Last Updated May 2025
When considering breast augmentation surgery, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing between round and teardrop-shaped implants. This decision significantly influences your aesthetic outcome, affecting both the appearance and feel of your enhanced breasts.
At Dr Scott J. Turner‘s practice in Manly & Double Bay, Sydney, we believe informed patients make confident decisions. This guide explores the key differences between round and teardrop implants to help you understand which option might better align with your body type and aesthetic goals.
Understanding Breast Implant Shapes
Breast implants are available in two primary shapes, each offering distinct aesthetic characteristics:
Round Implants
Round implants are symmetrically shaped and add fullness to both the upper and lower parts of the breast. Their uniform shape means they look the same from all angles, which provides a significant advantage: if the implant rotates within the breast pocket (which can naturally occur), the breast’s appearance remains unchanged.
Round implants typically create more pronounced cleavage and upper breast fullness, which many patients find desirable.
Teardrop (Anatomical) Implants
Teardrop implants are designed to mimic the natural slope of the breast—fuller at the bottom and tapering towards the top. This shape can provide a more subtle enhancement that closely resembles the natural breast contour.
The specific orientation of teardrop implants requires careful placement to ensure optimal results and to prevent potential rotation within the breast pocket.
Comparing Features and Benefits
Round Implants: Key Advantages
Natural Movement and Feel Round implants move naturally with your body. When standing upright, they create a fuller upper breast area, while when lying down, they flatten and move to the side similar to natural breast tissue. These implants generally contain lower cohesive gel, making them softer to the touch and providing a more natural feel that better mimics breast tissue.
Upper Breast Fullness For patients desiring significant volume in the upper part of the breast, round implants typically provide better upper pole fullness, creating a more lifted appearance and enhanced cleavage. Modern high cohesive gel implants, such as Mentor MemoryGel Xtra, are particularly effective at maintaining volume in the upper pole while still offering a natural feel. These implants are often preferred by Dr Turner in breast lift with implant patients for improved shaping.
Cost Effectiveness Round implants generally have a lower cost compared to teardrop options, making them an accessible choice for many patients.
Lower Complication Risk Round implants have a uniform shape, which means that if rotation occurs within the breast pocket, there is no visible change to the breast’s appearance. This eliminates one of the potential complications associated with shaped implants, providing peace of mind for many patients.
Teardrop Implants: Key Advantages
Natural-Looking Profile Teardrop implants create a gentle slope from the collarbone to the nipple, closely resembling the natural breast shape. They typically have less fullness in the upper part, which many patients find provides a more subtle enhancement.
Enhanced Shaping Ability The stable cohesive gel inside teardrop implants allows them to better maintain their shape and can help address certain breast shape concerns in addition to size enhancement. For example, they can be particularly effective for correcting tuberous breast anomalies by helping to expand the lower pole of the breast.
Customisable Dimensions Surgeons can select teardrop implants with width independent from height, allowing for precise matching to your existing chest dimensions and proportions.
Consistent Shape Unlike round implants which may flatten when reclining, teardrop implants generally maintain their shape regardless of position.
Important Considerations
For Round Implants
While round implants are sometimes associated with a more obviously augmented appearance, skilled surgeons can achieve very natural results with proper technique. Careful placement of softer cohesive gel implants in a dual plane pocket (partially under the chest muscle) can create a natural breast shape even in patients with minimal natural breast tissue.
For Teardrop Implants
When considering teardrop implants, it’s important to be aware of:
- Rotation Risk: Because teardrop implants have a specific orientation, rotation within the breast pocket can potentially cause visible breast asymmetry that may require breast implant revision for correction.
- Textured Surface: To reduce rotation risk, teardrop implants typically have a textured surface. It’s worth discussing the implications of textured implants during your consultation.
- Higher Cost: Teardrop implants generally involve a higher investment than round options.
Which Implant Shape Is Right For You?
The best implant shape varies significantly from person to person. Several key factors influence which option will deliver your desired outcome:
Your Unique Anatomy
Your existing breast tissue, chest wall dimensions, and overall body frame significantly influence which implant shape will achieve your desired outcome. Patients with more natural breast tissue often achieve natural-looking results with either implant type, while those with minimal tissue may find different advantages with each option.
Your Aesthetic Goals
Consider what’s most important to you:
- Do you desire more upper breast fullness and pronounced cleavage?
- Are you seeking the most natural-looking slope and contour?
- Is minimising the appearance of having had surgery important to you?
Making Your Decision
When choosing between implant shapes, a consultation with Dr Scott J. Turner will help you make the best decision. During your appointment, Dr Turner and his team will:
- Thoroughly discuss your aesthetic goals
- Evaluate your anatomy and tissue characteristics
- Consider factors such as lifestyle and activity level
- Use sizers to help you visualise potential results with different options
This comprehensive consultation process ensures you can make an informed decision that aligns with your individual needs.
Your Lifestyle
If you lead a very active lifestyle, the stability of the implant may be an important consideration. For some highly active patients, the rotation risk of teardrop implants may influence their decision.
Breast Screening Considerations
Modern mammography techniques can generally accommodate both implant shapes. However, it’s important to inform your mammography technician that you have breast implants so they can use appropriate techniques to visualize your breast tissue effectively.
Current Trends
While individual preferences vary, current trends in breast augmentation include:
- A move towards more natural-looking enhancements that complement the patient’s natural proportions
- Mini breast augmentation using smaller implants (less than 250cc) for subtle enhancement, particularly popular among slender patients seeking minimal augmentation (learn more about mini augmentation)
- Personalised approaches that consider the unique characteristics of each patient
Conclusion
Both round and teardrop implants can deliver beautiful, satisfying results when selected appropriately for the individual patient. Round implants offer more upper pole fullness, no risk of visible rotation, and a lower cost, while teardrop implants provide a more natural-looking slope and customizable dimensions.
The “best” implant shape varies from person to person, dependent on individual anatomy, aesthetic goals, and lifestyle considerations. By understanding the differences between these options and discussing them thoroughly during your consultation, you can move forward confidently with your breast augmentation procedure.
Dr Scott J. Turner is a Board Certified Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon serving Sydney with clinics in Manly & Double Bay. He is committed to providing personalised care and natural-looking results for patients considering breast augmentation and other cosmetic procedures.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not replace medical advice. Individual results may vary. Please consult with a Plastic Surgeon, for personalised advice regarding your specific breast augmentation options.
