Gummy Bear Implants

Cohesive silicone-gel breast implants, also known as gummy bear 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: Cohesive Silicone-Gel Implants

Gummy bear implants, or cohesive silicone-gel implants, started being used in Europe in 1995, but is currently still within the FDA clinical trials stage in the United States. Other countries, namely Canada and Australia, have gone ahead and approved the new implants, which are a step forward when compared to the normal silicone implants used today.

Gummy bear implants are still made of silicone, but have a strong outside lining made up of many layers to keep the gel inside from leaking out, which can happen with regular silicone implants. As another precaution, the gel that fills the inside of the implant is a cohesive material that sticks together if broken or if the implant ruptures. Its consistency is similar to that of a gummy bear, which gives the implant its name.

Through the advancements shown in gummy bear implants, patients can enjoy natural feeling breast implants that won't run the risk of bleeding out if the shell becomes ruptured or damaged.

Advantages of Gummy Bear Implants

Here are some of the advantages gummy bear implants have over their less advanced counterparts:

• Their silicone base makes them feel more like natural breasts than saline implants
• They have "shape memory", which brings them back to their original shape when moved, dramatically decreasing the possibility of them folding or rippling
• The structure and gel material found within means they are harder to rupture, and ruptures won't release the gel inside. Instead, the implant's integrity and shape would remain
• The gel stays distributed in the proportions it was designed for, making it stable with good support and shape throughout
• The stability inherent in their design makes maintenance much easier
• Capsular contracture, where the scar tissue around the implant hardens and distorts the implant, apparently happens less often with cohesive implants than other types

Disadvantages of Gummy Bear Implants

There are also some drawbacks to gummy bear implants, which should be seriously considered before making any final decisions on the procedure:

• The implant needs a larger incision to be inserted into the breast pocket. This means it's usually limited to an inframammary incision or an areola incision.
• The implants are more expensive than the saline option
• The procedure is usually more expensive than the other options
• Cohesive implants are not common in the United States, so it make take some searching to find a qualified surgeon who utilizes this particular form of implant. The surgeons that are authorized to use cohesive implants are participating in FDA clinical trials.

Who is a Candidate for Cohesive Silicone-Gel Breast Implants?

If you are interested in receiving cohesive implants, the only current way to get them in the United States is through surgeons participating in clinical trials. Women over the age of 18 who qualify for normal breast augmentation, reconstruction, or revision surgery can qualify for these types of implants. Normally candidates for normal breast related plastic surgery procedures need to be in good health and aren't currently pregnant or nursing.

Talk to a Surgeon about Breast Augmentation

To learn more about cohesive silicone-gel implants, also known as gummy bear implants, or any other type of breast surgery, talk to one of the skilled surgeons found within DocShop's listing of local qualified surgeons. You can discuss different options, go over risks, get questions answered, and find the type of implant that can get you the results you really want.