Before surgeons perfected the process of transplanting tissue to recreate breasts, implants were the only available method. Used by women for more than 40 years, implants now account for about half of all breast reconstructions.

Implants come in different shapes (round or contoured), textures, and sizes, so your surgeon must choose the model that will best fit your chest and give you the volume you want.

Compared to natural tissue flap procedures, implant surgery is shorter, requires less surgical skill, and leaves fewer scars. Recovery is faster, but the entire reconstructive process can take longer to complete. Implant surgery is also much less costly.

While most women are happy with their implants, there are downsides. With unilateral reconstruction, it can be difficult to match your natural breast without additional surgery, because impants can't be shaped or sculpted like living tissue. Your implanted breast won't droop or reflect weight changes like your opposite breast, so you may become asymmetrical over time. Unlike living tissue, implants are devices: they are susceptible to complications, and sooner or later they must be replaced.

For many women, implants are a good reconstructive choice. They may be right for you too. But before you decide, understand their benefits and limitations. Ask your plastic surgeon to show you samples of both saline and silicone implants, so you can touch them and compare how they feel. Talk to other women who have had reconstruction with silicone implants. Once you've learned about the pros and cons of implants, compare them to tissue flap reconstruction, and then decide which is the best choice for you.