Breast augmentation with Dr. Lavey involves many decisions beyond simply opting to go ahead with the surgery in the first place. You’ll decide the location of your incisions, the placement of the implants, the size and projection, and, of course, the type of implant. In the past, you’d simply choose between silicone and saline implants. But in 2012 a new type of implant became available — the gummy bear implant. Here’s some information on these newer implants.
What is a gummy bear implant?
It may seem funny to name implants after chewy candy, but these implants already are known by a host of different names, one of them being gummy bear. In addition to gummy bear, you may have heard them called cohesive, form-stable, or highly cohesive. These terms denote the attributes of these implants made by the Sientra company. These implants retain their shape, unlike other implant choices, because the gel is thicker than traditional silicone implants. Sientra is the only company making gummy bear implants.
High-strength silicone gel
Back in 2012 when gummy bear implants first came on the market, Sientra said it had developed a new silicone gel to these implants. They call it high-strength silicone gel (HSC). They claim their gel is strong, yet very soft to the touch. Their HSC gels are proprietary to Sientra implants.
Two shapes available
Gummy bear implants come in two shapes basic shapes, round (HSC) and teardrop (HSC+), with a variety of options within those two categories. The HSC implants offer a fuller, more dramatic appearance in the upper portion of the breast. They project more. The HSC+ implants are designed to mimic the natural look and feel of a breast.
All Sientra implants are made with what the company calls TRUE Texture® Surface, a strong shell with texture designed to maintain its position in your body. This aspect of these implants aims to stop the implants from shifting once placed in the breast pockets, and usage statistics seem to back it up.
Their safety statistics
Sientra cites five years of study with gummy bear implants. Here are some statistics.
- Over 98% rupture-free through five years
- Low rate (3.9%) of capsular contracture
- Zero reported incidences of implant rotation
While you’re doing your research about augmentation, be sure to include gummy bear implants. Call Dr. Lavey at 925-820-3633 for a consultation.
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