Cohesive Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Cohesive silicone-gel breast implants, also known as gummy bear breast implants, have not yet been approved for general use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the aesthetic advantages they have over other types of breast implants make it likely that cohesive silicone-gel implants will gain widespread popularity if they receive FDA approval.

Breast Implant Fillers: Silicone Gel Implants

Already in use in Europe since 1995, cohesive silicone-gel implants are currently in clinical trials in the United States. Australia and Canada have already approved these new breast implants, which are somewhat different than traditional silicone breast implants. Cohesive silicone-gel implants have a strong and durable silicone shell that is composed of several layers to prevent the "gel bleed" that can occur with standard silicone breast implants. Additionally , the filler gel has a thick, cohesive consistency (similar to a gummy bear) that does not dissipate if an implant ruptures.

Advantages of Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Cohesive silicone-gel breast implants have distinct advantages over other types of breast implants. Because gummy bear breast implants are made of silicone, they have a consistency that is much closer to breast tissue than saline breast implants. Silicone-gel implants also exhibit “shape memory," meaning that they return to their original form, lessening the chance that the shell will fold or ripple.

Folding and rippling are the primary causes of implant rupture. Of the silicone types of breast implants, cohesive-gel implants may be the safest because i f the outer shell were to rupture, the silicone would not spill out, but rather retain its shape and integrity. Furthermore, maintenance of breast implant shape is better with cohesive silicone-gel implants because they are stable. The gel does not migrate with body movement as it can with saline or traditional silicone implants. It maintains proportion and distribution for controlled, stable support and shape. In addition, capsular contracture, or the compression of scar tissue that is a potential complication of breast implants, reportedly occurs less often with cohesive silicone-gel breast implants than with other types of breast implants.

Disadvantages of Silicone Gel Breast Implants

A disadvantage of cohesive silicone-gel implants is that they require a larger incision for insertion. The insertion is usually performed through an inframammary incision under the breast or through an areola incision. Also, the implants themselves are more expensive than saline-filled breast implants, and the cost of breast augmentation surgery can be higher as well.

Who is a Candidate for Silicone Gel Breast Implants?

Currently, cohesive silicone-gel breast implants are only available in the United States to women participating in clinical trials designed to determine the safety and efficacy of the technology. These trials are open to women at least 18 years old who have a condition appropriate for augmentation, revision, or reconstruction. Breast augmentation surgery candidates for all types of breast implants are women who are in good health and are not pregnant or nursing.

Contact a Doctor in Your Area for More Information about Gummy Bear Breast Implants

To learn more about silicone-gel gummy bear breast implants and other types of breast implants, locate a highly qualified cosmetic surgeon in your area using DocShop's extensive listing. Your breast augmentation expert can answer your questions, explain breast augmentation risks, and help you choose the implants that will give you the best results.