When patients come in for a breast augmentation consultation, one of the first questions that comes up is shape: teardrop or round? It is a decision that affects how the breasts look, how it moves, and how it ages—and the right answer depends entirely on your anatomy and goals. Here is how I walk patients through the distinction in my practice.
How teardrop and round implants differ?
The difference is exactly in what the names suggest; but the clinical implications go further than shape alone.
Round implants
Round implants are symmetrical in all directions, with equal fullness in the upper and lower pole. Because they look the same from every angle, rotation is not a concern: if a round implant shifts position inside the pocket, it still looks like a round implant. They are available in a wide range of sizes and projection levels, and they are typically smooth on the outside.
Teardrop implants
Teardrop implants—also called anatomical implants—are designed to replicate the natural profile of the breast: fuller at the bottom pole, tapered toward the top. The goal is to create a silhouette that slopes gradually from the chest wall rather than projecting evenly upward. Because they are asymmetrical, teardrop implants are textured on the outside to help them grip the tissue pocket and stay in position.
It is worth noting that shape and material are separate decisions. Both round and teardrop implants are available in silicone and saline, and in a range of projection profiles. In my practice, round implants represent the majority of augmentations—consistent with broader trends in North America—but teardrop remains the right choice for specific patients.
What are “gummy bear” implants?
“Gummy bear” is one of the most commonly misunderstood terms in breast augmentation. It refers to the gel consistency, not the shape.
These implants use highly cohesive silicone—the firmest type of silicone gel available—named for the way it holds its shape when cut, like a gummy bear candy. This gel maintains its form even under compression, which is what gives it its distinctive feel and stability.
Gummy bear implants are available in both round and teardrop shapes. Its common association with teardrop implants comes from the fact that the highly cohesive gel is particularly well-suited to anatomical forms; the firmness is what allows the asymmetrical teardrop shape to hold reliably in the body. But round gummy bear implants also exist and are used when a patient wants the stability of highly cohesive gel with the symmetry of a round profile.
Thus, when a patient arrives saying they want “gummy bear implants,” the shape question is still open for discussion. For more on gel types and how they compare across implant materials, this saline vs. silicone implants article offers more detail.
Teardrop vs. round: the aesthetic difference
For patients with moderate natural breast tissue, both implant shapes can look very similar once in place, due to the fact that in both cases the overlying tissue softens the result. The differences are most visible in patients with limited natural breast tissue, and most apparent when unclothed and standing.
Upper pole is where the distinction is clearest. Round implants create more fullness above the nipple line—that fuller, projected upper breast look that many patients associate with an augmentation. Teardrop implants taper at the top, producing a more gradual slope from the chest wall. Patients who want cleavage and upper pole fullness tend to prefer round; patients who specifically want to avoid that look tend to gravitate toward teardrop.
Lower pole projection is built into the teardrop design, which concentrates volume at the base of the breast. Round implants also provide lower pole fullness, but with a more even distribution.
Movement between the two shapes also differs. Round implants move naturally with the body because they have no fixed orientation. Teardrop implants are designed to stay in position, which limits their natural movement somewhat, though this is rarely noticeable in daily life.
It is worth noting that in the majority of real-world scenarios, such as wearing a bra, clothing, or swimwear, the visual difference between round and teardrop is quite subtle. The distinction becomes more meaningful when comparing results unclothed, and figures most prominently in patients with thin skin or minimal breast tissue. You can see the range of results across both implant types in our breast augmentation before and after gallery.
Teardrop vs. round implants before and after: what the results show?
Before-and-after photos are the most useful tool for understanding what each shape actually looks like. What you are really looking for is how the result integrates with a range of anatomies and this will be clear when reviewing photos of real results.
When reviewing before-and-after photos, the key things to look at are: the slope of the upper pole (gradual vs. fuller), the position and projection of the lower pole, and whether the overall silhouette reads as natural or augmented. Teardrop photos tend to show a smoother, more sloped upper breast while round implant photos tend to show more upper pole projection ranging from subtly full to more pronounced, depending on size and placement.
What often surprises patients when they look at round implant before-and-after pictures is how natural the results can appear—particularly with submuscular placement, which softens the upper pole considerably. The “obviously augmented” look that some patients associate with round implants is largely a product of oversizing or suboptimal placement, not the implant shape itself.
I always encourage patients to bring reference photos to their consultation. Photos of actual people, and not manufacturer diagrams, give a far more accurate sense of what to expect. The before and after gallery on our site is a good starting point.
Which feels more natural: round or teardrop?
Feel is determined more by gel consistency and placement than by shape alone.
Round implants with cohesive silicone gel feel soft and natural—particularly with submuscular placement—which adds a layer of muscle and tissue over the implant and reduces its perceptibility. Teardrop implants have a slightly firmer outer surface due to the texturing, though this is subtle once in place and covered by tissue. In daily life, most patients cannot tell the difference in feel between the two.
In practice, placement matters more than shape or feel. Submuscular placement—with the implant positioned beneath the pectoral muscle—softens the feel of both implant types. For patients with significant natural breast tissue, both round and teardrop implants feel similar. The perceived difference in feel that patients sometimes associate with teardrop vs. round is often actually a difference in gel firmness—highly cohesive (gummy bear) gel vs. standard cohesive silicone—rather than shape.
Teardrop or round: which should you choose?
There is no universally correct answer, and the choice is made at the time of your consultation based on anatomy, skin quality, and what the patient is actually trying to achieve.
Round implants are typically the better choice when you want upper pole fullness or more defined cleavage, prefer a smooth implant with no rotation risk, or you want sizing flexibility. Round implants also tend to age more gracefully, as the symmetrical shape accommodates natural tissue changes over time. They are what I recommend for the majority of my patients.
Teardrop implants are worth considering when you have limited natural breast tissue and want the most anatomically natural profile possible, specifically a sloped upper pole with minimal projection above the nipple. Patients who have reviewed round implant before-and-after photos and found the upper pole fullness too pronounced, are often better suited to a teardrop shape. It is also worth noting that because teardrop implants are textured, there is a small but real risk of rotation. Other, more broad considerations around textured implants are something I cover openly during the consultation.
The fact is, round or teardrop, the decision is never made unilaterally. At your breast augmentation consultation, we look at your anatomy together and review all factors including tissue thickness, chest width, skin quality, and the specific result you have in mind, using actual implants and your reference photos, all of which play a role in the final decision.
