A natomically shaped "gummy bear" implants provide benefits for both younger and older women seeking more natural-looking results
HAGERSTOWN, Md., July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The recent introduction of three shaped silicone gel implants into the U.S. market offers women new and different choices for breast augmentation. These newer implants are particularly well suited for older patients and women undergoing breast reconstruction, yet can also offer advantages for younger women.
"The latest generation of smooth round silicone gel implants has been used with great success since 2006, and continue to produce beautiful results," says Dr. Henry Garazo, a Hagerstown plastic surgeon. "But the new generation of form-stable or "gummy bear" silicone gel implants can be particularly appropriate for patients over the age of 40, or for younger women who want a more subtle result."
Shaped Implants Offer Benefits for Older Patients, Reconstruction Cases
Older women have a mature, sloping breast profile, and the new products feature a teardrop anatomical shape that imitates this silhouette. The shaped implants create a more natural appearance because they produce less fullness in the upper breast than traditional smooth round silicone gel implants.
Three different manufacturers—Sientra, Allergan, and Mentor—now produce FDA-approved shaped silicone gel implants. Each product is made from a new generation of highly cohesive silicone gel that is form-stable, meaning it keeps its shape. This quality also makes these implants a good choice for breast reconstruction, because the implant itself can help form the reconstructed breast in cases where there is little or no natural breast tissue to provide shape or coverage for the implant. The shaped implants can also be used successfully in revision surgeries, when the breast pocket created for the previous implant has stretched out over time.
Shaped Implants Also Appeal to Younger Patients
The shaped implants, also known as "gummy bear" implants because their consistency is like that of the candy, can also offer benefits for the younger patient. Women between the ages of 20 and 40 comprise two-thirds of the all breast augmentation patients, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. While the majority of women in this category prefer the softer feel, greater upper pole fullness, and striking cleavage that the traditional round silicone gel implants can provide, some women prefer a more subtle, natural-looking breast enhancement. The shaped implants offer this choice for women; a shaped silicone gel implant had not been available until 2012, when the first product was approved by the FDA.
More Choice for All Women
With the wide array of breast implants on the market today, virtually every woman can get a pleasing result from breast augmentation, no matter her body type or size. Because each implant comes in a wide variety of styles, profiles, and sizes, a personalized approach can be developed through a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon.
About Dr. Henry F. Garazo: Plastic surgeon Dr. Henry Garazo is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has been selected as one of America's Top Plastic Surgeons by the Consumers' Research Council of America for four consecutive years. He practices in his hometown of Hagerstown, Maryland, at Plastic Surgery Services, The Galleria, 1140 Conrad Court, Hagerstown, Md., 21740-5905. Reach him at (301) 791-1800 or www.plasticsurgeryservices.net.
Media Contact: Dr. Henry F. Garazo, (301) 791-1800 or www.plasticsurgeryservices.net