Newport Beach Breast Augmentation

This is a confusing topic for many. Gummy bear is a marketing term that has developed along the way. It refers to a ‘form-stable’ cohesive gel breast implant that is available in some places outside of the United States (in Canada and Europe).

Currently, in the United States, the FDA has approved a ‘cohesive gel’ silicone implant; however, this implant is not as ‘cohesive’ as the ‘Gummy Bear, form-stable’ implant. This implant will likely be available in the U.S. in the upcoming future. At the moment, there are a few sites in the U.S. that are offering these implants as part of a research study.

Orange County Plastic Surgeon Q & A

Both Allergan and Mentor make quality implants today, whether it is silicone or saline. There are slight differences in the dimensions of each profile. They both have low deflation and rupture rates with slight differences. You can discuss this with your surgeon.

Both companies stick behind their products and offer excellent warranties.

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon Q & A

There are many factors in deciding which implant type or size is best for you and which technique or position. You should seek several opinions from Board-Certified plastic surgeons to help you determine what is best and why. An easy place to start is at www.surgery.org, the website for The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Members of this society focus on aesthetic plastic surgery. Good luck.

Orange County Plastic Surgeon Q & A

The current generation of silicone gel implants are a cohesive gel implant. They, however, are not THE cohesive gel implants or gummy bear implants that you discuss. These gummy bear implants are more cohesive, firmer, and less pliable. They are a form-stable type of implant, meaning the shape does not change. They are more anatomic, but they may not give you the “natural augmented look” that many women desire. They are not without problems or issues as well. These gummy bear implants can have issues with rippling as well. They are not currently available in the U.S. except for a few offices that are enrolled in current FDA studies. They are available outside of the U.S.

Orange County Cosmetic Surgeon Q & A

The maximum sized available silicone gel implant available is 800 cc. You can get slightly larger with a saline implant. However, you should not choose a certain size without being evaluated by a plastic surgeon to determine if it is the appropriate size for you based on your chest and breast dimensions as well as condition of your skin envelope. You say you feel that your 500 cc implants are smaller than your 375 cc saline implants. One possible reason may be that you have different profile implants. You may have had a lower profile implant before and now have a higher profile implant in which it has more projection but is narrower.

Orange County Cosmetic Surgeon Q & A

There are many options and many factors to consider when deciding what type of implant to use for breast augmentation. Some decisions that need to be made include: saline or silicone; moderate, moderate-plus, or high profile; round or anatomical; smooth or textured.

The implant is only part of equation to achieve a nice breast augmentation result. Of course, it is very important to choose your surgeon carefully. A nice place to locate some board certified plastic surgeons who are committed to aesthetic surgery is www.surgery.org, the website for The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon Q & A

There are many options when considering breast augmentation…silicone, saline; smooth, textured; round, anatomical; moderate profile, high profile; on top of the muscle, completely under the muscle, or partially under the muscle; lift, no lift etc.

Generally speaking, if a patient has a somewhat droopy or ptotic breast and would like to avoid additional scars for a breast lift, they will be better served by having their implants placed partially under the muscle (dual plane) or on top of the muscle. Having said this, patients who have lost weight or have had their breast tissue atrophy following nursing will have a much more naturally feeling breast with silicone implants versus saline implants. As you can see, there are many options.

Meet with a few plastic surgeons to get a better understanding of what is best for you. A nice place to find board certified plastic surgeons is at www.surgery.org, the website for The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

The feel of a breast implant varies from person to person. Many factors come into play. Some factors include the amount of breast tissue a person already has to cover the implants, whether or not the implants will be on top of the muscle, entirely under the muscle, or partially under the muscle; whether they are saline implants or silicone implants; the quality and thickness of the skin, etc…

In general, silicone implants will feel more “natural” than saline implants. Silicone implants can feel like a thick marshmallow, whereas saline implants can feel like a bag of water. Some patients will do very well with either type of implant if they have thick skin and a fair amount of breast tissue in either the subglandular or submuscular position. In general, woman who are quite thin, have little breast tissue with loose skin, and have nursed children will do better with a silicone implant, preferably a high profile silicone implant to achieve a more natural feel.

Implants can feel hard for several reasons. Some include a saline implant that is way too over-filled. Another reason can be a capsular contracture.

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon Q & A

Newport Beach Breast Augmentation and Orange County Breast Implants