After much anticipation, Allergan’s 410 highly cohesive silicone gel-filled implant (aka the ‘gummy bear implant’) has been approved for use in the United States by the FDA.  What does this mean for you? This means that you now have one more option to choose from when planning your breast augmentation procedure.

With all the breast implant options out there, how do I know which one is right for me?

 This question is best explored during your consultation with Dr. Franckle.  Generally speaking, there are three options we now have saline round, silicone-gel filled round implants or the new anatomic teardrop-shaped implants (known as ‘gummy bear implants’).  All of these implants share several important characteristics. First, they are all great at achieving a fuller, more shapely breast. Second, they are not expected to last a lifetime.  In fact, the FDA labeling states an expected life of ten years.  This does not mean that they ‘expire’ and will need to be changed at that time.  This means the manufacturer and the FDA have agreed that the expected life of these devices is about ten years. Third and most importantly, there is generally high satisfaction among women with breast implants regardless of which type is chosen.

There are some minor differences between them, however.  Silicone gel filled implants require periodic screening tests to check for rupture.  Saline, on the other hand, typically goes completely flat soon after leaking.  You do not need a special trip to radiology to notice this change!  Saline implants tend to have more visible wrinkles in some body types, whereas silicone gel filled implants typically have much less noticeable to no wrinkles.  Finally, some women feel that silicone gel filled implants feel more natural than saline implants.  This may be related to the woman’s body type and breast age.

Learn more about Saline versue Silicone here

Why choose the new 410 Highly Cohesive Gel (Gummy Bear) Implants?

The reason we are so excited about this new anatomically shaped teardrop implant is that it offers a premium leap in the finished look of the breast.  Round implants tend to offer a considerable amount of upper breast fullness (that overly full look toward the top of your chest).  This can be a bit troublesome when attempting to increase a cup size by two or more sizes, especially in thinner patients.  The upper portion of the breast can give the impression of spilling out of the bra, not always the look sought after by many women.

The new gummy bear implants have a teardrop shape, maintained by the more highly cross-linked filling compared with round breast implants.  The gummy bear implant is designed to more closely mimic the shape of a natural breast. It is available in many different dimensions, in comparison to the simple round implant, which allows it to be more precisely sized for a woman’s unique chest wall and breast shape.  This is a significant advantage in achieving just the right size and shape while remaining natural in appearance.