natural breast itself, or deeper, underneath the chest muscle. Breast augmentation is a great solution for patients looking to achieve a fuller décolletage or who are unhappy with the shape of their breasts. Breast reduction surgery is a plastic surgery solution to overly large breasts that can look overbearing on a smaller frame. Breast reduction surgery helps the patient achieve a more harmonious overall look and can mean the end to chronic back and neck pain caused by heavy breasts. Often the patient’s posture dramatically improves following breast reduction surgery as there is no need to stoop any more. Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren M. Lent also performs breast lift surgery which can benefit patients suffering with sagging breasts. He has performed numerous implant revision surgeries in which the old breast implant is replaced with a new breast implant which can be the same size or differ in size from the previous old implant. Dr. Warren M. Lent is also extremely experienced in treating breast asymmetry, finding surgical solutions to achieve a natural and symmetrical overall look. In some cases, multiple breast surgeries can be performed at the same time; a breast lift often involves inserting a breast implant to give back fullness to the patient’s breasts.

What are the parameters that need to be considered for surgery (type, implant size/type, incision site and most importantly surgeon)?

There are a number of aspects that should be considered by all patients looking to undergo breast implant surgery. Though it is important to research the procedures at home, all of these issues will be considered carefully when making your first appointment with board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren M. Lent. Your surgeon is your most important “ally” in the quest for the perfect results and he is the most knowledgeable and reliable source of information when it comes to plastic surgery.

Firstly, patients will tell the surgeon what bothers them about the look and feel of their breasts so that together they can come up with the most optimal surgery plan. The type of surgery will be decided, whether it is breast augmentation, breast reduction, revision surgery or any other type of plastic surgery procedure. If the patient’s surgery requires breast implants the surgeon will discuss in detail the pros and cons of the two types of breast implants currently used by plastic surgeons, saline and silicone implants. The plastic surgeon will help the patient choose the right sized implant to make sure that the results of the breast surgery are as close to the patient’s ideals as possible. The incision site is also discussed as it is important to know that every plastic surgery procedure includes opening the skin and a small scar is unavoidable. The incision can be made around the nipple, in the armpit area or in the fold underneath the breast. Finally, the most important decision for the patient to make is which plastic surgeon to choose. The most important factor of the surgery will always be the skill, knowledge and experience of the plastic surgeon and with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren M. Lent’s credentials patients can be sure that they are in the safest hands possible.

The earliest reference to plastic surgery procedures can be found in an Ancient Egyptian medical text dating back to 3000 BC, describing the repair of a broken nose. Ancient Romans also knew how to utilize plastic surgery techniques as recorded by Roman scholar Aulus Cornelius Celsus in the first century. Reparative methods were also used in India as early as 800 BC and cataract surgeries, aimed at helping patients restore their sight, were also performed from the 6th century BC. It is this revolutionary work in the field of plastic surgery that was carried out by Indian healers that was first recorded in writing and can be viewed as a set of detailed medical descriptions in its own right. The original Sanskrit texts were soon translated to Arabic and spread across the Asian continent and Europe during the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 AD. The first Europeans who made use of these early plastic surgery techniques were the Italian Branca family in Sicily.

Compared to the East, Western medical practice lagged behind in the field of plastic surgery (and surgery in general). The earliest record of plastic surgery in the West dates back to 1794 when the British Gentleman’s Magazine published an article on the innovative rhinoplasty procedures of Indian medics. It was on the wings of this article that Englishman Joseph Constantine Carpue, a popular lecturer in anatomy and a skilled surgeon travelled to India to devote 20 years of his life studying the traditional Indian rhinoplasty method which involved using a piece of skin taken from the patient’s forehead to form a nose. Upon his return to England Carpue performed the first plastic surgery procedure of the West – a rhinoplasty using ancient Indian techniques. Carpue’s patient was a soldier whose nose has been destroyed by a previous mercury treatment. Carpue was so stunned by the success of the operation that when the bandages were removed from the patient’s nose he reportedly exclaimed: “My God, there is a nose.” Though the surgery was widely proclaimed an overwhelming success it is painful to imagine what Carpue’s patient must have endured during a surgery that did not include any anesthesiology (in the modern sense of that word).

