Are All Breast Implants Created Equal?
Breast augmentation surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed annually in the United States. More than 360,000 women received breast implants last year alone, making it second only to liposuction.
New plastic surgery research, which suggests that not all breast implants are created equal, may have important implications for the millions of women across the globe considering breast augmentation.
Implant Leakage Rates: The Study
A study published in the journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery examined the deflation rates of 1,000 saline breast implants – half of which were manufactured by Mentor Corporation and the other half by Poly-Implant Prosthesis (PIP).
According to the results, PIP implants had a failure rate of 15.4 percent over a four-year period compared with a 4.4 percent Mentor implant failure rate. Although leaking saline implants are not linked with adverse health effects, they do require replacement and thus an additional surgery.
Other Implant Options
Since the Food and Drug Administration restricted the use of silicone implants in the 1980s, saline implants have been the only real option for those seeking breast augmentation.
Even though many patients are happy with the results of saline implants, some still prefer silicone gel implants – which are only used in reconstructive breast surgeries or in clinical trials.
Now breast augmentation patients may have another implant option. “Cohesive” gel implants are less likely to leak and are firmer than other types of implants. They have consequently been nicknamed “gummy bear implants.”
“Saline implants remain popular, but we have had a huge amount of interest in the cohesive gel implants. Our experience with the new implants has been very positive, said Dr. David A. Stoker, plastic surgeon who co-authored the study.
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