Is the Ideal Breast Implant Really Ideal?

As a woman, a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and a patient with breast implants, I can critically look at this question from several vantage points.  I have used both saline and gel implants in my practice.  I have saline implants myself and they are about 14 years old.FEEL   we're long overdue in having a new choice in selecting an implant, particularly one that offers the BEST of gel and saline.  The traditional saline have minimal drawback.  The biggest criticisms being that they feel stiffer or firmer, or that the shell is more palpable/rippling.  These criticisms are a bit overblown especially when you take into account that the majority of women selecting implants are very lean and with little chest mass to offer soft tissue coverage to conceal the implant.  Over time, any implant (gel of saline) will be more superficial and the shell will be palpable, particularly laterally and inferiorly.  Both implants reflect some rippling in these areas.  Saline implants can be firmer IF over filled, which is why it is important for the surgeon to keep within the mid range on volume addition.  When they are correctly filled, few people would know by touch if it is saline or gel.  I know this because any patient that wishes to know, can test mine. LEAK DETECTION I like saline because I never had to stress over getting an MRI to detect a leak.  OR, pay for an MRI. Personally, I wanted to know if there is a leak.  Gel does not offer that benefit.  And, if there is a leak in saline within the warranty period, I'll know and my revision surgery will be covered.  And, the IDEAL warranty if for a lifetime. Few women with gel actually follow through on getting an MRI and may not have the advantage of warranty coverage at the time a leak is finally noted.  Replacement may be an out of pocket cost.  IDEAL offers a unique advantage by it's dual chambers:  If a leak occurs it is unlikely the implant will fully deflate- the inner chamber volume is likely to remain.  This is advantageous because the urgency or pressure for women to get in for immediate revision is reduced, we can live with this til we can plan the time for replacement. SAFETY  Further, IDEAL is absolutely SAFE.  No one can argue otherwise.  We are learning that gel has some unique medical issues/risks that may prove to be substantial.  That is reason for every women to pause in making the gel selection.  Regrettably, this is not being discussed in medical offices to the extent that it should be.  There is no cancer risk with IDEAL.  Mammograms are fine with IDEAL.IDEAL is only available to Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, ensuring that only those surgeons with the highest credentials and most rigorous training are qualified to offer the ideal product to women.CAPSULAR CONTRACTION  The 6-7 year track record on IDEAL shows lower capsular contraction rate compared to Allergan, Mentor (saline and ge); in both subglandular and submuscular positionsLEAK RATE  The 6-7 year track record, again, show reduced leak ratesPROFILE The IDEAL Implant can offer both high and moderate+ profiles based on the fill volumeASYMMETRY The IDEAL Implants can be individually adjusted to minimize asymmetry.COST I note that some of my colleagues have commented that the price of IDEAL is and will be high.  Not true.  As testimony to the integrity of the founder and developer of IDEAL (Dr Robert Hamas, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon), the cost of IDEAL is LOWER than gel.  In summary, women finally have a fantastic option for a breast implant!  Personally, I have been waiting for something like this for many years.  I was never sure what I would do if I had to replace my implant.  There is no question that I will choose IDEAL!Click the link below for more information.  Enjoy!In good health,Ellen Mahony, MD

Thanks for the question. You are a good candidate for an breast augmentation procedure. As you have enough breast tissue, gel-filled anatomical implants about 250-350cc can be used. Using implants will be the best decision for you. I wish you all the best.

The ideal implant is an excellent implant. However the implant may not be ideal for everybody. For somebody who has a fair amount of their own breast tissue and some side breast there in my mind is really no advantage of the ideal implant over a standard saline  implant. For the thin patient who does not want to use silicone but also does not want the rippling associated with standard saline implants the Ideal Implant is great.Overall I am a big fan of the Ideal Implants.

Good day! The Ideal Implant™ was recently FDA approved and is now being offered at our facility, Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery Newport Beach. Some women are not comfortable having silicone implants in their body and that was one of the reasons why the Ideal Implant was created. This implant gives a more natural feeling than traditional saline implants on the market. The unique structure of the Ideal Implant allows for a similar look and feel as silicone with the safety of saline. 
Find a board-certified plastic surgeon that has already performed procedure with this implant and discuss realistic goals and expectations. #RealSelf100

Studies support both a very low deflation rate and low capsular contracture rate with the Ideal Implant.  It is a very well designed, safe, and beautiful implant.

