A healthy body image leads to better sexual health, but are breast implants worth the confidence boost?

There are several options on the market for breast implants these days; silicone or saline, textured or smooth, even fat injections are an option. But which of these are the safest to use?

According to Michael S. Kluska, D.O., smooth, round silicone breast implants made of a highly cohesive gel are the safest and most popular option. He says textured implants and contoured implants (which are usually textured) could lead to a rare type of breast cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma, or ALCL. He also mentions that textured implants have a higher likelihood of getting “stuck” in place and healing, resulting in lop-sidedness.

Saline vs. silicone is another thing to consider for breast implants. Saline implants have a slightly higher risk of rupturing compared to silicone, and that they tend to ripple more than silicone implants. Saline implants are a three-part system, which Dr. Kluska cites as the reason for more frequent ruptures. “Usually, failures of saline implants occur at the port where we fill the implant,” says Dr. Kluska.

Breast augmentation using fat injections is also an option, but according to Dr. Kluska, fat can be unpredictable, and often requires several appointments where fat grafts are taken from the patient and transferred into their breasts to achieve the desired size. A woman who is young, healthy, non-smoking and not obese is an ideal candidate for fat grafting.

So, why take the risk of breast cancer, a ruptured implant, or go through the trouble of fat grafting? Well, self-image is an important part of overall health and well-being, and particularly for women who have had mastectomies, breast implants are an obvious solution to help them feel sexy and beautiful. And when getting breast implants, bigger isn’t always better. “We know now that bigger implants can potentiate bigger problems. Sizing the implant to make the patient have better anatomical proportions is always in the patient’s best interest,” says Dr. Kluska. Self-acceptance is still an important part of your well-being and your sexual health, and it will still be part of your journey if you choose to get breast implants.

The long and short of it is, breast augmentation can be a way to help you achieve greater self-confidence in your daily life, and in the bedroom. Always be sure to talk to a doctor you trust, and if you are in the Washington, DC area, we are always here to listen and talk you through what options are best for YOU. Call us at 202.293.1000 or e-mail info@intimmedicine.com to make an appointment!