Online you’ll read that teardrop implants always look natural and round ones always look fake. It isn’t that simple. I use round implants in most of my operations. Below I explain why, and I explain the one real drawback of round implants just as openly.
What is the difference between round and teardrop breast implants?
A round implant is symmetrical in every direction. The top and the bottom have the same fullness. A teardrop implant takes its name from its shape. It is full at the bottom and tapers toward the top, designed to imitate the profile of a natural breast.
The difference isn’t simply natural versus artificial. The two do different jobs and they carry different risks, and the choice of implant shape is made by looking at those two things.
Why do I prefer round implants in breast augmentation?
There are two reasons.
Upper pole fullness. A round implant makes the upper part of the breast look fuller and fills out the décolletage. That is the look the large majority of women having this operation are asking for, and a round implant delivers it well.
Rotation. The biggest risk with a teardrop implant is that it rotates inside the breast. The moment it turns, the shape of the breast is distorted, and correcting that usually means another operation. We don’t see this with round implants. When an implant is identical in every direction, turning changes nothing, so the risk simply isn’t there. That is the other reason we prefer round implants.
What is the drawback of round implants, do they look like a ball?
There is one real drawback. Because the upper pole of a round implant is very full, it can sometimes give an unnatural result. The breast can end up looking round in a way that reads as artificial, and not every woman wants that.
For patients who want to avoid it, we use a special series of implant that shapes itself like a teardrop when you are standing and rounds out when you lie down. That way we keep the advantages of a round implant and still get a natural result. I use this type in close to 90 percent of my operations.
How do we decide between round and teardrop implants?
We decide by measuring, not by guessing. First we establish your chest width. Then we look at the shape of your breasts and at the volume difference between them, in other words at any asymmetry. The same volume doesn’t produce the same result in everyone. For one patient 300 cc is right, for another 250 cc, and for a third we recommend 285 cc.
Then we use a three-dimensional simulation. We measure the distance between your nipples and the volumes and distances in specific areas of the breast, load them into the system, and look together on screen at the implant that suits you.
Is a simulation enough on its own? I don’t think so. It doesn’t always show exactly what you will see afterward. So we use trial sizers as well. These aren’t the implants we use in surgery. You put them into your bra and see how that volume actually sits on your body. When you combine what you see on the screen with what you see in the mirror, the decision becomes much more solid. For patients who can’t come in for a consultation, we can do this through phone applications.
What else do we look at when choosing the implant shape?
We never discuss shape by itself. Volume, profile and the placement plane are all decided at the same table. What makes a result look natural is how shape, volume, profile and plane fit together.
Every woman’s frame is different and every breast is its own shape. To work out the right implant for you, we need to examine you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do round implants always look like a ball?
No. That look appears when the volume chosen is too large for the tissue. For patients who don’t want it, we use the special series implant that takes a teardrop shape when standing. The fullness stays, the ball look doesn’t.
What happens if a teardrop implant rotates?
The shape of the breast is distorted, and correcting it usually requires another operation. Round implants don’t carry that risk.
Is the implant shape decided before surgery?
Yes. We go through the measurements, the simulation and the trial sizers together at your consultation. Both the shape and the volume are settled before you go into the operating room.
Is a round implant the right choice for everyone?
Round implants are my preference, but not an automatic answer. The decision is made with your measurements, your existing tissue and what you want from the result.
Alongside the choice of implant, our articles on what capsular contracture is and breast lift or implants are worth reading too.
Dr. Alper Eskalen chooses between round and teardrop implants with each patient, with all of these details in mind.
