Type of Implant

• The two types of breast implant options are silicone and saline. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration lifted its 14-year ban on silicone implants. Silicone implants are filled with silicone gel and are the softer of the two. Saline implants are considered safer in the case of a ruptured implant since there is no harm to the body in absorbing the sterile saltwater.
  
  

Placement of the Implant

• Breast implants can be placed on top of the pectoralis major (chest) muscle, referred to as sub-glandular placement. The advantages for athletes are that there is less post-operative pain, the recovery is faster, and they are able to resume training faster. One drawback is that athletes who have low body fat percentages, can experience wrinkling in their implants that can be seen through the skin. This can appear both unnatural and unattractive. Placing the implant under the muscle is called sub-muscular placement. Advantages for athletes are that the implant will be more protected, stay in place better and look more natural. Disadvantages are that the surgery takes longer, can be more painful, and makes for a longer recovery. According to John Michael Sarbak and James L. Baker, as reported in The Aesthetic Surgery Journal/The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, of the 20 female athletes with breast implants who participated in the study, sub-muscular placement meant a longer recovery period and overall decreased performance.
  
  

Athletic Performance

• Size and weight can affect athletic performance. The larger the implant; the higher the effect it can have on athletic performance. Dr. Joseph A. Mele, chairman of the Division of Plastic Surgery at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Calif., states that with breast augmentation, "The implants may be more noticeable with sports that require extreme inward rotation at the shoulder with the arm extended. Examples include golf and racket sports like tennis and racket ball." However, as long as the implants are not too large, the athlete can adapt and compensate in other areas. The weight of the implants can affect the speed and drag of athletes in sports like swimming and running. Mele believes as long as the implants are not too large, the impact should be manageable with the use of proper support.
  
  

Bodybuilding

• Bodybuilders and fitness models undergo extreme dieting to reach low body fat percentages. The breasts are partly made up of fatty tissue, which is often lost when the body fat percentages are low. Some fitness and bodybuilding athletes choose breast augmentation to maintain a feminine physique while also maintaining minimum body fat levels. Many choose to place the implant over the muscle for fear that sub-muscular placement can interfere with the functioning of the muscle and the contest posing. Depending on the size of the implant, the poses that are required of bodybuilding and fitness competitors can cause the implants to move. The smaller the implant, the less interference it will cause when placed under the muscle.
  
  

Risks

• Breast augmentation surgery carries complication risks such as bleeding, rupturing of blood vessels, infections and pain. Another issue is that regardless of whether implants consist of saline or silicone material, they will not last forever and will very likely require a future surgery. According to an article appearing in Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review, "Implants are not recommended for professional athletes due to the risk of rupture that can occur during competition."