There is a host of different breast implants available but up until recently there were only two fills; saline and soft gel. Of course the fill is only the tip of the iceberg, there are implants with smooth surfaces as well as textured surfaces, there are different shapes, round and tear drop and there are also different profiles such as high and low.
As of 2012 there are now three types of breast implants with the introduction of implants using a cohesive gel fill. These new implants are marketed under the cute name, “Gummy Bears” because that is what they are akin to in feel and manageability.
Saline filled breast implants are the most commonly used among US women, the choice of surface, size and shape is a personal decision but this decision is often tempered by the surgeon who knows best. One of the benefits of a saline filled implant is the fact that the surgical incision is smaller as the saline solution is introduced into the shell after it has been implanted. The solution is put in through a valve that snaps closed, similar to the type of snap that you see on clothing. If the implant should spring a leak, and most of them do, the saline solution is simply absorbed into the body. Of course, a second surgery is required to remove the failed implant and replace it anew.
Silicone gel filled implants were banned for a number of years as there were issues with the FDA; it was thought that in the event of a rupture that the gel fill would harm the health of the woman. In 2006 the ban was overturned as after many tests it could not be proven that these implants were hazardous to the health of the woman. These types of breast implants are prefilled with gel so the incision that has to be made is a little larger. Although the failure rate is a little less than silicon filled implants, they do still fail and herein lays a problem, it is very hard to detect that there is a leak without an MRI and as a result implant surgeons ask their patients to have an MRI every couple of years.
The third type of breast implant has just recently been introduced in the US although it has been in common use in Europe and Canada for many years, the insert is called “Gummy Bear” and it is filled with a cohesive silicone gel which is the same consistency of a gummy bear candy. This new implant has gotten the attention of many women as it does not sag under the effect of gravity, it keeps its original shape and the feel is closer to that of a natural breast in movement and touch.
