Breast Implant Cost – Overview
A breast implant is a medical device implanted into the breast to alter its size and shape. Breast implants are used to restore a natural-looking breast after breast removal due to cancer or to correct a birth defect.
Also, breast implants can be placed for a cosmetic reason to enlarge the appearance of the breast, a procedure known as breast augmentation surgery.
There are different types of breast implants depending on the filler material and as such breast implant cost varies.
Types of Breast Implants
types of breast implants
There are three types of breast implant devices. They are classified based on the materials used for the filling.
- Saline Solution
This type of breast implant involves the use of filling with saline solution. Saline solution is physiological salt water that does not interfere with the normal functioning of the breast.
The solution is held within an elastomer silicone shell. These implants can be filled with different amounts of saline solution. This determines the feel, firmness, and shape of the breast.
- Silicone- Gel
This type of breast implant involves the use of filling with silicone gel. The silicone gel is filled inside an elastomer silicone shell.
There are concerns about a possible connection between silicone leaking into the body and the occurrence of connective tissue and immune-related disorders such as scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis but it has not been proved scientifically.
- Composite
This type of breast implant involves filling with miscellaneous composite materials such as soy oil, polypropylene string, etc. This has been proved to cause health risks and complications and as such their use has been banned in the United States and Europe.
Breast Implant Cost
The total cost for breast implant surgery depends on a lot of factors such as the anesthetic fee, private hospital fee, private operating facility fee, type of implant and insurance coverage.
Most often than not, breast implant cost is considered a cosmetic procedure and as such is not something that is covered by insurance plans. Since each patient’s insurance coverage is different, it’s important to understand your plan in order to know how much, if any, of the surgery will be covered.
For example, some patients may have high deductibles where insurance will cover only a small portion of the associated costs. On the other hand, some patients may have 80/20 plans where the insurance may cover a significant amount and the patient is only responsible for their copay.
Also, breast implant cost is usually higher for silicone gel located than other types of implants.
The total cost of the procedure is around $3,824 – $8,000.
Breast Implant Complications
Breast implant presents the same medical risks that are common to surgery. These include wound infection, fluid accumulation and post-operation bleeding.
Some of the medical complications that are more specific to breast augmentation surgery include:
– breast pain
– altered sensation
– thinning of breast tissue
– wrinkling
– implant rupture
Breast implants are not designed to last a lifetime. You may need to have the implants replaced if you have complications or if the size and shape of your breasts change over time.
Women who have silicone gel-filled implants will need to get an MRI scan three years after the implant surgery and then MRI scans about every two years to check for silent rupture. If your implants rupture, you will need to have them removed or replaced.
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