Ideal is a big word, but I must say that the Ideal Implant is the best implant yet invented.  It is ideal in the sense that it combines the safety of the saline implant with the feel and appearance of the silicone. It has been invented and developed by a plastic surgeon who has thought of many details in its design and manufacturing. Details like the packaging and how the nurses can hold the outer package safely as they open it and how there is a space provided for the surgeon’s fingers to take the inner container out without contamination or chances of dropping it. The shape of the implant is also unique and there is no rippling and scalloping typically seen with the saline implants. I was the first to introduce this implant to our area because it made perfect sense to me. There is a great patient acceptance, because they want to look good and not worry about doing an MRI every two years to rule out leakage. The results have been great so far.

IDEAL Implants have pros and cons just like every other breast implant. Better candidates are patients who prefer a rounder shape and want the piece of mind knowing that their implants are filled with saline and that they will immediately know when their implant deflates. These devices have a more limited range of sizes and profiles but the most commonly requested dimensions are now available. Compromises are primarily an issue for very thin women and for those wanting a relatively larger implant for their chest dimensions. In these situations it is likely that the implant will not feel as natural as a similar dimension cohesive gel device. Earlier concerns with this device included a higher deflation rate. More recent data indicates that they have a similar deflation rate to the best of the cohesive silicone gel devices available. 

Thanks for the question.  The "IDEAL" implants is a new type of saline implant that feels very similar to silicone implants.  The nice thing is the inside is filled with saline and there doesn't require follow up MRIs like silicone.  I have included a link to their website.  Good luck!

The Ideal Implant received FDA clearance in November 2014 and should be available to select board certified plastic surgeons in June 2015.  The advantage of the Ideal Implant is that it is a saline filled implant that feels softer and more natural than current saline implants.  This makes it feel like a silicone filled implant.Trey Aquadro, M.D.Auburn, AL

Ideal Breast Implant Trials Promising and now FDA approved !


With the Ideal Implant, women will no longer have to choose between peace of mind and a great result when it comes to breast augmentation. Dr. Larry Nichter explains.

Saline and Silicone, Safety and Performance


Dr. Larry Nichter
Women have so far had essentially just two breast implant fill choices: saline or silicone.

Silicone implants have distinct advantages over saline implants in terms of performance: they wrinkle less and conform to a more natural breast shape, and also have a softer feel that is more breast-like. However, silicone implants have gained a reputation—possibly undeserved—for being less safe than saline implants. Despite the fact that there is no known  toxicity of silicone gel breast implants, the possibility of a “silent rupture,” undetectable except by MRI, has been enough to make many women opt for saline implants or wait for a better product to come along. The time will be here most likely within a year or so with the advent of the Ideal Implant, the name given to a new design saline hybrid implant. It has the natural feel of silicone and safety of saline.

Saline implants, though providing peace of mind by being perceived as safer than silicone, often do not create a result that seems as natural. Wrinkling, scalloping, a globular shape, and water balloon-like feel, and increased risk of capsular contracture have been the trade-off for peace of mind with breast implants. The Ideal Implant solves many if not all of these concerns.

The Ideal Implant has both

The Ideal Implant is one of the major technological advances to come along in the past few decades in implant manufacture. Using a novel design with internal baffles, the saline implant is manufactured to achieve a similar feel and performance comparable to a silicone implant. Approximately 95% of both patients and their surgeons expressed satisfaction at the current two-year data point by the FDA. The Ideal Breast Implant is soon to be released in the US market, hopefully with in the year.


