Cosmetic Breast Augmentation
Aesthetic breast augmentation is the most common reason for breast implant use worldwide.
In France alone, it ranks among the most frequently performed surgical procedures, with over 40,000 women undergoing breast augmentation each year.
Since the ban on Macrolane hyaluronic acid injections in 2012, the only authorized, long-term solutions for breast volume enhancement are:
- Silicone breast implants filled with saline or silicone gel
- Lipomodelling (fat transfer to the breasts)
However, lipomodelling remains uncommon — fewer than 1,000 cases annually in France — mainly because most patients seeking augmentation are very lean and lack enough fat for transfer.
For women looking to increase their breast size by more than one cup, implant-based augmentation remains the gold standard.
Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy
Breast implants are also widely used in post-mastectomy reconstruction for women who have undergone breast removal due to cancer.
Implants offer a quick and reliable way to recreate breast volume.
However, more and more women receive radiotherapy after breast cancer treatment.
Radiation significantly reduces the predictability and success of silicone implant reconstruction, increasing the risk of capsular contracture to over 20%.
In these cases, we recommend autologous reconstruction techniques, such as DIEP flaps (using the patient’s own tissue), for better long-term results.
We reserve silicone implant reconstruction for:
- Slim patients
- With small breasts
- Those who have not undergone radiation therapy
Correction of Breast Asymmetry
Breast asymmetry — a visible difference in size between the two breasts — can be physically and emotionally distressing.
Historically, breast implants were the primary solution for correcting asymmetry.
However, long-term results were often inconsistent, as the implanted breast aged differently from the natural one.Today, we treat many asymmetry cases using lipomodelling (fat transfer), which delivers excellent and more natural-looking results, especially for moderate volume differences.