A decade ago that’s where your options ended, but now there are highly cohesive silicone gel (a.k.a. gummy bear) implants—and they’re gaining in popularity for a reason. Because of the super thick filling, they’re less likely to rupture or leak (imagine cutting a gummy bear in half). They’re also better at retaining their shape, and they help minimize visible wrinkling, which is top of mind for thinner women like me. “In addition to an unrivaled safety profile and an unmatched 20-year warranty, Sientra implants are also the highest rated silicone gel breast implant brand in the U.S., according to realself.com,” says Rosas. For all the reasons above, this time around I went with Sientra Highly Cohesive Gel implants, and yes, they’re noticeably softer.
4. Aesthetic preferences have changed too.
“B is the new C,” Koplin says. “Most women don’t want giant balloon implants anymore.” As a rule of thumb, 200cc of filling is about one cup size—so a 400cc implant would take you from A to C. In reality, the outcome varies by patient depending on your height, the width of your torso, and even the shape of your ribs. I was terrified of going too big and brought in multiple “after” pictures. (Pro tip: Look for results from patients similar in age and shape to you.) We discussed needing 250 to 305cc to get the look I wanted, and Koplin “tried on” various sizes during the surgery to see how they sat IRL. Ultimately he selected 305cc—a number that would have sounded like a lot to me but ended up being just right.
5. Implants have their risks, so do your research.
Breast implants have been FDA-approved for almost 50 years, but the risks are still there. Over 10% of patients reportedly experience capsular contraction, a hardening of the breast caused by shrinking scar tissue around the implant. It’s possible to develop an infection, which could happen days, years, or even decades after the procedure. The presence of the implant can also compromise the early detection of breast cancer. And the general anesthesia required for the surgery comes with its own complications. Last, there are rare and unverified—but still possible—relationships to systematic issues, commonly referred to as Breast Implant Illness. A good doctor won’t gloss over this stuff.
6. Be prepared for downtime.
Post-surgery you’ll need a solid care partner to pick you up, help you get in and out of bed, and just about everything else (after my revision I was fully out of commission for three days). By day four I was able to get back to work online but had to take frequent breaks to rest, and by week two I was able to get through a typical day’s grind. If you’re into working on your fitness (raises hand), expect to be limited to light walking for the first week, then easing into lower body exercises in week two, followed by light arm exercises in week three. After four weeks most swelling had subsided, and after six weeks I felt pretty much normal. While this may seem like a good time to diet, it’s not—your body needs extra calories to fuel its healing.
7. They don’t come cheap.
So start saving now. Prices vary by doctor, location, and the specifics of your procedure, and RealSelf reports than an average breast augmentation clocks in between $6,000 and $7,000. If you’re after a revision procedure, it’s even more—averaging $8,075, according to RealSelf (although mine was pricier).
Getting breast implants is a big decision, and one you’ll have to continue dealing with for decades to come. You’ve probably guessed that I’m super happy with the results of my second surgery—and I am. But with everything I know now, would I have gotten breast implants in the first place? TBH, I’m not sure.
