Whole Beauty® Institute

Create a Natural Breast with Implants

Patients choose Dr. John Q. Cook for breast augmentation at the Chicago-based Whole Beauty® Institute for several reasons. The first reason is our extensive experience with breast augmentation surgery. With more than 2,000 breast implant procedures to his credit, Dr. Cook has established a strong and consistent track record.

The second reason is that our work is driven by a natural aesthetic. In other words, we want to create breasts that look like breasts, not like cartoons of breasts. In addition to taking the size of the implants into consideration, a growing number of patients are also interested in their proportions and shape. Most patients believe that the best breast implants are ones that look and feel like real breasts.

How do we create breasts that look natural and have natural motion? Certain techniques, procedures, and types of implants can help you achieve this. Here are the six key elements that lead to a natural outcome with breast enhancement surgery, according to Dr. Cook.

1. Carefully Study the Natural Form of the Breast – in All of Its Variations

There is no single breast shape that works for every patient. It is important to understand how different breast shapes work on different body types. This understanding does not come easily.

As with all plastic surgery, we can look at the work of great painters, sculptors, and photographers to gain the sophisticated knowledge that artists possess.

It is also important to study each and every patient who comes to us for consultation in order to develop a sense of form and proportion.

I firmly believe that plastic surgery is an artistic pursuit that requires a highly developed visual aesthetic.

2. Carefully Study Each Patient and Match the Surgical Technique to the Type of Breast That She Has and to Her Personal Goals

Breast augmentation is a highly customizable procedure. A careful individualized consultation is at the heart of everything we do at the Whole Beauty® Institute. There are several aspects that must be considered in evaluating a breast:

What is the foundation of the breast?
What is the tone of the breast?
What is the balance between the two breasts?
What is the fundamental shape of the breast?

The surgical plan I devise for a woman in her 30s or 40s will be quite different from the plan for a woman in her 20s whose breasts have not experienced the cycle and effects of pregnancy.

3. Control the Curve of the Upper Breast

There is an important difference between creating a pleasing curve in the upper breast and creating a top-heavy breast that looks “surgical.”

High-profile implants placed above the pectoral muscle create an abrupt transition at the upper border of the breast that never appears in nature.

For most of my patients, I will place an implant beneath the pectoral muscle, so that the implant takes on a natural shape. This also makes it easier for a patient to obtain good-quality mammograms.

Flatter-chested patients who have a thin body type with not much of their own natural breast tissue to work with often prefer an under-the-muscle placement. This placement also creates less visible scarring, and there is a reduced risk of rippling.

Some patients prefer to have implants in the plane above the pec muscle. This may be true for women with very strong pec muscles. For these patients, we can design advanced procedures that will still create a natural breast shape.

4. Choose the Correct Implant for Each Breast

We are fortunate to perform breast surgery at a time when there is an increasingly wide range of implants available. This allows us to offer precisely tailored solutions for each breast structure. There are two types of fillings: saline and silicone. Some patients believe that silicone implants look and feel more like natural breasts.

Classical implants come in a range of profiles from high to moderate that will produce different breast shapes.

Anatomical breast implants (also called form-stable and “gummy bear” implants) hold to a teardrop shape and can be helpful for some patients.

implant types | John Q. Cook, M.D.

5. Make Use of Advanced Techniques to Shape the Breast Structure

The ultimate shape of an augmented breast is determined by the natural breast structure, the modification of the natural breast by the surgeon, and the breast implant itself. Patients who come to the Whole Beauty® Institute benefit from our extensive experience and from our portfolio of techniques that we have developed over the years. Our long experience with fat transfer and form stable implants helps patients when these choices make sense

6. Combine Implants with other Breast Surgery Techniques when Appropriate

Sometimes an implant is not enough. There may be issues with the position of the breasts, the symmetry between the breasts, and the overall shape of the breasts that need correction in order to create a beautiful result.

We have an advanced portfolio of techniques to address these issues. We explore these issues in detail in our breast-specific website.

Beautiful and Natural Breasts Require Individualized Analysis

At the Whole Beauty® Institute, we believe that a detailed and individualized analysis of each patient will lead to best-in-class results.  Schedule a consultation with Dr. John Q. Cook online or by calling 312-751-2112.