FAQs: High Profile Breast Implants - Breast Augmentation
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.
You have found our archived FAQs. To get answers and more, please browse though our more popular sections below, and be sure to check out the discussion board and before & after photos.
The Breast Augmentation & Breast Implants Guide