How do you get natural-looking breast augmentation results in New Jersey?

Natural-looking breast augmentation comes from four decisions made in combination: choosing an implant volume that fits your chest width rather than maximizing size; selecting silicone gel over saline (which ripples less and moves more naturally); placing the implant under the muscle (sub-muscular) when tissue coverage is thin; and choosing a surgeon whose before-and-after gallery consistently shows proportionate, not implant-dependent results. In Dr. Rafizadeh's Morristown practice, the goal is always a result that looks like you, not like an augmented version of you.

What is the 45-55 breast rule in breast augmentation?

The 45-55 rule describes the ideal distribution of breast volume: approximately 45% above the nipple and 55% below, which characterizes a youthful, natural breast shape. Implants that overfill the upper pole — producing visible upper-pole fullness, sometimes called 'shelf' — tend to look augmented rather than natural. Dr. Rafizadeh uses this proportion as one benchmark among several when selecting implant profile and volume, alongside the patient's chest width, existing tissue, and goals.

Natural-Looking Breast Augmentation NJ: How Dr. Rafizadeh Approaches Implant Selection

Q: Should I get silicone or saline breast implants for a natural look?

For patients seeking a natural look and feel, silicone gel implants are almost always the better choice. Silicone gel conforms more to the breast's natural movement, ripples significantly less than saline (especially in thinner patients), and has a softer texture that more closely mimics natural breast tissue. The main tradeoff is that silicone rupture is 'silent' — the implant doesn't deflate, so rupture requires MRI or ultrasound to detect. Saline implants have the advantage of immediate rupture detection (the breast deflates visibly) and a slightly lower upfront cost.

Q: Does implant placement (over vs under muscle) affect how natural breast augmentation looks?

Yes — significantly. Sub-muscular placement (under the pectoral muscle) produces a more natural upper-pole slope because the muscle softens the transition between the chest wall and the implant edge. In thinner patients with limited breast tissue, sub-muscular placement is almost always preferable for a natural result. Sub-glandular placement (over the muscle) can look natural in patients with more existing tissue but tends to show more implant definition — particularly the upper edge — in slender frames.

Q: What is the safest breast augmentation option?

The safest breast augmentation combines: board-certified surgeon (ABPS), smooth-surfaced implants (not textured macro-surface, which carry higher BIA-ALCL risk), an accredited surgical facility, and anesthesia management appropriate for the patient's health profile. Dr. Rafizadeh has never used textured macro-surface implants — a decision he made decades before FDA warnings — and performs all procedures in an accredited outpatient facility in Morristown under local anesthesia with light sedation.

Q: Can saline implants last 40 years?

Some saline implants remain in place for many decades without problems, but the clinical reality is that all implants carry some lifetime risk of complications — shell rupture, capsular contracture, implant malposition, or changes in the surrounding tissue over time. Most plastic surgeons counsel patients to expect potential revision within 15 to 20 years, not because there is a mandatory replacement timeline, but because the body and tissue change with age in ways that may affect the result. Long-term follow-up with annual mammography is recommended for all breast implant patients.

Q: What implant size looks most natural for a petite frame?

For petite patients with narrow chest width, the most natural-looking results typically come from implants whose base diameter closely matches the natural breast footprint — rather than choosing by volume alone. Going beyond the natural chest width creates visible lateral fullness that reads as implanted rather than natural. In Dr. Rafizadeh's practice, precise measurements are taken during consultation and used to establish an appropriate volume range within the patient's anatomical limits.

Breast augmentation in Northern New Jersey, natural, proportionate results from board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Farhad Rafizadeh in Morristown. — The single most common goal Dr. Rafizadeh hears from breast augmentation patients across North Jersey: “I want to look better, not different.”

Almost every breast augmentation consultation Dr. Farhad Rafizadeh sees in Morristown involves a patient who wants the same thing: to look better, not fake. She wants fuller, more proportionate breasts, but she wants friends and colleagues to think she looks great, not to assume she’s had surgery. This is one of the most consistent goals across North Jersey patients, from Chatham to Summit to Madison to Florham Park, and it is a goal that Dr. Rafizadeh’s four decades of breast surgery experience have been shaped around.

Getting a natural result is not about a single decision. It is the product of five intersecting choices: implant type, implant volume, implant profile, placement, and the surgeon’s aesthetic judgment. Each of these factors is addressed in detail below, including a question from Dr. Rafizadeh’s RealSelf Q&A page that gets at one of the most practically confusing aspects of implant selection: the real volume difference between saline and silicone.

The RealSelf Question: Silicone vs. Saline Volume Explained

Patient Question — RealSelf

“Is it true that silicone implants look smaller than saline? I’m replacing 275cc Mentor saline implants and want to end up at the same size. I’ve seen conflicting information: does the saline volume include the shell? How do I match sizes going from saline to silicone?”

Very good question. Saline implants are filled at the time of surgery with a certain volume, for example 275cc in your case, and this is recorded as the implant volume. This volume does not include the volume of the implant shell, which could be 30 or 40cc. If you have a saline implant and want to switch to silicone, I would pick a silicone implant that is about 30cc larger than your saline volume in order to keep your total volume the same. The choice of profile will depend on your present implant and your dimensions and can be decided during your consultation. Just make sure you bring all the pertinent information and any before and after pictures.

