Gummy Bear Implants: A Sweet New Option for Breast Augmentation
Cohesive silicone gel implants, more commonly known as gummy bear implants, are the hot new option in breast augmentation. Like the famous gelatin candies they’re named after, these new implants have a rubbery consistency that holds its form well over time. This allows them to be molded into a more natural-looking breast shape, one that promises to last for many years.
Gummy bear breast implants were developed in the early 90s, and have been used widely in Europe for about ten years. Despite that, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has still not approved the implants for general use in the United States. The implants are currently in clinical trials, meaning only a limited number of doctors can use them in breast augmentation procedures.
Based on what we know about the trials, it seems very likely that these cohesive silicone gel implants are on the path to approval. But unfortunately nobody knows when this is going to happen. For now, you need to contact one of those approved surgeons and get yourself into one of the clinical trials in order to get the implants.
The Holy Grail of Breast Augmentation?
Gummy bear implants offer a lot of advantages over other types of breast implants, leading many cosmetic surgeons in Europe to declare them the best option for breast augmentation. But the main advantage – and the reason there’s so much hype surrounding these implants – is that they can be formed into a natural teardrop shape that seems to last indefinitely. Having what many people consider the perfect breast shape – and having it last for years – is a big attraction of gummy implants.
Plastic surgeons have tried to mold saline and other silicon-based breast implants into natural-looking shapes, but these types of implants have no form stability. Over time, they tend to revert to a round shape as the person’s skin and other tissue exert pressure on them. Due to the way they’re constructed with cross-linked silicone particles, gummy bear implants do not present this problem.
The prospect of having completely natural-looking breasts customized to your specifications is a dream come true for many women. If and when the implants get approved for general use, you can expect to see gummy bear breasts all over the place.
Other Advantages
But form stability isn’t the only advantage offered by cohesive silicone gel implants. Here are a few more:
Lower leak rate. Even if the outer shell is ruptured, the silicone gel in the implant remains cohesive and doesn’t migrate to other parts of the body.
More comfortable. Gummy bear breast implants can be shaped to fit a person’s particular body type, making them more comfortable.
Lower risk of “rippling.” Because silicone gel is more cohesive, the risk of shell collapse producing a rippling effect seems to be lower.
Less scar tissue. Capsular contracture is the medical term for scar tissue buildup and hardening around the implants – a condition that can be painful, and in severe cases, require surgery. The rate of scar tissue buildup appears to be much less with gummy bear implants.
The Disadvantages
Despite all the hype, gummy bear implants aren’t perfect – at least not for everyone. Here are some disadvantages:
Cost. Gummy bear breast implants are much more expensive than other types of implants.
Firmness. For some people, the chief advantage of cohesive silicone gel implants – their solidness – is a disadvantage. The implants are firmer than other types of implants, especially in cases where they are large compared to the amount of tissue available to cover them.
Larger incision size. Because these implants are more solid than other types of implants, it’s not as easy to push them through a small incision. A larger incision is needed for insertion.
The Future Is (Almost) Here
As stated, gummy bear implants are still in clinical trials in the United States, and while we already know a lot about them based on their use in Europe, there’s a lot more data to come. As long as information is still coming in, you can expect the list of pros and cons to grow and change. In time, we’ll find out if these implants are over-hyped, or if they really are the holy grail of breast augmentation.
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