Silicone Breast Implants

History of Silicone Gel Breast Implants-

Silicone-gel breast implants were officially engineered back in 1961 by two men and one large corporation. The two male plastic surgeons ,Thomas Cronin and Frank Gerow, used there plastic surgery and scientific backgrounds and experience with the Dow Corning Corporation to develop the first silicone breast implant. The first documented breast augmentation mammoplasty surgery was performed back in 1962.

Silicone-gel breast implants can best be described or classified into five silicone-gel breast implant generations, starting in the 1960′s and running into our current day in age.

Silicone Breast Implants – First generation

Back in the 1960′s, the Cronin–Gerow Breast Implant-1963, created in the form of a tear-drop-shaped silicone sac , which is then filled with viscous silicone-gel. In order to reduce movement of the silicone breast implants, plastic surgeons used a breast implant fastener-” Dacron “ on the back of the breast implant to fasten it to the chest cavity walls.

Silicone Breast Implants – Second generation

As silicone gel breast implants started to become more mainstream, plastic surgeons nationwide started to make requests with breast implant manufacturers for softer, supple, and more realistic silicone gel breast implants. As demand grew from plastic surgeons, breast implant manufacturers redesigned the silicone breast implants with thinner outer breast implant shells and a thinner or less viscous silicone-gel filler. Second generation silicone gel breast implants had a much greater chance of the outer shell of the breast implant rupturing,which in turn, would cause the silicone gel filler to leak into the breast implant patients body. As time progressed, patients whom had received second generation breast implants frequently complained of major complications with there silicone breast implants, capsular contracture being the biggest problem. Faulty second generation silicone-gel breast implants came under more scrutiny after there was a class action lawsuit filed against major silicone gel breast-implant manufacturers.

Another idea for safer breast implants in the 1970′s was a special rubberized coating which was the final coating on the silicon-gel breast implant. This additional “rubberized” coating on the outer breast implant shell was used to help reduce the number of cases of capsular contracture . Unfortunately, this special”rubberized” coating, ended up causing more harm then good in breast implant patients. The rubberized coating would actually prevent the patient of the silicone gel breast implants from healing properly by causing a natural body reaction which would stop the growth of new tissue around the breast implant.

This reaction can easily be compared to getting a stubborn splinter in your finger which you can’t get out and ultimately it becomes infected.

Furthermore, these rubbery coated silicone-gel breast implants were discontinued for a short while due to the fact that the special rubber coating would end up breaking down over time causing serious health problems. The potential health risk that these breast implants could cause stems from the cancer causing by-products of the special rubberized coating.

As a result , the FDA released a report that the risk of induced cancer in these breast implantation patients was a major health risk and these types of second generation silicone gel breast implants can no longer be used in the United States. Unfortunately, similar specially rubberized coated breast implants are still used currently in other countries worldwide.

Another pioneered innovation for the second generation of silicone breast implants was and still is, the double lumen breast implant . The double lumen design breast implant can basically be described as a double-cavity breast implant that is comprised of silicone breast implant inside of a saline breast implant. The double-lumen breast implant design was created for the cosmetic benefits of silicone-gel breast implants while incorporating the much safer benefits of saline breast implants. Unfortunately, due to the complex design of the double-lumen breast , the breast implants experienced a much higher failure rate than that of the single-lumen breast implants.

Third and Fourth generation Silicone Gel Breast Implants
Third generation and Fourth generation breast-implant technology was introduced in the middle of the 1980′s. During this time period, there were a number of technological advances in breast implant manufacturing such as-

- Elastomer coated breast implants which drastically reduced the probability of silicone seepage

- New thicker composite silicone gel filler – used in conjunction with the new elastomer coating ,would further prevent possible silicone seepage.

- New anatomically correct breast implant shapes – natural, round, teardrop, and tapered models .

Generally speaking, in comparison to second-generation breast implants, third and forth generation breast implants feature a much more resilient outer shell and coating ; and also a much thicker silicone-gel breast implant filler that drastically reduces the occurrence of silicone gel seepage.

Fifth generation Silicone Gel Implants
Back in the 1990′s, Fifth generation silicone breast implants made another huge breakthrough in breast implant technology. The biggest innovation was that of a semi-solid silicone based gel that almost completely eliminates silicone gel breast implant filler seepage. Recent studies report a much lower occurrence of capsular contracture and breast implant rupture than that of earlier generation silicone gel breast implants.

Sixth Generation Breast Implants

Sixth generation breast implants are currently being reviewed by the FDA for approval. These sixth generation breast implants , or gummy bear breast implants, are very similar to the double lumen breast implant design. Gummy bear breast implants are comprised of two layers or to sacs :

The outer sac of the gummy bear breast implant is comprised of a newer, more durable, and more realistic feeling outer shell.

The inner sac is filled with a new type of silicone gel breast implant filler, which can be compared to the popular candy -gummy bears, hence the name – “gummy bear breast implants”

For more information on silicone breast implants, saline breast implants, or gummy bear breast implants for breast augmentation surgery, breast lift surgery, or breast reconstruction surgery ,

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