The Longevity And Appearance Of The Cohesive Gel Breast Implant

If you ask any woman what she would like to see in a future breast implant, you will hear the same response from everywhere in the world. She wants a safer, longer lasting, more visually attractive implant that will last longer than the current dozen years. Most surgeons in the breast implant field feel the solution is already here in the cohesive gel implant, often referred to as the Gummy Bear implant.

The Gummy Bear implant was introduced in the early 1990s, and has been used everywhere in the world except the United States. That is because it hit the consumer market at the same time as the FDA banned the silicone gel implant. The media was filled with horror stories of silicone leakages, and the resulting lawsuits and corporations that filed for bankruptcy. The FDA also banned the Gummy Bear implant, fearing it might have the same safety issues. The FDA finally approved the silicone implant for unrestricted use after studying it for fourteen years. The Gummy Bear implant is still being studied and it will probably be so for years to come.

So, you wonder, how can an American woman receive Gummy Bear implants when they are not FDA approved and she does not want to go out of the country for her surgery? She can agree to be in the FDA clinical trial program. All she has to do is find a plastic surgeon who is participating in it and agree to regular follow-ups for the next ten years.

The Gummy Bear implant was designed with two objectives. The first was to outlast silicone and saline implants. Those implants are always at risk of rupturing or leaking. The older the implant, the higher the risk. That is why it is recommended breast implants be replaced after ten to twelve years. The reduction of rupturing or leakage was achieved because the Gummy Bear is made of cohesive gel. That means it is a solid mass rather than filled with a saltwater solution (saline) or a liquid gel (silicone). The Gummy Bear does not leak because there is no liquid to leak.

The second objective of the Gummy Bear design was to provide a more pleasing breast shape that would maintain its shape. Again, by being a solid mass, the implant did not change its shape no matter the position the woman is in standing, sitting, or lying down. The liquid filler in the silicone and saline implants drops to the bottom when the woman stands or sits, and flattens out when the woman lays down.

Preliminary data indicates that the cohesive gel implant is meeting both objectives, but the data is not yet conclusive.

Do you desire to learn more about the Gummy Bear implant? Contact a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in breast augmentation surgery and is participating in the FDA clinical trial programs. Most surgeons do not charge a fee for the initial consultation. As an expert on the subject, he can inform you of the latest technological advances and a realistic expectation of surgery results for you specifically.

The purpose of this article is not to dispense medical advice. You should only heed medical advice from a licensed physician.