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  • What are Gummy Bear Implants?
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Dana Goldberg, M.D.: Form stable implants are anatomically shaped implants with a thicker gel than is traditionally used in normal silicone implants. They are called "gummy bear implants" because the texture basically feels like a gummy bear.

Over the years, scientists have cross-linked the silicone to make it more solid and the form stable silicone has even more cross-linking than regular silicone. The first generation of silicone implants in the 1960s had a very liquidy silicone, kind of like honey. Further generations of silicone implants were developed that behaved a little bit more like a solid, but the silicone was still allowed to flow within the silicone implant, which meant that after many years, a lot of times the silicone settled to the bottom when the patient was in a standing position, and created less fullness at the top of the breast.

The whole idea behind the form stable implant is that because of the stiffer gel and an anatomic shape which is more full at the bottom, more stable cleavage is created over time. Even though the gel in smooth, round implants has gotten thicker over time, it is still allowed to flow within the implant, which can lead to the loss of upper fullness or cleavage over time, and can even lead to visible rippling in some patients.

Because form stable implants are textured, the main purpose of which is to prevent rotation, they're actually at a slightly lower risk of cracks or of fracture. Also, form stable implants are slightly less likely to rupture than regular silicone implants.

The main disadvantage is that since they are anatomically shaped, if the implant rotates, the more full part of the breast can end up at the top. The other disadvantage is that because they are stiffer devices, they often require a slightly larger incision, and because this device acts more like a solid than a liquid, it is possible to actually fracture the gel, which is smaller than the incision.

A good candidate for form stable implants is someone who wants a very natural looking result. The sizes that are available in the U.S. so far aren't going to give you a D cup breast, but they are going to give you a very nice, natural, full B or small C result.

What are Gummy Bear Implants?

Doctor Dana Goldberg explains what form-stable or "Gummy Bear" implants are and what advantages they have.