Breast Augmentation with Silicone or Saline Implants
Implant Breast Augmentation in Newport Beach, Planned Around Your Anatomy
For women seeking more breast volume and fuller contour, breast augmentation with silicone or saline implants adds a planned, measured amount of volume using an FDA-approved implant. At Beyond Restore, implant augmentation is performed by Dr. Paris Sabo, a fellowship-trained cosmetic surgeon, or Dr. Natalie Joumblat, whose practice focuses on cosmetic breast surgery.
Our approach is science-backed, deeply personalized, and designed to harmonize with your anatomy. We offer both general anesthesia and local (awake) anesthesia, and for many patients, awake breast augmentation is an appealing way to avoid general anesthesia altogether. We also talk openly about long-term care, including follow-up and the possibility of future surgery, so you can make an informed choice.
If you’ve been considering breast implants, a private consultation is the place to start. Serving Newport Beach and Orange County clients from our Westcliff Drive office.
What Is Breast Augmentation with Implants?
Breast augmentation, also called augmentation mammaplasty, places a breast implant behind each breast to add volume and fullness. Each implant has a silicone outer shell and is filled with either saline (sterile salt water) or silicone gel. The implant type, size, profile, incision, and placement are chosen together with your surgeon based on your measurements, tissue, and goals.
At Beyond Restore, this procedure is part of a broader philosophy that respects your anatomy and your long-term health. Surgical procedures are performed in our onsite surgical suite or at an accredited surgical center, depending on the procedure, and breast augmentation is typically an outpatient surgery. If you would rather enhance your breasts with your own fat instead of an implant, visit our Natural Breast Augmentation page.
What Concerns Can This Treat?
Breast augmentation with silicone or saline implants may be a good fit for clients who want to:
- Restore volume lost due to weight loss, pregnancy, or aging
- Enhance breast shape and size, from subtle to more noticeable
- Improve symmetry between breasts
- Add more volume than fat transfer typically allows
- Fill hollowing or deflation in the upper breast pole
- Choose a specific implant size and shape that is planned before surgery
- Create harmony between breast volume and overall body shape
How Implant Sizing and Selection Work
Choosing an implant is about more than cup size. During your sizing consultation, your surgeon measures your chest width, breast base width, skin elasticity, and existing tissue thickness. These measurements help narrow the range of implant sizes that suit your frame and soft tissue.
Implants also come in different profiles, which describe how far an implant projects forward relative to its width. Most implants used for cosmetic augmentation are round, and anatomical (teardrop) shapes may be an option in some cases. Your surgeon will explain how profile and shape affect upper breast fullness and your overall proportions.
Sizers or other visualization tools may be used so you can see and discuss options before surgery. The goal is an informed, realistic plan. Implants are measured in cubic centimeters (cc) rather than cup sizes, and bra sizing varies by brand, so no implant can promise a specific cup size.
Silicone vs. Saline: Understanding Your Implant Options
Both silicone and saline implants are FDA-approved for cosmetic breast augmentation. Each has trade-offs in feel, incision length, and long-term monitoring, and the right choice depends on your anatomy, age, and priorities.
Silicone Gel Implants
Silicone implants arrive pre-filled with a cohesive silicone gel. Many patients feel they more closely resemble the feel of natural breast tissue, and they may be less likely than saline to show visible rippling, especially in patients with thin tissue. Because they are pre-filled, they generally require a somewhat longer incision. A silicone implant rupture is often silent, meaning it may cause no symptoms, so periodic imaging is recommended.
Saline Implants
Saline implants are placed empty and filled with sterile salt water once they are in position. This can allow a smaller incision and small volume adjustments during surgery. Saline implants can feel firmer than silicone and may be more likely to ripple in patients with thin tissue. If a saline implant leaks, it deflates noticeably and the saline is absorbed by the body.
