How to choose the right breast implant, shape and size

Choosing the right breast implant involves careful consideration and a thorough understanding of your options. Here’s a guide to help you navigate this important decision.

Understanding Your Motivation

Cosmetic surgery is a deeply personal choice. If you are doing it to meet someone else’s expectations, look like someone else, or try to fit an ideal image, it is unlikely to meet your expectations. It is important to understand breast augmentation surgery will enhance the physical features already existing and that ‘perfection’ is unattainable.

Setting Your Goals

Begin by asking yourself what you hope to achieve with breast implants:

• Are you looking for increased confidence, enhanced sex appeal, improved self-esteem, or a new look?
• What size do you envision, and how might it affect your daily activities?
• Do you prefer implants that are noticeable or as natural-looking as possible?
• When would you like to achieve your new look?

Your MINKST Surgery Consultation

At MINKST, we believe that well-informed patients make the best choices and are more satisfied with their results. Your comprehensive consultation will cover:

• Shape of Breast Implant
• Surface of Breast Implant
• Profile of Breast Implant
• Breast Implant Size
• Breast Implant Placement
• Breast Incision Site
• Potential Need for a Breast Lift
• Risks and Complications

Did you know our consultations are fully refundable if you decide not to proceed with surgery? Read more here.

Shape of Breast Implant: Round vs Teardrop

There are 2 types of breast implant shapes to choose from; Round or Teardrop.

Round Breast Implants

Round implants are the most common and tend to enhance the upper pole of the breast, which may create more noticeable cleavage. These implants are ideal if you seek a fuller look.

Tear Drop Breast Implants

Teardrop implants mimic the natural breast shape, with a thinner upper area that slopes into a fuller, round base, which contains most of the volume. These implants can provide a more natural look.

Video: a short comparison of round vs teardrop implant shapes

Profile of Implant: Choosing Your Projection

The implant profile determines the projection from your chest or ‘stickyoutness’. Typically, there are four profile options.

Your natural breast shape and desired outcome will guide the best choice. You can try different profiles during your consultation and use our 3D Simulation technology to visualise potential results.

Breast Implant Surface: Smooth vs Textured

Smooth Breast Implants
These do not attach to breast tissue, causing less rippling and may be better suited for thinner women. The shape of a smooth implant is always round.

Textured Breast Implants
These have a roughened surface designed to adhere in place, reducing the risk of complications from implant slippage. The shape of a textured implant may be round or teardrop, but teardrop implants are always textured to minimise movement.

It’s worth knowing that some textured implants have been linked to a rare condition called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), which led Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration to restrict or recall certain macro-textured models. The condition remains rare and is generally treatable when caught early, and your surgeon can talk you through current safety guidance and which surface type is right for you.

Choosing Your Breast Implant Size

Choosing the right breast implant size can be challenging. It depends on your desired outcome and your chest and breast dimensions. Your MINKST doctor / surgeon will help you select a size that minimises risks and aligns with your goals.

This all starts in your consultation where you will try on different implant sizers to get a feel of what you like. Watch our quick video about the sizing portion of your consultation.

If you are curious about sizes ask us about our at home Rice Test to help you understand how the sizing works prior to your consultation.

(The Rice Test is a simple at-home exercise – filling bags with rice to roughly approximate different implant sizes against your body – to help you arrive at your consultation with a clearer sense of the size range you’re drawn to.)

Silicone vs Saline Breast Implants: What’s the Difference?

When choosing between saline and silicone breast implants, there are key differences to consider.

Saline
Saline implants are filled with a sterile saltwater solution and are typically inserted empty, allowing for smaller incisions. If a rupture occurs, the saline is safely absorbed by the body.

Silicone
Silicone gel implants, on the other hand, are pre-filled with a cohesive silicone gel. These types of implants are more commonly used because they are less prone to rippling and the gel mimics the feel of natural breast tissue, offering a more natural look and texture compared to saline. However ruptures can be harder to detect without imaging like an MRI.

Both options are safe and approved by health authorities, and the choice depends on personal preferences, body type, and desired aesthetic outcome. Watch our video for more information:

Breast Implant Placement: Under, Over, or Dual Plane

Implant placement refers to where the implants are placed in relation to your breast tissue, muscle and skin.

There are 3 options:

• Under the muscle placement: implant is placed behind the pectoral muscles and the breast tissue
• Over the muscle placement: implant is placed in front of the pectoral muscles and behind the breast tissue
• Dual plane placement: implants are placed half under, half in front of the pectoral muscles

Each breast implant placement has its pros and cons. Your MINKST doctor / surgeon will recommend the best option for you based on your body type and desired outcome.

Learn more about implant placement here.

Video: how each placement option looks and feels in practice.