IMPORTANT NOTE: Below you may find untouched before and after photos of patients who have granted permission to their surgeon to show them anonymously. While we protect the identities of our patients, please be advised that by their nature, these photos contain sensitive content.
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If you’re considering breast implants, you probably have a lot of questions about the procedure, recovery, and importantly, how much breast implants cost. If you want a natural looking breast augmentation, you have a few options for breast implants. Your primary breast augmentation cost will depend largely on the breast implants you choose. But did you know the long-term maintenance costs of breast implants can be extremely varied? This guide will help you pick the best breast implants for your body and your budget.
Before and After Pictures From Dr. Van Raalte
Your breast augmentation should leave you feeling confident and beautiful. Dr. Benjamin Van Raalte shares the following before and after pictures from a recent patient. This patient received 595 cc IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implants filled to 625 cc.
Not all breast augmentations will look the same. Your results are based on several factors including your body type, the breast implants you choose, and your surgeon’s experience. To get natural results like the patient above, visit Dr. Van Raalte at Iowa Plastic Surgery. Dr. Van Raalte says when patients come in for a consultation
“We tend to offer all the different implant choices and review all of them. Some people are best fit with a particular implant because of their skin characteristics. There are some that have concerns about the gel or concerns about a long term rupture. The structured implant, or IDEAL IMPLANT, answers a lot of those concerns because it’s been demonstrated to have a very low deflation rate over time and yet has the feel of gel for those patients.”
Get the Look You Want From Your Breast Augmentation
You’ve waited and saved for a breast augmentation, you deserve to get the look you want. At your plastic surgeon’s office, you will be given several options for breast implants. How do you know which one is right for you? If you’re on a budget, you may be tempted to pick the least expensive option provided by your plastic surgeon. But, all breast implants are not going to give you the same look. Before we discuss how much breast implants cost, we need to look at the differences between the three types of implants so you can be sure you’re getting the look you want. Here is a short description of each type of breast implant.
- Unstructured Saline: These implants are made from solid silicone shells filled with saline solution. Some surgeons describe them as feeling similar to water-balloons, and women complain they wrinkle under the skin. Many women choose saline because it is naturally absorbed by the body if the implant ruptures.
- Silicone Gel: Silicone gel breast implants are known for providing a natural look and feel. They are made by filling a solid silicone shell with thick, sticky silicone gel. The downside to silicone gel breast implants is, if they rupture, the silicone gel should be removed as it is not naturally absorbed like saline.
- Structured IDEAL IMPLANT: The newest breast implant type, the IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant combines the benefits of saline and silicone gel. It is made of a solid silicone shell with two chambers and baffled layers. It is then filled with saline, but, because of the internal structure, it has a natural look and feel.
Dr. Van Raalte says that in addition to talking about how much breast implants cost, when women come in for a consultation, “We try to utilize everything from a lot of education to really doing a great job of figuring out the correct size and shape. It’s fitting the width, fitting their chest characteristics and between the education and the fit and figuring out what’s best for them.”
How Much Does a Breast Augmentation Cost?
The total cost of a primary breast augmentation will include the implants, surgeon’s fee, surgical facility, and anesthesia. RealSelf users report the average price around the nation is $6,475 while the American Society of Plastic Surgeons statistics show the cost averaged $3,824 in 2018. Some surgeons will offer a quote that only includes the surgeon’s fee. At Dr. Van Raalte’s office you will receive a quote that covers all aspects of surgery. Breast augmentations by Dr. Van Raalte range in price from $3,900 to $6,200. Learn more about what goes into the cost of a breast augmentation by visiting this page.
Long Term Maintenance Factored Into Breast Implant Cost
What the estimates above do not reveal is the long term maintenance costs of some breast implants. The FDA recommends women with silicone gel breast implants get an MRI three years after a breast augmentation and every two years after that to check for silent ruptures. A silent rupture happens when a silicone gel breast implant begins to leak without showing symptoms. According to Nerdwallet the average price of an MRI, before insurance, is $2,600. Most insurance companies do not cover any costs associated with breast augmentation, including complications that result from one.
If you follow FDA recommendations after a silicone gel breast augmentation, your costs will quickly add up. Even if you do not ever encounter a rupture you will be paying thousands of dollars in maintenance costs over the years. Some women choose to ignore FDA recommendations and only return to their surgeon if they begin to feel symptoms such as hardening, pain, and lumps near their breast implants. That is why the FDA recommends removing it as soon as a rupture is detected in order to avoid symptoms or silicone gel migrating into your tissues or other parts of your body. Plastic surgery to remove and replace a leaked silicone gel breast implant can get messy. According to the FDA, “sometimes, after a rupture, the gel moves to other distant areas around the body, which is called extracapsular rupture with gel migration. It may be difficult or impossible to remove silicone gel after a rupture.”
There is no MRI requirement for women with saline and structured breast implants, as ruptures will be evident immediately. A hole in the outer shell means the saline will flow out, the implant will partially deflate, and the saline is naturally absorbed by the body. Lower maintenance costs, along with the peace of mind that rupture detection is instant, causes many women to choose saline implants. Now with the new IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant women can have the same natural looking results of silicone gel, with the peace of mind that comes with saline.
Revision Surgery and Breast Implant Cost
Do you need to budget for a breast implant revision? How often do breast implants encounter complications such as rupture and capsular contracture? That again depends on the type of breast implant you choose. No one can tell you for certain whether you will need revision surgery in the future, though revision surgery is statistically more likely for women with certain breast implant types. Educating yourself about complication rates before you select a breast implant can give you peace of mind. Learn more about breast implant complications by visiting this page.
Visit Dr. Van Raalte
Dr. Van Raalte offers a wide variety of breast implant choices, knowing that what works for one person won’t work for everyone. According to Dr. Van Raalte, “our practices always offered all the options and has been one of the leaders in using all options out there. We’re here to help the patient make the best choice for them as well as help them understand which implant is going to give them the best look.” Visit Dr. Van Raalte today to discuss your plastic surgery.
Considering breast implants in Davenport? Contact Dr. Benjamin Van Raalte today to discuss your options. Simply call (563) 322-8877, or visit www.iowaplasticsurgery.com. Dr. Van Raalte’s office is located at 4334 East 53rd Street Davenport, IA, 52807. Call today for more information on IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implants.