FDA Age Guidance
The FDA has approved saline implants for cosmetic breast augmentation in women age 18 and older, and silicone gel implants for cosmetic breast augmentation in women age 22 and older. Before surgery you will receive the manufacturer’s patient information, including the FDA-required patient decision checklist, and you will have time to ask questions before signing.
Incision Options
Common incision locations include the inframammary fold (the crease beneath the breast), periareolar (along the lower edge of the areola), and transaxillary (in the armpit). Which options are available to you depends on your anatomy, implant type and size, and your surgeon’s recommendation. Every incision leaves a scar; incisions are placed to be as inconspicuous as possible, and scars tend to soften over many months.
Implant Placement: Over or Under the Muscle
Implants can be placed in front of the chest muscle (subglandular) or partially beneath the pectoral muscle (submuscular or dual plane). Placement under the muscle adds soft tissue coverage over the implant, which may help patients with thin tissue. Placement over the muscle leaves the muscle undisturbed but may make implant edges easier to see or feel in thinner patients. Your surgeon will recommend a placement based on your tissue, activity level, and goals.
Risks to Understand
Every surgery carries risks, including infection, bleeding, and anesthesia-related risks. Implant-specific risks include capsular contracture (scar tissue tightening around the implant), rupture or deflation, implant shifting, rippling, changes in nipple or breast sensation, and asymmetry. Breast implants are not lifetime devices; the longer you have them, the more likely you are to need additional surgery to treat a complication or remove or replace an implant. Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare type of lymphoma, has been linked mainly to textured implants. Some patients also report systemic symptoms, sometimes called breast implant illness, which are still being studied. Your surgeon will review these risks with you in detail.
Awake Breast Augmentation Under Local Anesthesia
We offer both general anesthesia and local (awake) anesthesia for implant breast augmentation. With the awake approach, the surgical area is numbed with local anesthetic, and you may also receive medication to help you relax, so you can stay comfortable while breathing on your own. For many patients, it is an appealing alternative to being fully asleep.
Potential advantages of awake breast augmentation include:
- No general anesthesia and no breathing tube
- Fewer general anesthesia side effects, such as grogginess and nausea, for many patients
- Often a quicker return home and to light activity
- Performed in our onsite surgical suite in Newport Beach
- Your surgeon may be able to check symmetry and implant position with you sitting partly upright
Awake augmentation is not the right fit for everyone. General anesthesia remains available and may be the more comfortable choice for some patients, such as those who feel very anxious about surgery or who are combining augmentation with another procedure, like a breast lift. Your surgeon will help you decide which approach fits your health, your surgical plan, and your comfort level. Learn more in our article Awake Breast Augmentation: What to Expect.
What to Expect from Your Breast Augmentation
We provide concierge-level care from consultation to recovery, ensuring you feel confident, informed, and supported at every step.
Before: Personalized Planning & Pre-Treatment Prep
Your journey starts with a detailed consultation with your surgeon. We’ll assess your goals, anatomy, breast measurements, and health profile, and discuss implant type, size, profile, incision, placement, and whether awake or general anesthesia fits your plan. Lab testing, medical history review, and pre-operative imaging (such as a baseline mammogram, when indicated) may be included to optimize safety and outcomes. You’ll also review the implant manufacturer’s patient information and the FDA patient decision checklist.
You’ll also receive:
- Pre-procedure nutrition and hydration guidelines
- Instructions on stopping certain supplements or medications
- Emotional and aesthetic support for realistic goal-setting
During: Physician-Led Procedure
This outpatient procedure often takes about one to two hours, though timing varies. Your surgeon makes the planned incision, creates a pocket in the chosen position over or under the muscle, places the implant, checks symmetry, and closes the incision. We offer both general anesthesia and local (awake) anesthesia, and your surgeon will help you choose the approach that fits your plan.
