Gummy Bears 101

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If you are like countless women in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles considering breast implants, you've probably heard a lot recently about gummy bears – the very newest generation of silicone implants available. At Marina Plastic Surgery, we've got the facts, the falsehoods, and answers to all of your questions about these remarkable implants.

Gummy Bear Myths Striving for a Natural Look Extra Large Implants Stronger and Safer

If you are like countless women in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles considering breast implants, you’ve probably heard a lot recently about gummy bears – the very newest generation of silicone implants available. At Marina Plastic Surgery, we’ve got the facts, the falsehoods, and answers to all of your questions about these remarkable implants.

Like the cute candy bears, the filling of these implants is at once soft and firm, pliant and cohesive, strong and beautiful. You can push, pull and even cut the material and it won’t lose its shape.

Dr. Grant Stevens is a pioneer in the use of these implants, and he can help answer all of your questions. Receive a FREE consultation with one of our surgeons when you request your appointment online and schedule during select times they have set aside exclusively for Web visitors.

All About Gummy Bears

Sientra®’s Silimed-brand implants – the original gummy bears – were approved by the FDA in March of 2012. Allergan’s Natrelle® 410s were approved in February of 2013. That means that, in addition to the gummy bears still in clinical trials, board-certified plastic surgeons are now able to offer these high-strength cohesive gel implants. But what makes these implants unique? What is all the buzz about? You’ve come to the right place to find out.

Gummy Bear Quick Facts

  • According to studies, including a long-term study by Dr. Stevens, the Sientra implants have a lower incidence of complications than their counterparts.
  • The Sientra Silimed-brand implants have been available in Europe since 1995 and in Canada since 2000.
  • The shell is stronger than other currently approved silicone implants.
  • The gummy bear implant can be placed using the same incision patterns as other types of silicone gel implants; Dr. Stevens uses primarily periareolar incisions.
  • The Natrelle 410 is the most-selected shaped gel implant in Europe and Canada.
  • Silimed is testing 4 models of cohesive gel implants that are round, with a choice of smooth and textured cover, and 4 models that are anatomical in shape with textured covers.
  • Sientra is the only implant manufacturer in the world that makes round gummy bears, and they come in low, moderate, and high-profile.

Sientra styles

Questions and Answers About Gummy Bears

Q: Why are they called “gummy bears?”

A: The semi-solid nature of the cohesive silicone gel filling resembles the feel of a gummy bear.

Q: What advantages do these implants offer over saline implants?

A: They generally offer a softer, more natural feel and are more likely to maintain their shape and upright position. They do not leak if the shell of the implant is cut, torn, or broken. Maintaining a more upright position decreases the likelihood of rippling, while the wrinkling that occurs from under-filled saline implants is avoided. Gel implants are also more easily camouflaged in women who have little tissue remaining after a mastectomy. In addition, they are not as easily felt under the skin.

Q: What advantages do they offer over other silicone implants?

A: While the widely available 4th generation silicone implants are very safe and effective, the Sientra Silimed-brand implants have an even stronger shell and lower incidence of complications.

Q: Are there other manufacturers that offer a gummy bear implant?

A: We also offer the newly approved Natrelle 410 from Allergan. Mentor’s CPG is currently available on a clinical trial basis, and is anticipated to gain FDA approval in 2013. They are not available at this time.

Q: How widely available are gummy bear breast implants?

A: The manufacturer has made Sientra implants available only through board-certified plastic surgeons. Allergan requires that surgeons complete a certification program before they can offer the Natrelle 410.