Another great innovator in the field of plastic surgery was Karl Ferdinand von Graefe, a German surgeon who became director of the ophthalmological institute at the University of Berlin in the early 1800s. Graefe was also inspired by the soldiers who often suffered terrible injuries and needed reconstructive plastic surgery to drastically improve their quality of life. Graefe performed several rhinoplasty procedures and is generally recognized as the founder of German rhinoplastic surgery. He also performed the first corrective surgery on a cleft palate patient and experimented with eyelid surgery. Though Graefe’s contribution to plastic surgery is immense, it is worth pointing out that he was very much a man of his time. It was Graefe who coined the term “plastic” in relation to reconstructive surgery, taking it from the Greek word for giving form (plastikos).

As anesthesia techniques and hygiene practices developed during the late 19th century, an American surgeon, John Orlando Roe performed the first non-reconstructive nose job. This was a significant step for the history of plastic surgery as up until that point all plastic surgery procedures were aimed at restoring functionality and were much less concerned with the physical appearance of the patient. Following in Roe’s footsteps, Germans surgeon Eugen Hollander is believed to be the first doctor ever to perform a purely cosmetic face lift. In 1901 Hollander was the first to cut the skin around and under the ears to smooth out any lines or wrinkles.

In an unfortunate twist of fate it was the two World Wars of the twentieth century that brought the most advances to the field of plastic surgery. The terrible injuries suffered by WWI patients spurred surgeons to seek innovative medical solutions and it was during this time that plastic surgeons formed their first professional associations and boards. The horrors of WWII meant further advances for plastic surgery; most famously it was during this time that extensive skin burns were first treated with skin grafts. These methods were further refined and finally integrated into the classical canon of plastic surgery and from the 1960s onwards plastic surgery was marketed to patients looking to improve their appearance and erase the signs of aging.

Dr. Warren Lent is a double board certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who makes use of all the latest technologies and innovations in plastic surgery to make his patients’ experiences as painless and comfortable as possible. He is available for consultation on all forms of plastic surgery at his office in Beverly Hills.

Most patients seeking out plastic surgery as a solution would like to appear more youthful as they often feel that their looks don’t match the age they feel themselves to be on the inside. It is important to remember that cosmetic problems associated with aging such as loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles, changed facial contours as well as other adverse effects can be reversed and the appearance dramatically improved. This is certainly true for older patients too. When preparing for a plastic surgery procedure the patient’s health is carefully assessed to decide the best course of action. While health factors should be taken into consideration when calculating the risk of plastic surgery, these do not only include the age of the patient. In fact, recent studies show that the age of the prospective plastic surgery patient is only very minimally relevant to the imposed risks of plastic surgery procedures and other health indicators can be much more influential on the outcome of the plastic surgery procedure.

It is vital, regardless of age, to have a consultant with a fully board certified plastic surgeon who can identify any possible risks. Dr. Warren Lent is a fully qualified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and has a wealth of experience to help guide patients through all plastic surgery procedures.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a prestigious organization with over 7,000 US board-certified plastic surgeons among its members including Dr. Warren Lent, recently saw a presentation on the role of age in all plastic surgery procedures. The conference’s findings are of immense importance as the ASPS is widely considered to be the definitive authority in all issues concerning both reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery.

The conference’s key speaker, Dr. Yezhelyev MD, PhD, Department of Plastic Surgery, Vanderbilt University in Nashville said: “With increasing number of elderly patients seeking aesthetic surgery there is a need to better understand the complications of cosmetic procedures unique to this population. Our study demonstrated that patients over 65 years old can safely undergo cosmetic procedures with a complications rate similar to younger patients when surgery is performed by board certified plastic surgeon.”

The study was conducted by reviewing over five years of patient information and carefully calculating all the risk factors involved during the plastic surgery procedures. They found that there was no significant difference between the plastic surgery procedures conducted on the older patients (average age of 69) and younger patients (average age of 39). While complications occurred in 1.84% of the younger patients’ plastic surgery procedures, this number was 1.94% with older patients, statistically an insignificant difference between the two groups. The study showed that even patients in their eighties had a very low rate of post-surgical complications with only 2.2% of all plastic surgery procedures resulting in post-surgical complications.