- General anesthesia or local (awake) anesthesia, chosen with your surgeon
- Incisions placed to be as discreet as possible
- Performed in our onsite surgical suite in Newport Beach or at an accredited surgical center
After: Recovery & Continued Support
Most patients resume light activity within a few days. Expect tightness, swelling, and soreness in the breasts, particularly with under-the-muscle placement, and plan to limit heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for several weeks. You’ll be guided on:
- Wearing a supportive surgical bra or compression garment as directed
- Avoiding pressure on the breasts during healing
- When to resume driving, exercise, and lifting
You’ll receive direct physician follow-up and access to our concierge team for anything you need during recovery.
Recovery Timeline and Long-Term Implant Care
- Initial fullness appears right away, and the breasts soften and settle as swelling subsides
- Final shape typically settles over about 3-6 months as the implants drop into position
- Longevity: breast implants are not lifetime devices, and some patients will need future surgery to treat a complication or remove or replace an implant
- Return to activity: many patients resume desk work in about a week and gradually return to exercise over several weeks once cleared
For silicone implants, FDA labeling recommends imaging with MRI or ultrasound to screen for silent rupture beginning 5-6 years after surgery and every 2-3 years after that, even without symptoms. Let your surgeon know about any new swelling, pain, lumps, or changes in breast shape at any time.
See before-and-after photos in our breast augmentation gallery.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Breast Augmentation with Implants?
This treatment may be a good fit for women who want to enhance their breast shape or size with a planned, measured amount of volume, and who understand the long-term commitment that comes with implants.
You may be a great candidate if you:
- Are at least 18 for saline implants, or at least 22 for silicone implants
- Have realistic expectations about size, shape, and scarring
- Are seeking a more noticeable size increase than fat transfer typically provides
- Do not smoke, or are willing to stop nicotine before and after surgery
- Are healthy and maintain a stable weight
- Understand that implants need monitoring and may require future surgery
- Want to combine breast enhancement with body contouring
Contraindications may include:
- Smoking or nicotine use (which can impair healing)
- Significant weight fluctuations
- Active infections, untreated breast cancer or pre-cancer, or other untreated health conditions
- Current pregnancy or breastfeeding
If you’re unsure whether implants or fat transfer are right for you, our physician-led team will guide you through a consultation that considers your anatomy, goals, and wellness history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose silicone or saline implants?
It depends on your goals, anatomy, and age. Silicone implants are pre-filled, and many patients feel they more closely resemble natural breast tissue. Saline implants are filled after placement and may allow a smaller incision. Silicone implants are FDA-approved for cosmetic augmentation at age 22 and older, and saline at 18 and older. Your surgeon will review the pros and cons of each with you.
How long do the results last?
Breast implants are not lifetime devices, and how long they last varies from person to person. The longer you have implants, the more likely you are to need additional surgery to treat a complication or to remove or replace them. Regular checkups, plus periodic imaging for silicone implants as the FDA recommends, are part of long-term care.
What is recovery like after breast augmentation?
How do I choose the right implant size?
Size is chosen at your consultation using measurements of your chest and breast width, skin elasticity, and tissue thickness, along with your goals. Implants are measured in cubic centimeters (cc), not cup sizes, so your surgeon will help you understand how a given volume and profile may look on your frame.
What are the main risks, and how is this different from fat transfer?
Implant risks include capsular contracture, rupture or deflation, implant shifting, rippling, changes in sensation, and the need for future surgery, along with general surgical and anesthesia risks. BIA-ALCL, a rare lymphoma, has been associated mainly with textured implants. Fat transfer avoids an implant but typically provides a more modest increase and depends on how much transferred fat survives. Learn more on our Natural Breast Augmentation page.
Should I choose awake breast augmentation or general anesthesia?
We offer both. With local (awake) anesthesia, the surgical area is numbed and you breathe on your own without a breathing tube, which helps many patients avoid general anesthesia side effects such as grogginess and nausea, and often means a quicker return home. General anesthesia remains available and may be a better fit for some patients, including those who feel very anxious about surgery or are combining procedures. Your surgeon will help you decide which approach is right for you.