Breast Augmentation New Jersey

Breast Augmentation! New Jersey board certified plastic surgeon   Caroline Glicksman MD and member of the medical advisory board for the plastic surgery channel discusses breast augmentation.

What patients should know about breast augmentation in New Jersey

Many women who are considering a breast augmentation in New Jersey begin their search on line and may be confused by the choices of implants that are available today.  Since 2006 both saline filled and silicone filled breast implants have been available to women in the United States.  In general, implant choices include both saline and silicone devices.  But there are also other choices to consider.  Silicone implants are manufactured as both round and shaped devises and they may have either a smooth or textured surface. So first let’s discuss the fill of an implant.  Although saline implants were popular for a really long time, many women and their plastic surgeons were unhappy with the feel of the implants and the rippling that could be felt or seen. They are still an option for many patients, but silicone gel implants are now the most popular implants in most of the world.

What is important for patients to know about implants for breast augmentation?

Silicone Gel implants for breast augmentation can be further divided into two groups:

• First there are the round gel implants. These implants are made slightly underfilled to make them soft and the gel is more cohesive, slightly thicker, than it was in earlier generations implants.  They come with both a smooth and textured surface on the outer shell of the implant, as texturing of the surface was thought to reduce capsular contracture, a tightening of the pocket around the implant.  There are many studies underway to determine if texturing of implants makes a real difference, but for now we do know that texturing may help with maintaining the position of an implant
• The newest generation of Form Stable Highly Cohesive Gel breast implants are nicknamed the “Gummy Bear” implants.  They are also called the Style 410 Silicone gel implant. These implants remain investigational in the United States until their FDA approval.  Gummy bear implants are very different from the round gel implants.  First of all the gel is thicker, or form stable.  This makes the implants just firm enough to resist folds and creases, yet soft enough to still feel like a breast.

Studies over the last 10 years in the US and since 1993 in Europe have shown considerably lower rupture and capsular contracture rates, however, studies are still ongoing until these implants are FDA approved. Finally, many web sites and plastic surgeons are creating “cohesion confusion” and women are often mislead by practices and sites advertising for “gummies” or “highly cohesive implants” that are just round gel devices.  Keep in mind the following when learning about your implant choices:

• Round silicone gel breast implants were FDA approved in 2006 after a 15 year moratorium.  They come with both a smooth and textured surface and should be available at all plastic surgeons’ offices.
• The newest generation of highly cohesive form stable implants, also known as “Gummy Bears” are always shaped, and always textured.  Patients must enroll in a FDA approved clinical trial, agree to a long-term 10 year follow-up, and these implants are only available from plastic surgeons who are approved investigators.

Dr Glicksman has been in practice for 20 years in New Jersey. Breast augmentation is a primary area of  expertise for her and she  has  presented nationally and internationally on this subject as well as published peer reviewed articles on breast augmentation. Remember a better educated breast augmentation New Jersey patient will make safer decisions and achieve longer lasting results.