Anatomical breastimplants—also referred to as dimensional, teardrop, and contoured implants—were first used to reconstruct the breasts of post-cancer patients. But in later years, some plastic surgeons have started using these devices in cosmetic breastaugmentation surgery.
Unlike round implants in which all the sides are symmetrical, anatomicalimplants have more volume at the bottom than on top, leading to a teardrop appearance. But because of their shape, there is a risk of flipping over, which in turn leads to visible distortion of the breast contour.
To prevent the anatomical implants from flipping over, they always come in textured shell, which can prevent them from rotating.
The anatomical implants are available in different sizes and profiles (outward projection off the chest wall). However, patients should bear in mind that these implants are only filled with saline or saltwater solution.
Anatomical implants filled with silicone gel are not available in the US because the “gooey” material cannot be molded into a teardrop shape.
However, there is a new type of breast implant called gummy bear implant (available in some European countries and Canada) which uses a gel more cohesive than the currently available silicone implant’s. And with its form-stable characteristic, anatomical implants can now be filled with silicone.
It is important to know that gummy bear implants are not yet available in the US market, although some patients may have these new devices if their breast augmentation surgery is conducted by a surgeon involved in a nationwide, FDA-approved study.
While anatomical implants are used in cosmetic breastaugmentation, they are not as popular as the round implants because they are more expensive and can expose patients to higher risk of visible and palpable rippling (because they are always available in textured shell), particularly those with a limited amount of fats and tissue in their breasts.
Another consideration is that the anatomical implants can rotate inside the breast pocket, which in turn can disfigure the shape of the bust. On the other hand, round implants can be subjected to gross movement and they will still not result to distorted appearance because all their sides are symmetrical.
Contrary to popular belief, there is really no significant difference between anatomical and round implants when it comes to the breast contour after surgery. In fact, round implants will form a teardrop shape if these are held against the chest wall as the gravity works its wonder.