That answer explains something many patients and even some practices overlook: a 275cc saline implant and a 275cc silicone implant are not the same size. The saline volume doesn’t include the shell. For patients switching from saline to silicone, this matters, and choosing the right adjustment is part of what a thorough consultation accomplishes.

Factor 1: Implant Type — Why Silicone Is the Natural-Look Standard

The move toward silicone gel implants over the past two decades has been driven almost entirely by patient demand for a more natural result. The differences between the two are not just marketing language.

Silicone gel implants are pre-filled with a cohesive gel that behaves more like natural breast tissue, they move with the breast, they compress and rebound naturally when the patient lies down or leans forward, and they do not ripple significantly in most patients. Modern silicone gel, including the progressive-gel formulations used in Motiva implants, is designed to respond to gravity and position in a way that closely mimics the feel and movement of natural breast tissue.

Saline implants are filled with sterile saltwater at the time of surgery. They tend to be firmer than silicone, are more prone to visible or palpable rippling (especially in the lower outer pole), and have a more spherical shape that can look more obviously augmented in patients with thin tissue coverage. Their main advantages are a lower cost, immediate detection of rupture (the breast visibly deflates), and the ability to fine-tune the fill volume intraoperatively.

In Dr. Rafizadeh’s Morristown practice, the majority of patients seeking a natural result choose silicone gel implants, either Allergan (Natrelle), Mentor (MemoryGel), or Motiva. All three are FDA-approved with strong long-term safety records. The choice between them is made based on each patient’s anatomy, tissue characteristics, and personal preference.

Factor 2: Implant Volume — Proportionality Over Size

Nothing undermines a natural breast augmentation result faster than choosing a volume that is too large for the patient’s frame. This is the decision that most separates results that look natural from results that look augmented.

The key measurement is base diameter — the width of the implant at its widest point. For a natural result, the implant’s base diameter should closely match the patient’s natural breast footprint on the chest. When the implant’s base diameter exceeds the natural breast width, it creates visible lateral fullness, the implant bulges beyond the natural breast border, which immediately reads as augmented.

Volume (cc) is a function of base width and projection combined. Dr. Rafizadeh takes precise chest measurements during each consultation and uses them to establish an appropriate volume range before discussing specific sizes with the patient. The goal is not the largest size that fits, it is the most proportionate size for the patient’s unique anatomy and stated goals.

Factor 3: Profile — The Shape of the Upper Pole

Every implant comes in multiple profiles: moderate, moderate plus, high, and ultra-high. Higher profile means greater projection relative to a narrower base. Lower profile means a wider, flatter implant that spreads across a broader area of the chest.

For most patients seeking natural results, moderate or moderate-plus profiles produce the most natural-looking upper-pole slope. High-profile implants maximize projection and create visible upper-pole fullness, the “shelf” at the top of the breast that is the hallmark of an obviously augmented appearance. For patients with narrow chests where a moderate profile would be too wide, a high-profile implant with a smaller base diameter can be appropriate while still looking proportionate, but this decision requires individualized measurement, not a general rule.

The 45-55 principle, approximately 45% of breast volume above the nipple and 55% below, describes the proportion that characterizes a youthful, natural breast. Implant profile selection is one of the tools for maintaining this proportion after augmentation.

Factor 4: Placement — Under the Muscle for Most Patients

Sub-muscular placement (under the pectoral muscle) is the standard recommendation for most patients seeking a natural result. The reason is straightforward: the pectoral muscle provides an additional layer of tissue coverage over the upper and central edge of the implant. This softens the transition between the chest wall and the implant, producing the gentle slope of a natural breast rather than the abrupt edge of an implant sitting just under the skin.

In thinner patients with limited breast tissue, the majority of patients who choose breast augmentation, sub-muscular placement is especially important for a natural result. Without the muscle as a buffer, a high-projection silicone implant sitting above the muscle in a patient with thin tissue can be palpable at the edges, visibly rippled, and obviously augmented-looking.

Sub-muscular placement also lowers the risk of capsular contracture and allows more accurate mammography, both safety advantages that compound the aesthetic one. In certain patients with significant existing breast tissue, or in women who perform heavy upper-body exercise and find sub-muscular implants uncomfortable, sub-glandular or dual-plane placement may be more appropriate. Dr. Rafizadeh evaluates placement individually based on each patient’s anatomy.

Factor 5: Surgeon Aesthetic — The Part No Formula Can Replace

Implant selection charts, sizing algorithms, and 3D imaging tools are useful, but the final arbiter of a natural result is the surgeon’s aesthetic judgment. A surgeon who has performed thousands of breast augmentations develops a calibrated sense of what size, profile, and placement will produce the right result for a specific patient’s anatomy and goals.

