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“Gummy Bear Implants” by Sientra

Dr. Miguel DelgadoBy Miguel Delgado, M.D.

Women who decide to have a breast augmentation surgery will have some important decisions to make. This is challenging because in most cases they will have to live with their choices for many years, so it is important to try to get it right!

Many women agonize over the size of their breast implants; there are different methods to help visualize the outcome. One of the most popular gauges is the “rice test.” A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon will be able to steer the patient in the right direction for size, based on the patient’s desires and what is physically obtainable.

In addition to picking the right size, equally important is the type of implants, and there are many choices available. Again the cosmetic plastic surgeon will be able to help narrow this down as certain types of implants fit certain body types. Beyond what will fit best, there are options in the type of fillers for implants, saline and silicone having been the main choices for years.

Today there is another choice for silicone; it is a highly cohesive form stable implant. Due to its consistency it has been dubbed “the gummy bear implant” similar in feel to the candy.

The first company to get FDA approval for these form stable implants is Sientra, who is the importer and distributor for Silimed, who manufactures these implants in Brazil. Brazil today is considered a first world country and is the only breast implant company with FDA approval outside the United States. All U.S. manufacturers now offer highly cohesive implants, but each has their own proprietary distinctions.

Sientra Implants
The textured surface of form-stable implants is an advantage, making them less likely to form capsular contractures, and additionally they will not leak. Their teardrop shape offers upper pole fullness that may offset sagging and droopiness, possibly avoiding a breast lift. However, when a woman lies down, the implant does not flatten out like a normal breast or even round implants. Some women want the form stable implants either for the perkiness they give the breast or their fear of possible leaking of silicone implants.

Insertion for the “gummy bear” implants can only go through an inframammary incision (the crease at the bottom of the breast). Therefore, the scar is hidden by the fold of the breast. The inframammary incision is not the preferred method for Miguel Delgado, M.D. he prefers the peri-areolar approach due to the hidden scar upon healing, but patient satisfaction is most important.

Each implant has pros and cons; a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon will be able to help each patient determine which implant will be best suited for them.

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