Breast Implants before & after photos
79%
948 reviews
Worth It Rating Our index shows the percentage of community members saying this was "Worth it". See cosmetic treatment rankings
Breast Implants Cost $6,600 average cost

What Do Breast Implants Feel Real?

Do breast implants feel real? Do they feel hard?

Asked 43 months ago by xklorx in WI
Sort 23 expert answers by:
+1

Like Breasts

Breast implants feel like breasts.  Rarely they become firm and need treatment .  My last long term study published in ASJ Dec 2009 of 1012 implants had a contracture rate of less than 3 percent. the gummy bear or cohesive gel implants have even a lower rate.  This month we are publishing a study of Silimed implants with less that 2 percent capsular contreacture rate.   Check out the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.   
Grant Stevens, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+6

Breast Implants Can Look and Feel Natural

Most surgeons agree that silicone gel breast implants, in general, tend to feel more natural than saline breast implants. However, the degree to which this difference is significant varies a great deal with regard to two issues: the amount of breast tissue that exists prior to augmentation, and the size of the implant that is used. The more natural feel of a silicone gel implant will be much more important to patients who are slender and fit in an A cup bra preoperatively, as they have less... more
Michael Law, MD
Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon
+4

Breast Implant feel depends on at least 6 factors

Dear xklorx, The way a breast feels after breast augmentation will vary depending on a number of factors: Silicone vs saline.  Silicone implants tend to feel more realistic than saline (all factors begin equal) because of the properties of silicone gel being more 'flesh-like'. Saline is soft, but has more or a 'water balloon' type softness Type of silicone implant. The high cohesive gel implants ('gummy bear implants') are firmer than... more
Lawrence Tong, MD
Toronto Plastic Surgeon
+3

This depends on multiple factors

Breast implants can feel very natural, or can feel like a "bag of water". This depends on multiple factors. First of all, Silicone implants absolutely feel much more natural than Saline implants. This is a fact. Secondly, the larger a woman's breasts are to begin with, the less palpable the implant will be after surgery. And third, if an implant is placed under the muscle, there is one more layer of tissue covering the implant, essentially making it more hidden and less palpable.... more
David Rankin, MD
Jupiter Plastic Surgeon
+3

Three things affecting Breast Implant feel

Great question. The answer is, it depends. There are three things to consider when thinking about how implants feel. First - Where has the implant been placed. Typically, breast augmentation is done "below the muscle". This means that the implant is usually placed in a subpectoral plane. This provides a significant amount of camoflage for the implant (you feel skin, subcutaneous fat and breast tissue and muscle before you feel the implant). The qualifier here is that it is rare... more
Steven H. Williams, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+3

Feel of breast implants varies from person to person.

The feel of a breast implant varies from person to person. Many factors come into play. Some factors include the amount of breast tissue a person already has to cover the implants, whether or not the implants will be on top of the muscle, entirely under the muscle, or partially under the muscle; whether they are saline implants or silicone implants; the quality and thickness of the skin, etc... In general, silicone implants will feel more "natural" than saline implants. ... more
Sanjay Grover MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+3

It's not the implant, it's how they are used

If you are talking about implants sitting on the table, the saline imlpants feel like a water balloon and the silicone implants feel like cooked oatment. However how they feel in a breast depends on a number of things. If the implants are working the way they should, the saline implant will generally start out feeling a bit more firm than a silicone implant which may be virtually undectable by feel. Over a period of time, more of the silicone implants will more often become more firm than... more
Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast Implants Should Feel Natural

Breast implants are intended to feel real. The achievement of this goal will depend on placement (submuscular placement generally leads to a more natural feel), patient specific factors (body fat percentage and amount of native breast tissue), and type of implant used (silicone generally feels more natural than saline). Breast implants that feel hard or are painful are the result of capsular contracture, a not infrequent complication following breast augmentation surgery.  more
Jeffrey Weinzweig, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast Implants Feel Real

Breast implants should feel real. Hard feeling breasts result from capsule contracture: implants do not get hard, but if the space for the implant in the breast shrinks down and tightens around the implant, the implant will feel unnaturally firm. It is important to do all that can be done to prevent capsule contracture.  In my practice, I recommend: avoiding any medications or supplements that can thin the blood for 14 days before surgery submuscular placement... more
Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon
+1

