When adequate soft tissue coverage is present, the breast looks and feels natural. When soft tissue coverage is inadequate, the breast may not feel normal and rippling may be present.
Adequate soft tissue coverage is more likely if the patient has a moderate amount of her own breast tissue and the implants are placed underneath the muscle. Under these circumstances, the breasts are more likely to feel normal and also have less rippling. The use of large implants would have the opposite effect because the soft tissue coverage would be inadequate.
In patients who have minimal breast tissue and a thin body habitus, an artificial feel and rippling may be unavoidable. In this situation, silicone implants in a submuscular position may be necessary to obtain a natural look and feel.
A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon will help determine the appropriate style and size of breast implant. It would not be unreasonable to expect a natural feel and look with saline implants. With a reasonable starting breast volume, moderate-sized saline implants and submuscular positioning should give excellent results.
