The Scoop on Silicone Breast Implants

My name is Dr. Babak Dadvand and I am a plastic surgeon in Los Angeles. I want to talk about silicone breast implants. The FDA took silicone implants off the market back in 1992 amidst reports that the silicone product was causing a wide variety of ailments in women who had the implants and had them leak. Many studies were done to prove one way or another that the silicone was responsible for one or all of the ailments afflicting these women. There was no conclusive evidence that pointed to the silicone within the implants as being directly or indirecly responsible for the ailments that were being attributed to the implants.

After years of testing and reformulation of the silicone implants, a new generation of gel silicone implants were FDA approved in November 2006. The shell of these new implants are silicone just as they were with the older generation, but the silicone in the new generation implants had a more gel-like consistency. This is unlike the older generation which was more honey-like in consistency.

As far as who I think is a good candidate for silicone implants as opposed to saline, I feel that women with very little breast tissue who want a natural feeling breast would be the best candidates. Saline typically has more projection than silicone and may have more rippling than silicone, especially in women with thin skin. The incision for a silicone implant is slightly longer than a saline implant because the silicone implants come pre-filled as opposed to the saline implants which are filled once they are inserted.

The next generation of silicone implants, known as cohesive gel or "gummy bear" implants are on the horizon. These are anatomic implants that are more firm than the current gel implants and give shape to the breast.

If anyone has any questions or wants to know more about implants feel free to email me at bdadv@hotmail.com