Breast implant cover | Breast Implants

Breast implant cover

Breast implants are manufactured with different shells or surfaces. Until now, only silicone and polyurethane have been used successfully as breast implant sheaths. The frequently used silicone shells can have either a smooth or rough (textured) surface.

The surface structure of the implant influences the way in which the breast implant reacts with the surrounding tissue. Every breast implant is a foreign body to the body and is therefore recognised and fought by the body’s own defence system. Since the body cannot break down the material of the implant shell, the implant is enclosed by a capsule of connective tissue when the body tries to defend itself.

This protective reaction is completely natural and occurs with every implant implanted in the body (e.g. knee prosthesis, stent, pacemaker). However, it can happen that the capsule around the breast implant develops particularly strongly. This can lead to a so-called capsule contracture, which means that the strong capsule contracts, causing hardening and pain.

The risk of such a pronounced capsule formation around the implant is lower with textured than with smooth implant surfaces, as the surrounding tissue can anchor itself better to the rough surface. For this reason, textured implant covers are used as standard today because they are superior to smooth surfaces. Smooth implant covers have the advantage that they feel more natural.

However, due to the higher risk of complications, they are only used in exceptional cases today. In addition to the silicone coating of breast implant covers, polyurethane-coated implant covers are also under scientific discussion. These are currently only offered in Europe, but not in the USA.

At the beginning of the 2000s, titanium-coated implant sheaths were briefly approved in Germany, but so far no clear evidence has been provided that titanium is harmless for breast implants. Prior to the surgical implantation of breast implants, a detailed consultation is carried out so that the correct breast implant can be selected. It is possible to make very fine size graduations, which is why side differences can be compensated very well by two breast implants of different sizes.

Simulations on your own body with different patterns are possible, but also pictures of women with a comparable breast shape before the operation can make the choice of the right implant easier. The size of the breast implant is often limited by certain characteristics of the existing breast tissue. For example, factors such as the elasticity of the skin or the amount of breast tissue play a role in the choice of size.

The elasticity of the skin must be strong enough to cover the entire implant. Too large implants can cause tension, skin tears or stretch marks. If there is little breast tissue, a breast implant that is too large may be visible or palpable under the skin.

In some cases, it may be considered to place the breast implant under the pectoral muscle so that it covers the implant instead of the breast. If the desired breast augmentation is initially not feasible due to natural conditions, a two-stage procedure can be used. An expander is used to expand the skin to the desired size.

This expander is later removed and the correct breast implant can be inserted without tension. It is generally recommended not to enlarge the breast by more than two bra sizes in order to achieve an optimal natural result. As a rule, the exact volume of the breast implants is agreed upon during the consent for surgery. During the breast surgery, an assessment is made regarding the shape and symmetry and can be easily adjusted. However, in principle only the type of breast implants determined in the explanatory consultation are used.