“What are the different types of breast augmentation, and which one is best for me?” That’s the question Dr. Kashan hears most often in consultations, and the answer is rarely the same twice. It depends on your body, your goals, and the specific anatomy a surgeon can actually assess in person.
Augmentation is the procedure; implants and fat transfer are the methods. This post covers the main options available: silicone, saline, and gummy bear implants, fat transfer as a standalone approach, and the placement decisions that shape how results look and feel. Understanding the differences between breast implant types before your consultation helps you ask better questions and arrive with clearer expectations.
Breast Implant Types: Silicone, Saline, and Gummy Bear
Most patients considering types of breast augmentation start here: which implant material is right for them. Each FDA-approved option has a different feel, a different risk profile, and a different patient profile it suits best.
Silicone Implants
Silicone implants are filled with a cohesive gel that closely mimics the feel of natural breast tissue. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, they account for roughly 85% of augmentations performed in the US, evidencing consistent patient and surgeon preference over years.
Dr. Kashan favors silicone for most patients, particularly those with limited existing breast tissue. In women with less tissue coverage, saline implants can show visible or palpable rippling at the edges. Silicone gel sits more naturally against the chest wall and is significantly less prone to this.
Rupture rates are low at 1 to 5 percent over ten years, but a silicone rupture can occur without obvious symptoms. The FDA recommends periodic MRI or ultrasound checks to keep that well managed.
Saline Implants
The silicone vs saline implants decision often comes down to feel and risk preference. Saline implants use a silicone shell filled with sterile saltwater, and are FDA-approved for patients 18 and older, four years earlier than the minimum age for silicone. If a saline implant ruptures, the saltwater is safely absorbed and the deflation is immediately visible, making detection straightforward. They tend to feel firmer, but are more prone to visible rippling in patients with thin tissue.
Gummy Bear Implants (Form-Stable Silicone)
Gummy bear implants use a highly cohesive silicone gel that holds its shape even if the outer shell is compromised. They are currently the most durable option available. Less prone to rippling than standard silicone, they suit patients with minimal breast tissue well.
They come in multiple different profile types such as low, moderate and high projecting implants. The style of implant is usually geared towards your aesthetic goals expressed during your consultation with Dr. Kashan.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation: Who It Works For
Fat transfer augmentation harvests fat from another area of the body, typically the abdomen or thighs, via liposuction, and injects it into the breasts. While the procedure uses no implants on its own, it can also be used alongside them to improve cleavage and overall contour, and results look and feel entirely natural because the tissue is the patient’s own.
The procedure typically adds one cup size at most, and some of the transferred fat is reabsorbed by the body over the first few months, so final results take time to stabilize. It also requires enough donor fat to harvest, which not every patient has.
It works well for patients who want a subtle size increase, improved symmetry, or more natural shaping without implants. This procedure suits patients with modest augmentation goals and realistic expectations about the degree of change.
Implant Placement: Under or Over the Muscle
For patients, where an implant sits in relation to the chest muscle is a decision that matters as much as the material choice. Placement affects appearance, recovery, long-term feel, and mammogram imaging, yet it rarely gets the attention it deserves.
Dual-plane placement, partially behind the pectoral muscle and partially behind breast tissue, is the approach Dr. Kashan uses for the majority of his patients. It provides better soft tissue coverage, a more natural slope, lower capsular contracture rates, and clearer mammogram imaging. Recovery is slightly longer, but the clinical advantages tend to outweigh that for most patients.
Subglandular placement sits the implant above the muscle, behind the breast tissue. Recovery is shorter with no muscle animation (the slight movement some submuscular patients notice when flexing), and it may suit patients with adequate existing tissue or active athletes. Rippling and capsular contracture risk is higher in thin tissue patients.
How Dr. Kashan Helps You Choose
At a consultation, Dr. Kashan takes chest measurements, assesses skin thickness and elasticity, reviews your medical history, and discusses what you’re hoping to achieve. The implant recommendation follows from that assessment. There is no default implant type he steers everyone toward; the plan is built around the individual’s anatomy and goals. Dr. Kashan sizes you with different implants during your consultation to help you feel comfortable in your decision of how big or small you’d like to go.
Dr. Kashan trained at the Cleveland Clinic, where his surgical background spanned over a decade of general surgery, trauma, and cancer-related procedures before he specialized in plastic and reconstructive work. That clinical depth shapes how he evaluates tissue quality and risk factors in choosing breast implants for each patient. The FDA’s guidance on breast implant risks and complications is a useful resource for patients who want to understand the full safety picture before deciding.
For patients who want more detail on how to narrow down their options before consulting, Dr. Kashan’s guide to choosing your look can help. Patients with questions about the recovery side of things can also read about how long breast augmentation scars take to heal.
Finding the Right Fit
The right type of breast augmentation depends on your body, your goals, and what a thorough clinical assessment reveals. Silicone is the most common choice for good reason, but saline, gummy bear, and fat transfer each have a role depending on the patient’s specific situation.
Dr. Kashan’s approach to the types of breast augmentation starts with measurements and tissue assessment, not with a preferred implant type. Every plan is built around what will actually work for each specific patient.
Book a breast augmentation consultation with Dr. David Kashan in Roslyn, Long Island to find out which type of breast augmentation is right for you. If you’re ready to take that step, get in touch here.
