High Profile Breast Implants

Mentor introduced one of the first high profile implants in a saline back in 2000. Additional "higher" profile implants would follow from both Mentor and Allergan. High profile implants have a markedly increased projection (height of the implant), especially in the salines. High profile means that in the same volume, the high profile will have a smaller base diameter but more projection (blue implant below) than a moderate profile implant (green implant below).

If a woman has a small chest diameter, the increased breast implant width is transmitted laterally toward the arm and vertically toward the neck. This may not look and feel proportional to her body. With higher profiles, women can get the same or more projection in smaller implants. In the photo below, one can see that a 175 cc high profile implant has the equivalent projection as a 475 cc standard saline implant. When viewing these from above, the width difference can be appreciated.

For those who have been agonizing between saline vs. silicone to reduce the rippling effect of the outer shell, in comparison, the high profile salines are much smoother is seen in the photos even while demonstrating compression of the standard implant as seen in the body under the muscle. This smoother outer shell becomes important laterally in women with very little breast tissue and fat. This significant improvement gives us a great alternative to silicone to reduce this effect of the standard salines.

To better appreciate these new "high profile saline" implants, I recommend you feeling them as compared to the standard implants. I hope this information is useful to those of you contemplating breast augmentation with saline implants. Both Mentor and Allergan have also launched implants in various profiles from "low profile" to "moderate plus" profiles, etc. to accommodate the various needs of patients. To see and read about all available styles, be sure to read through the entire Breast Implants Roadmap.