Another interesting point of the study was that the even higher occurrence of other health risks among older patients, such as higher BMI and diabetes, had little influence on the success rate of plastic surgery procedures. What this means is that even though older patients are more likely to suffer from diabetes or have problem managing their weight, their plastic surgery procedures were just as successful as those of younger plastic surgery patients. Indeed the only plastic surgery procedure in which there was a significant enough difference between the older and younger patients’ surgery results was abdominoplasty, where 5.4% of older patients developed post-surgery complications as opposed to the 3.9% of younger patients. Even these numbers are fairly low and show that plastic surgery procedures can be successfully performed on patients of almost all ages.

So does that mean that all plastic surgery procedures are safe for everyone? It is important to remember and fully understand the risks of any plastic surgery procedure as still apply. However, the key for a successful procedure lies in choosing the right plastic surgeon. All the statistics and number of the study come from plastic surgery procedures performed by US board certified plastic surgeons. This means that all the patients who were included in the study had the absolute best care possible. Though their age did not influence the risks of plastic surgery, the outcome of the procedures would have been very different with a less skilled, less experienced surgeon. The results of plastic surgery are certainly important but the safety and wellbeing of the patient is always the single most crucial concern for the plastic surgeon. Plastic surgery patients come in all ages but all patients deserve the best of care, attention and the assurance of a well of experience and unparalleled skill. US board certified plastic surgeons are the best trained medical professionals in their field who will always aim to provide the most aesthetically pleasing results whilst keeping in mind the patient’s safety and overall wellbeing.

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Dr. Warren Lent is a member of both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. As a result all Beverly Hills plastic surgery patients can be sure that they are receiving the best possible care.

When considering breast implants there are two general types of implants that patients can choose from. The silicone implant has a silicone shell and is pre-filled with silicone gel which is designed to be as similar as possible to human breast tissue so that the result is closer to a natural look. The saline implant also has a silicone shell but it is filled during plastic surgery with saline solution which is essentially salt water. Both implants are used extensively in plastic surgery procedures and they both have their pros and cons that prospective patients need to consider before undergoing plastic surgery.

To fully understand the pros and cons a consultation with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent is recommended. As a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons he is familiar with all the latest plastic surgery techniques and methodologies.

Pros and Cons

One of the advantages of the silicone implants is that the final result is often more natural looking and feels softer than saline implants. As mentioned, silicone gel that is designed to have a similar texture to breast tissue, hence the more natural final look. However, a major drawback of silicone implants is that the risks associated with the rupturing of these implants are much higher than those of the saline implant. Some patients don’t notice when their silicone implant ruptures as in most cases the silicone gel remains trapped in the capsule surrounding the breast implant. Though there is no scientifically proven connection between a silicon leak in the body and long term health problems such as breast cancer or disease of the connective tissue, it is never the less possible that the silicone implant will have to be removed in case of leakage as it can become painful and the shape and size of the affected breast may change overtime. Even when silicone implants don’t rupture, there is a small amount of microscopic liquid silicone that escapes through the surface of the implant into the breast. This is likely one of the reasons that silicone implants are associated with a higher incidence of internal breast scarring, known as capsular contracture.

Saline implants tend to be slightly firmer than silicone implants and therefore the breasts can feel slightly less natural looking than silicone implants. Good surgical technique, by an experienced plastic surgeon, however, can make a woman’s breasts look quite beautiful with saline implants. On the other hand, if the implant ruptures the saline solution is completely absorbed into the body without causing harmful side effects. After all, your body is already about 70% salt water. However, if the ruptured implant deflates, that will impact the size and shape of the breast. A surgical procedure may be required to replace the ruptured implant. A discussion with an experienced, well trained, board certified plastic surgeon will help you make an informed choice that is right for you.

To find out which kind of breast implant is appropriate for you book a consultation with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent.