Do Highly Cohesive Implants Feel Natural on the Inside and from the Outside of Your Body? Mentor vs. Natrelle vs. Sientra

Thank you for your question.  This is a very common question that patients ask.  If you go to your plastic surgeon's office and feel the various implants, you will notice that the shaped highly cohesive implants are slightly firmer to the touch.  This is necessary because the gel has to hold it's shape and create the tear drop appearance to the implant. When placed under the breast, these implants feel very natural.  The more native breast tissue you have to "hide" the implant, the less noticeable this difference between implant is.  These shaped implants really make a difference in women with a long chest who desire a fuller look at the upper part of the breast, but they can be used in anyone.  As long as a proper width for the implant is selected based on the width of your breast, there is a relatively low risk of being able to feel the implant edges.  

Hope this helps.

Good luck

 

Hi Novomamma,Yes the "shaped" (aka anatomical) implants are slightly firmer. I already know you are
seeing a board certified plastic surgeon because Sientra only sells to BC
plastic surgeons (by ABPS - The American Board of Plastic Surgery)
who are members of ASAPS (The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic
Surgery) and or a member of ASPS (The American Society of Plastic Surgeons). So that is great!  All the best, "Dr. Joe"

The highly cohesive implants give great results visually but definitely feel firmer than the regular silicone implants.  They have to be firmer in order to hold the shape.

The Sientra implants, when placed retro-pectoral, look and feel natural and are less likely to ripple.  The edges are not palpable and patients are comfortable with them.  Patients have problems with implants when physicians place larger implants then they can accommodate.  This results in inferior and lateral extrusion of the implant below the edge of the pectoralis major muscle, which results in rippling and palpable edges.  Unfortunately, you have not provided any photographs but you may require a simultaneous lift to allow the implant to be placed totally sub-pectoral.  There is a new technique called Breast Augmentation with Mini Ultimate Breast Lift.  Using only a circumareola incision it is possible to place the implant, reshape your breast tissue creating upper pole fullness, elevate them higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage.  Aligning the areola, breast tissue and implant over the bony prominence of the chest wall gives maximum anterior projection with a minimal size implant.  In the retro-pectoral position, the implant profile is irrelevant since the muscle compresses it.    

 

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Speaking from my own personal experience with these implants - assuming you are a good candidate for form stable implants, cosmetic results can be excellent. I have found the Sientra line to be softer with more projection than the Allergan line. 

One of the trade-off's of using highly cohesive implants is that by definition the product is a little firmer than traditional silicone implants.  Having used these implants on a number of occasions, I have been pleasantly surprised how soft these highly cohesive implants feel.  

Good luck.

-York Yates, Utah. 

 

Dear novomamma. As one of the plastic surgeons that was involved in the initial FDA trials evaluating the form stable cohesive implants, I have had over 7 years of experience placing these implants in patients. It is true, when compared to the previous generation of silicone implants, the form stable implants do feel firmer. No implant will feel completely natural than your own tissue however, placing the implant below the muscle will greatly reduce the chance of feeling the edges of the implant. The degree that one can noticeably palpate an implant depends on several factors including the location of the implant (under vs over the muscle), the amount of native breast tissue you have, as well as the size of the implant chosen relative to your body. I recommend seeking consultation with an ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) Plastic Surgeon. You will have the chance to speak directly with your plastic surgeon to discuss and feel the different types and manufacturers of implants as well as determine which implant will be the best for you.

Hi Novomamma

Australian Plastic Surgeons did not suffer the FDA embargo on silicone implants so have many years of experience with these implants. Depending on which area of Australia is surveyed, anatomical implants are often more common than round implants.

With careful selection of techniques and the implant dimensions, the results are often more natural looking and feeling than round implants. The gel in anatomical implants is slightly firmer than round implants but it is not noticeable to the patient or partner.

Good luck

Dr Gavin Sandercoe

I have implanted a number of anatomically shaped Sientra implants, and I have had excellent results with them.  They feel very natural, even in ladies with thinner tissues, although you may feel the edges of them slightly if your tissues are really thin and you really try hard to feel them.  I think the Sientras have a slightly more defined bottom edge than the Mentors, and that may be a little bit more palpable in some patients.  Otherwise, the shape is excellent, and they look and feel natural.  The Mentor implants have just recently been released to the market, so the experience with them won't be as vast yet.  Also, they only have moderate profile implants, so they have not yet released their full line of shapes and sizes.  There are some slight differences between the gels of the two companies as well as the outer shells which make them feel slightly different outside of the body.  However, when implanted, both produce a similar natural result.  To me, the Sientras are the softest, followed by the Mentors, and I find the Natrelles to be the firmest of them all.  These implants are not for the occasional breast surgeon, nor will they be ideal for every patient, and you should really find a board certified plastic surgeon who has a lot of experience placing anatomical implants because there are some nuances involved in their placement, and if not done properly your results will not be optimal.  Good luck.

I have had the opportunity to place both the memory gel implants as well as the newest memory shape implants from Mentor.  My experience has been both work very well in carefully selected patients (good skin quality and thickness).  They are also technique dependent.  The newest anatomic gel implants are extremely technique dependent.  As far as the feel, palpability or comfort is concerned, I have not heard any complaints from patients.  A few of my patients have started out with traditional silicone implants and later converted to anatomic cohesive implants. Thus far, everyone is happy, but the implants are new and only time will tell.  I would recommend you speak with the plastic surgeon who has experience in placing both types of implants.