The profile of a breast implant refers to the level of forward projection from the chest wall in relation to the base width of the implant. In other words, the profile indicates the distance the implant will project from your body. A higher-profile breast implant will create a more prominent silhouette than a lower-profile breast implant.
The breast implant manufacturers provide implants in four profile levels: moderate classic profile, moderate-plus profile, high profile, and ultra-high profile.
When choosing the profile that you want, you need to determine the look or breast shape that you want. The higher the profile, the more fullness the breast will have on the top (upper pole of the breast) and the less natural the look will be. That said, there are many women who like the look of round, projecting breasts with upper pole fullness versus a more natural look. Neither look is “right” or “wrong,” so to speak, they’re just different. If you want a more natural look, you should choose a moderate-plus-profile implant. If you want to have a more fuller and projected breast, you should choose a high-profile implant. And if you want a very projected, very full, more unnatural look, then the ultra-high-profile implant will be the implant for you.
These are my general thoughts on each of the four breast implant profile types:
- Moderate classic profile Breast Implants. The moderate classic profile implants are much wider and flatter on the sides. Compared to high-profile or moderate-plus profile implants, they will typically create a natural-looking upper breast appearance by providing a flatter and more gradual downward slope. The problem I have seen is that due to the collapse of the implant in the vertical position, the fullness is very mild, and almost all women desire some form of fullness on the upper pole.
- Moderate-Plus-Profile Breast Implants. Their shape is between the low- and high-profile breast implants. By splitting the difference in base width and projection, it provides a more natural-looking shape compared to a high-profile implant, but with some fullness on the upper pole of the breast.
- High-Profile Breast Implants. These have a narrower base width and more outward projection, creating a very full, round look. This type of implant will give you a less natural but youthful look by providing more upper pole fullness.
- Ultra-High-Profile Breast Implants. This implant has the narrowest base width and the most projection, giving the look that many women consider “fake.”
To choose the profile that you want, you have to determine the look that you prefer. If you want a more natural look I recommend a moderate-plus profile. The moderate classic implant will not give you enough of the fullness that most patients want after the surgery. I see few indications for this type of implant. If you want a fuller look that does not look as “fake,” then choose a high-profile implant. If you want to look very projected and “fake,” then choose the ultra-high profile.