If you’ve been doing some research about breast augmentation, you know there will be a series of other decisions you’ll need to make beyond simply having the procedure. One of those decisions will be the type of implant. In the past there has been two options, saline or silicone, but a few years ago another implant type was introduced, the gummy bear implant.

While technically a silicone implant, gummy bear implants are filled with a much thicker type of silicone gel, so they really are basically another type of implant.

Here’s some information on these newer implants.

The gummy bear implant

Although the popular name for these new implants has been “gummy bear,” there are different terms referring to them. In addition to gummy bear, you may have heard cohesive, form-stable, or highly cohesive. These terms denote the attributes of the implants made by the Sientra company. These implants retain their shape, unlike other implant choices, because the gel is thicker than traditional silicone implants.

High-strength silicone gel

The manufacturer, Sientra, has developed a new silicone gel for gummy bear implants. They call it high-strength silicone gel (HSC), and claim the gel is strong, yet very soft to the touch. Their HSC gels are proprietary to Sientra implants.

Two shapes

With gummy bear implants you can choose between two basic shapes, round (HSC) and teardrop (HSC+), with a variety of options and sizes within those two categories. The HSC implants offer a fuller, more dramatic appearance in the upper portion of the breast. 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.

Their safety statistics

Sientra cites some impressive safety statistics gathered over five years prior to the implants’ release in 2012. Here are some of their findings.

• Over 98% rupture-free through five years
• Zero reported incidences of implant rotation
• Low rate (3.9%) of capsular contracture

If you’re interested in learning more about gummy bear implants, call our office at 843-705-8940.