Once again the breast implant market is about to be rocked by the introduction of a new family member. This spring, Allergan introduced its newest addition to the United States market. Popular in Europe and Canada for years, the Natrelle® Inspira, is designed to benefit a certain niche of American women.
Board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Caroline Glicksman, a long time investigator for several of the leading implant manufacturers, utilizes both round and shaped breast implants in her Sea Girt, New Jersey practice.
By: Caroline A. Glicksman, MD
The Plastic Surgery Channel
So what exactly is this new implant and is it really, “new”?
To the general public, breast implants probably seem to be all the same. There are already many different types of round and shaped breast implants on the market and each manufacturer has their own terminology to describe their specific gels and their shells.
The real issue, when it comes to breast augmentation is matching the breast implant to the patient’s desires and her body type. An experienced breast augmentation surgeon will spend a great deal of time consulting with their patient to help find the right implant for them. To achieve such a task, a variety of implants need to be available to fill in everyone’s unique anatomy. Round gel implants generally provide an increase in volume, while shaped breast implants can be used to add volume and shape. Another variable that separates the gel implants is cohesivity.
“Basically, cohesivity is the thickness of the gel,” explains Dr. Glicksman. “The highly cohesive gel implants are made with a slightly thicker gel. The gel in most round or responsive gel implants is slightly thinner. The difference with this new Inspira is that they’ve used the same thinner gel but have added more of it. The implant is filled more so it has a higher percentage of gel within the shell.
Are these the same as “Gummy Bear” implants?
Although there will be a great deal of hype around these new implants, women should know that they are not filled with a new or highly cohesive gel. While they may provide more upper breast fullness in certain women, time will tell how they look and feel over the years.
Who might like these implants?
These new implants provide more projection, or fullness at smaller widths. In other words, thin patients may benefit from the ability to add more volume to their breasts without the implant getting too wide for their smaller, thinner, frame. These implants may help provide a fuller look, without being oversized.
It is always important to seek out a board certified plastic surgeon that has experience with all breast implants. Breast implant surgeons consider both the volume and shape that the implant will produce. Dr. Glicksman suggests that women should consider their long-term results. How will their round full implant look in 3 to 5 years, or do they prefer a more natural look?
If a patient is having a hard time deciding on a look or feel, what should she do?
Dr. Glicksman lets her patients see and feel all of the available implants, then she discusses their individual implant selection. “ I think it’s very useful to go to a plastic surgeon’s office who can incorporate both 2 dimensional pictures and 3D simulations,” says Glicksman. “The ability to see the different implant choices, round or shaped, on your body is really a benefit for patients before surgery.”