Smooth & Textured Breast Implants

Breast Implant Shells

Breast implant shells may have a smooth or textured surface. As a natural reaction to any device placed in the body, scar tissue will form around the breast implant surface, creating a soft tissue capsule. In some women, the capsule can tighten and squeeze the implant. This occurrence is called "capsular contracture".

Textured Breast Implants

Textured breast implants were designed to reduce the chance of capsular contracture. Some information in the literature on small numbers of patients suggests that surface texturing reduces the chance of severe capsular contracture, but clinical information from studies of a large number of women with breast implants shows no difference in the likelihood of developing capsular contracture with textured breast implants compared to smooth-surfaced implants.

Smooth Breast Implants Are Preferred

Dr. Connall usually recommends smooth breast implants. Smooth implants are softer and feel more natural than textured breast implants. One is less likely to feel the edges of smooth implants and smooth implants generally cause less visible implant rippling compared to textured implants. In addition, with some models of breast implants, the textured versions have a higher chance of failure (leakage) compared to the smooth versions. Saline and silicone filled breast implants are both available in smooth and textured shells.

Smooth and textured saline breast implants

Here are Allergan Natrelle™ smooth (the top implant) and textured surface saline breast implants (that are filled with air for illustrative purposes). Breast implants come in two surface types, smooth and textured. The smooth surface is soft and slick. The textured surface is rough. We recommend smooth breast implants in most cases because they feel softer and are less likely to cause visible ripples in the skin, compared to textured implants.

Smooth and textured silicone gel breast implants

Here are Allergan Natrelle™ smooth (top implant) and textured surface silicone gel breast implants. The smooth surface is soft and slick. The textured surface is rough.