What do Breast implants feel like

Breast implants can feel very natural.  The more natural breast tissue you have, the less likely you are able to feel the implants, particularly the Silicone implants.  It is not uncommon to feel some "rippling" or surface irregularity with Saline implants on the sides, if the implants are behind the muscle.  This rippling may be visible if you are  very thin and/or the Saline  implants are on top of the muscle. The saline implants feel more firm than... more
Beverly Friedlander, MD
Short Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast implant feel

Breast implants come in various shapes, texture, and sizes.  The are made of saline or silicone.   Saline implants are firm, while silicone feels more soft and pliable.  During a consultation with a board certifed surgeon, you will be able to sample implants. 
Vishnu Rumalla, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast implants feel real

The final texture of augmented breasts depends on several variables.  Most significant among these is the percentage of your final breast volume that is implant vs. the percentage that is your own breast tissue.  The higher percentage of the final volume that is implant, the more your breast will look and feel like an implant (not necessarily bad).  Other variables include whether or not the implant is subglandular or submuscular, how lean you are, and whether the implant... more
Steve Laverson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Possible to look natural? Yes.

Breast implants can look very natural and many women have results in which people cannot tell that they have had plastic surgery. It is important to be comfortable in your decision and make sure that you find the surgeon and the facility that you are comfortable with. Make sure your surgeon is board certified and ask to see pictures of their work. Many facilities keep a book of before and after pictures.
Joseph G. Bauer, MD
Alpharetta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Implants Feeling Natural

The answer to your question is yes breast implants can feel very natural and look very natural as well. The patient has the choice of choosing saline vs silicone implants. During your consultation you should discuss which implants will give you the most natural look and feel.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Feel of breast implants

It depends on how much breast tissue you have to cover the implant. If you have very little breast tissue, a saline implant will feel like a bag filled with water with rippling and feeling the implant edge. Silicone implants will have a natural feel.
Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

Natural feeling Breast Implants

The most important part of considering breast augmentation, is find a board certified plastic surgeon to perform your surgery and offer you the best advice for you. Many women want breast enhancement, but they all have very unique cases. It is important to understand the differences between saline and silicone implants and which patients would be better candidates for whcih implant. Your plastic surgeon can easily provide a natural-looking and feeling breast augmentation. Since the... more
Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Augmentation Natural Feel

Breast augmentation with saline and silicone implants can feel very natural, but this all depends on the amount of breast tissue, type of implant, and the amount of capsular contracture.
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Feel of breast implants

It depends upon the type of implant. Saline implants in general feel  more firm while silicone gel implants are softer, probably closer to the feel of a real breast.
Barry E. DiBernardo, MD
Montclair Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast implants- feel

The more breast tissue you have the less you will feel the implant. Saline tend to be more palpable and can feel like water balloons if you are very thin, expecially at the lower border of the breast. Silicone gel filled implants tend to feel more like natural breasts as compared to the saline filled ones.
Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast implants should feel like natural breasts.

In the good results, breast implants feel like normal breasts. There can be two complications that can make breast implants feel less natural. About 5% of patients will develop capsular contracture which causes some firmness around the implant. In this case, the implants do not feel hard, but they feel firmer than typical breast tissue. I tell my patients that a breast with capsular contracture may feel more like your thigh, which is usually firmer than the typical breast. ... more
George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast implants can feel very much like real breast...

Breast implants can feel very much like real breast tissue. This is especially true of the new silicone gel implants. The saline implants also feel reasonably "real" but feel better in patients with more breast tissue and who are not too thin. The saline implants feel better if they are not too overfilled, at which point they begin to feel hard. This is often the case when saline has been placed above the muscle and overfilled to minimize the wrinkles and ripples that might be... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast implants should feel natural

Breast implants generally feel quite natural and real.  Some patients like the feel of silicone over saline but that varies considerably from patient to patient. Hardness of the breast implants is usually of capsular contracture.  With any sign of hardness, you should return to surgeon for evaluation.
Kris M. Reddy, MD
West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon
+1

The feel of an implant

Breast implants can feel quite real. Silicone gel implants tend to have a more natural feel than saline implants, but both types can look and feel real. Hard implants are a sign of a problem, likely capsular contracture (tightening of scar tissue around the implant).
Carmen Kavali, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
Use of this website and the posting of any reviews or other content on this website constitutes acceptance of the RealSelf® Terms of Service. The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. © 2011 RealSelf, Inc. All rights reserved.