 The Ideal Implant is now FDA Approved !!It is a double lumen saline implant engineered to feel like a silicone implant. For those that are concerned about a "silent leak" problem with a silicone implant yet want characteristics more like silicone - this is the implant for you. I now have more than 4 year follow up data on my patients with these implants - all of my patients to date are very happy with their implants.I am one of the lead FDA investigators for the Ideal Implant and reported the one year cumulative study results at the annual meeting of the American Society for Aethetic Plastic Surgery, ASAPS, last year (2011) in Boston and in May 2012 in Vancouver for the two year study results. The FDA study results thus far are very encouraging and the Ideal Implant Company and Valeant, Inc has just announced via press release that it is FDA approved for both USA and Canada. They will need to tool up the manufacturing plant (Tustin, California) to produce at a higher volume. It is anticipated that they will be available this May, 2015.To be placed on my waiting list to receive this implant once available please contact my office. One of the things that impresses me the most about the Ideal Breast Implant company is that they will only sell their implants to board certified plastic surgeons by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The study results which in part was published in the American Journal of Aesthetic Surgery by me and Robert Hamas, MD, the inventor of the implant.Ideal Breast Implant Trials Promising to date:With the Ideal Implant, women will no longer have to choose between peace of mind and a great result when it comes to breast augmentation. Dr. Larry Nichter explains.About Ideal Saline Implants vs Silicone Safety and Performance Issues. Women have so far had essentially just two breast implant fill choices: saline or silicone. Silicone implants have distinct advantages over saline implants in terms of performance: they wrinkle less and conform to a more natural breast shape, and also have a softer feel that is more breast-like. However, silicone implants have gained a reputation—possibly undeserved—for being less safe than saline implants. Despite the fact that there is no known toxicity of silicone gel breast implants, the possibility of a “silent rupture,” undetectable except by MRI, has been enough to make many women opt for saline implants or wait for a better product to come along. The time will be here most likely within a year or so with the advent of the Ideal Implant, the name given to a new design saline hybrid implant. It has the natural feel of silicone and safety of saline.Saline implants, though providing peace of mind by being perceived as safer than silicone, often do not create a result that seems as natural. Wrinkling, scalloping, a globular shape, and water balloon-like feel, and increased risk of capsular contracture have been the trade-off for peace of mind with breast implants. The Ideal Implant solves many if not all of these concerns.The Ideal Implant has bothThe Ideal Implant is one of the major technological advances to come along in the past few decades in implant manufacture. Using a novel design with internal baffles, the saline implant is manufactured to achieve a similar feel and performance comparable to a silicone implant. Approximately 95% of both patients and their surgeons expressed satisfaction at the current two-year data point by the FDA. The Ideal Breast Implant is soon to be released in the US market, hopefully with in the year.As one of the lead FDA study investigators, I have personally followed my Ideal Implant patients for more than two years. The vast majority of my patients are thrilled with the results. My follow up exams indicate that in most cases they have the feel more like silicone than saline.When placed on a convex surface similar to the curve of the chest wall, the Ideal Implant conforms to a more natural breast shape; its edge lies lower and its outward surface does not collapse. This is because engineers designed the Ideal Implant with three nested baffle shells, which are unattached and perforated. This makes the saline move slowly between the compartments, giving it gel-like characteristics and a feel more like that of a natural breast.The Ideal breast implant uses no new materials or manufacturing processes—only tried and tested ones—and is made completely in the United States. The manufacturing process is automated to ensure uniform thickness of the membrane shell, unlike the hand-dipped ones that are used for breast implant manufacturers by other companies. Perhaps most important, the President of the Company, Dr. Robert Hamas, indicated that this implant will only be made available to board certified plastic surgeons by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. To date, the other saline breast implant companies in the US, Allergan and Mentor, sell their product essentially to any MD or DO whether they are a plastic surgeon or not, and even to non-surgeons without board certification. This gives an added advantage to the consumer knowing that when they have an Ideal breast implant placed it will be done by someone well trained and competent—by a board certified plastic surgeon.The Ideal breast implant is currently undergoing FDA trial studies in 502 women, the second-year results were recently released and are very promising. The capsular contracture rate, for example, at the two-year follow up mark of the current FDA study indicates a dramatic decrease of capsular contracture. To date, the Ideal breast implants show significantly lower rates of capsule contracture and wrinkling, as well as high patient satisfaction. Deflations from early manufacturing defects were identified and addressed, and manufacturing processes have been refined.Though it has yet to be released to the general public, the Ideal Implant is shaping up to be a contender in the open market with traditional saline and silicone implants.—Dr. Larry Nichter, MD, FACSTo receive updates about the ideal implant or to have a consultation with Dr. Nichter and be put on the waiting list for breast augmentation with Ideal Breast Implants, please contact our office using the link below.