| With the latest FDA's approval to allow the use of | | | | partially beneath the pectoralis muscle. As stated |
| silicone gel breast implants, there is already an | | | | above, athletic women have a low body fat. If the |
| increased interest in having safe breast augmentation | | | | implant is placed above the muscle, this thin covering |
| surgery. "I've built up my body but lost my breasts" | | | | will give a very unnatural look. You see the entire |
| is a statement heard by many a plastic surgeon from | | | | outline of the implant giving a glued on appearance. |
| their physically active patients. Since fat supplies | | | | By placing the implant partially beneath the chest |
| some of the volume of the breasts, as your body | | | | muscle, it creates a much more pleasing and natural |
| fat percentage decreases, so does the size and | | | | appearance. Even strong women have pectoral |
| fullness of your breasts. Too many women feel that | | | | muscle that will allow insertion of the implant and |
| in order to be fit they have to compromise their | | | | conform to it's contours. |
| femininity. However, silicone to the rescue! Breast | | | | In addition, the implant acts as an insulator to heat. |
| implant surgery can be the answer to this problem | | | | Woman with the implant between the skin and the |
| but there are several questions that come to mind in | | | | muscle tend to always feel that their breasts are |
| regard to these implants, especially pertaining to | | | | cold. If the implant is beneath the muscle, the |
| training females who have had the surgery. | | | | circulation in the muscle keeps the skin of the breast |
| Let's examine these questions one by one. | | | | warm. |
| How fragile are the implants with regard to training? | | | | One of the most common complications of breast |
| The silicone implant has many advantages over saline | | | | implant surgery is called capsule formation or a firming |
| in training the athletic female. It both looks and feels | | | | of the breast. This occurs if the pocket around the |
| more natural, especially when there is a thin amount | | | | implant starts to condense and squeeze or compress |
| of tissue covering the implant; as is the case with a | | | | the implant. This occurs frequently in implants placed |
| female with a low body fat percentage. Silicone | | | | above the muscle. When the implant is sub-muscular, |
| implants are also more durable that the saline filled | | | | the action of the muscle during training massages the |
| implants. The saline implant consists of a thin shell of | | | | implant and tends to keep it soft. |
| solid silicone material filled with saline. Saline, a salt | | | | While it is often been considered a problem when the |
| water solution, doesn't have the same viscosity or | | | | implants are seen to shift during chest exercises, the |
| thickness. As a result, the saline in the implant will be | | | | reverse is actually the case. The breasts remain soft |
| affected by both gravity and muscle contraction as | | | | if the pocket containing the implant doesn't narrow |
| they exercise. The saline easily flows into a portion | | | | and contract around it. It is this movement of the |
| of the implant causing a slight collapse or rippling of | | | | implants during exercise that keeps the pocket |
| the shell of the implant. These ripples create areas of | | | | expanded and the breast soft. The downside of |
| weakness in the outer cover of the implant. Since a | | | | going below the muscle is some initial increased pain |
| silicone implant doesn't collapse, this is not a problem. | | | | and discomfort. |
| Saline implants are prone to deflation even without | | | | How soon after the surgery can exercise begin? |
| the stress of exercise and should be routinely | | | | Low impact cardio can even start 1-2 weeks |
| replaced every ten years. On the other hand, silicone | | | | following the procedure. I wait to start resistance |
| implants may have to be replaced only once during | | | | training until six to eight weeks passes. By this time, |
| the life of the implant. | | | | the implants should not shift and light chest exercises |
| How are these new implants different than the ones | | | | as well as other resistance training can begin. I start |
| that previously caused concern? | | | | my clients with a super-slow routine to avoid early |
| The major concern with the previous silicone implants | | | | ballistic movement and allow the client to get the feel |
| was possible leakage of the inner silicone gel if the | | | | of the muscles in contact with the implant. The best |
| outer shell of the implant was compromised. It was | | | | rule of thumb is to progress slowly as things begin to |
| this leakage and spread of this gel that was | | | | feel more and more comfortable. After twelve |
| considered the cause of the hardening, excessive | | | | weeks, there are no unusual restrictions. |
| internal scarring and possible more serious conditions. | | | | Will I lose strength with implants under the muscle? |
| The new implants are called cohesive gel or "gummy | | | | Even under the muscle, this does not pose a problem. |
| bear" implants. The new implants are designed with a | | | | While there may be an initial adjustment of the |
| gel that stays together even if the outer shell of the | | | | muscles to the implants, strength returns to normal |
| implant is damaged. As such, there isn't the same | | | | quickly. Several studies report return of bench press |
| reaction of the body, preventing the complications | | | | strength within 12 weeks after the surgery. After |
| and avoiding the concerns of vigorous training the | | | | this gains are the same as if you never had the |
| previous silicone implants. | | | | surgery. |
| Is it better to have the implants above or below the | | | | Now that safer implants are available, athletic women |
| muscle? | | | | can again benefit from breast implant surgery. |
| While surgeons not familiar with exercise advise | | | | However your client should consult with a surgeon |
| placing the implants above the muscle with a | | | | experienced in operating on athletic women. The |
| physically active female, it has always been my | | | | surgery is a bit different when dealing with strong |
| opinion, as well as that of other surgeons who | | | | pectoral muscles. |
| operate on athletic women, to place the implant | | | | |