Part I: Cohesive Confusion - understanding the true identity of silicone breast implants
Question -
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<blockquote>I was wondering who had which kind of silicone, and the pros and cons you have noticed? I am 100% getting silicone but my surgeon offers both. I do not meet with him until May so I wanted to hear from women who have them.</blockquote>
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Answer -
I have been off the boards for a bit so forgive my delay in repsonding to your request and this question. You have asked a very important question that all women considering silicone should ask. I think the confusion surrounding silicone implants today is a huge issue for patients - and it is really sad because the manufacturers and surgeons have chosen to muddy the waters.
So let's go back and get a handle on what is what. In the early 1990's they took silicone breast implants off the market. They were reintroduced back into the market in November of 2006 with dramatic advances and changes that made the FDA say - this is a good produce and they deserve to be available to everyone again. In a very basic sense - here are the changes - they increased the amount of fill per implant shell which helps protect the integrity of the shell long term (helps it pass the tilt test - see us at thebestbreast.com for more info on the tilt test) and they increased the viscosity of the silicone gel - they made it thicker, not "form stable" but thicker - thus the new names - cohesive and memory gel. By thickening the gel, gel bleed through the shell is lower and thus capsular contracture rates for the device improved. These implants are widely used today and require no enrollment in a study. Any ps can use them.
While the old silicone implants were off the market, Mentor and Allergan both started studies on more form stable gel implants - or "gummy bear" implants. These studies are still in force today. They require a 10 year committment from each patient. Dr. Tebbetts participated in both studies so we have patients that have the Mentor CPG and the Allergan style 410. In fact, I have the 410 and have had them for almost 10 years now. These implants are shaped, not round. They are textured for positioning purposes and the gel is thicker - it is not solid but more form stable than memory or cohesive gel breast implants. The style 410 is also adequately filled to prevent any type of shell folding. Very few surgeons can use these products. There are only 150 participating surgeons in the Allergan study nationwide.
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<div>
<div id="post_message_19276">
<blockquote>I was wondering who had which kind of silicone, and the pros and cons you have noticed? I am 100% getting silicone but my surgeon offers both. I do not meet with him until May so I wanted to hear from women who have them.</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Answer -
I have been off the boards for a bit so forgive my delay in repsonding to your request and this question. You have asked a very important question that all women considering silicone should ask. I think the confusion surrounding silicone implants today is a huge issue for patients - and it is really sad because the manufacturers and surgeons have chosen to muddy the waters.
So let's go back and get a handle on what is what. In the early 1990's they took silicone breast implants off the market. They were reintroduced back into the market in November of 2006 with dramatic advances and changes that made the FDA say - this is a good produce and they deserve to be available to everyone again. In a very basic sense - here are the changes - they increased the amount of fill per implant shell which helps protect the integrity of the shell long term (helps it pass the tilt test - see us at thebestbreast.com for more info on the tilt test) and they increased the viscosity of the silicone gel - they made it thicker, not "form stable" but thicker - thus the new names - cohesive and memory gel. By thickening the gel, gel bleed through the shell is lower and thus capsular contracture rates for the device improved. These implants are widely used today and require no enrollment in a study. Any ps can use them.
While the old silicone implants were off the market, Mentor and Allergan both started studies on more form stable gel implants - or "gummy bear" implants. These studies are still in force today. They require a 10 year committment from each patient. Dr. Tebbetts participated in both studies so we have patients that have the Mentor CPG and the Allergan style 410. In fact, I have the 410 and have had them for almost 10 years now. These implants are shaped, not round. They are textured for positioning purposes and the gel is thicker - it is not solid but more form stable than memory or cohesive gel breast implants. The style 410 is also adequately filled to prevent any type of shell folding. Very few surgeons can use these products. There are only 150 participating surgeons in the Allergan study nationwide.
