In March 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration has
finally approved gummy bear breast implants (from implant manufacturer Sientra) after several years of clinical trials. Meanwhile, the new devices have already been
around for 10 years in Europe.
Compared to earlier versions of silicone implants, gummy bear implants have a more cohesive
silicone gel that even if their shell is cut in half, the filling would not
leak. And with this characteristic, many
plastic surgeons around the world believe that the new devices are probably
safer than other types of breast implants.
Plastic surgeons coined the term “gummy bear” because the
implants’ soft but firm structure is somewhat similar to the sweet candy.
Leading Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. Tarick Smaili believes the recently approved breast
implants may further push the popularity of breast augmentation surgery in the
country. Last year, the procedure ranked
first on the list of the most commonly performed cosmetic plastic surgeries.
In terms of advantages, Smaili said that gummy bear implants
are “quite notable” particularly when it comes to safety.
“With the cohesive silicone gel, the possibility of rupture
and leak is close to nothing. Another
advantage is that the implant is form-stable and would not lose its shape,”
Smaili said.
And because the risk of leak is almost not a concern,
regular MRI screening is no longer needed.
(This is a requirement for women with traditional silicone breast
implants because their somewhat fluid gel would seep out in the event of
rupture.)
Another advantage, Smaili said, is the lower risk of
capsular contracture which happens when the surrounding scar tissue squeezes
the implant shell to the point that it causes breast deformity, pain, and other
complications.
The newest implant is also called
“type 5 gel” because it is the fifth generation silicone implant in the market
since 1962. Meanwhile, silicone implants
currently produced by Allergan and Mentor fall under the category of “type 4
gel” which is cohesive but not form-stable.
But because gummy bear implants
are firmer than the earlier versions of silicone implant, they require a longer
incision. Fortunately, patients can choose from four incision sites which are
designed to make the scar less visible.
Another consideration is the risk
of rotation. Since the implants come in
teardrop shape, they may result to deformity in case they rotate inside the
breast pocket (though the textured or “grainy” surface can prevent this problem
from happening).