Before your consultation at Dr. Rafizadeh’s Morristown office, it is helpful to bring:

Reference photos of breast augmentation results you find natural and proportionate (not cup-size requests, which mean different things depending on the bra manufacturer)
Photos of results that look too large, too round, or too obviously augmented, these negative examples are equally useful
If you have had previous implants, the implant card or any documentation of your current implant brand, volume, and profile

Dr. Rafizadeh’s position has been consistent for four decades: the goal is a result that is proportionate to your frame and looks completely natural, not implant-dependent. His RealSelf reviews consistently describe results as “natural,” “exactly what I hoped for,” and “still looked like myself.”

Patient Before & After

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Before After

Breast augmentation before — natural result Morristown NJ

Breast augmentation after — proportionate, natural result

Breast Augmentation Age 29 · Morristown, NJ

Before After

Breast augmentation before — North Jersey patient

Breast augmentation after — natural-looking fullness

Breast Augmentation Age 21 · Morristown, NJ

Both patients above chose silicone gel implants placed sub-muscularly. The goal in each case: fuller, more proportionate, not a different person.

View All Breast Cases

Common Questions About Natural Breast Augmentation in NJ

Should I get silicone or saline breast implants for a natural look?

For a natural look and feel, silicone gel is almost always the better choice. It ripples less, moves more naturally with the breast, and has a softer texture that more closely mimics natural tissue. Saline implants are firmer, more prone to rippling in thin patients, and tend to look more spherical. The main advantage of saline is immediate rupture detection (the breast deflates visibly) and a slightly lower upfront cost. For patients prioritizing a natural result, the gel difference makes silicone the standard recommendation in most New Jersey practices.

What is the 45-55 breast rule?

The 45-55 rule describes the ideal distribution of breast volume: 45% above the nipple, 55% below, which characterizes a youthful, natural breast shape. Implants that overfill the upper pole (creating visible shelf or excessive upper-pole fullness) tend to look augmented rather than natural. Dr. Rafizadeh uses this proportion as one benchmark when selecting implant profile and volume, alongside the patient’s chest width, existing tissue, and goals.

Does implant placement (over vs under muscle) affect how natural breast augmentation looks?

Yes, significantly. Sub-muscular placement (under the pectoral muscle) produces a more natural upper-pole slope because the muscle softens the transition between the chest wall and implant edge. For thinner patients with limited tissue coverage, sub-muscular placement is almost always preferable for a natural result. Sub-glandular placement can look natural in patients with more existing breast tissue, but tends to show more implant definition in slender frames.

What is the safest breast augmentation option?

The safest combination is: a board-certified plastic surgeon (ABPS), smooth-surface implants (not textured macro-surface, which carry higher BIA-ALCL risk), an accredited surgical facility, and appropriate anesthesia for the patient’s health profile. Dr. Rafizadeh has never used textured macro-surface implants, a precaution he took decades before FDA warnings, and performs all procedures in an accredited Morristown outpatient facility under local anesthesia with light sedation.

Can saline implants last 40 years?

Some do, but all implants carry a lifetime risk of complications, shell rupture, capsular contracture, malposition, or tissue changes over time. Most surgeons counsel patients to expect potential revision within 15 to 20 years, not because there’s a mandatory replacement schedule, but because the body and tissue change with age. Annual mammography and, for silicone implants, periodic MRI or ultrasound monitoring is recommended for all breast implant patients.

What implant size looks most natural for a petite frame?

For petite patients with a narrow chest, the most natural-looking results typically come from implants whose base diameter closely matches the natural breast footprint, rather than choosing by volume or cup-size goal alone. Going beyond the natural chest width creates visible lateral fullness that reads as implanted rather than natural. Dr. Rafizadeh takes precise chest measurements and uses them to establish an anatomically appropriate volume range for each patient before discussing specific sizes.

Sources & References

Hidalgo DA, Spector JA. “Breast augmentation.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2014;133(4):567e–583e. PubMed
American Society of Plastic Surgeons. “Breast Augmentation.” plasticsurgery.org
Calobrace MB, Herdt DR, Cothron KJ. “Simultaneous augmentation/mastopexy: a retrospective 5-year review of 332 consecutive cases.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2013;131(1):145–156. PubMed
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. “Breast Implant Safety.” FDA.gov
Dr. Farhad Rafizadeh, MD FACS. Answer to “Is it true that silicone implants look smaller than saline?” RealSelf Q&A

The Bottom Line

Natural-looking breast augmentation results in New Jersey are not accidental. They come from choosing the right implant type (silicone gel for most patients), the right volume for the patient’s frame (not the largest that fits), the right profile (moderate in most cases), the right placement (sub-muscular in most patients), and a surgeon whose aesthetic is calibrated to natural, proportionate outcomes rather than maximum size. Dr. Rafizadeh has applied this philosophy for four decades in Morristown, and the consistency of his patients’ reviews is the best evidence that it works.

If you are considering breast augmentation in Morristown, Summit, Chatham, Madison, Parsippany, Basking Ridge, or anywhere across Northern New Jersey, Dr. Rafizadeh’s consultation is $100, credited toward the procedure when booked.

Natural-Looking Breast Augmentation in NJ: How Dr. Rafizadeh Approaches Implant Selection