A new kind of breast implant is taking the U.S. by storm, becoming increasingly popular due to its shape and unique material – and quite possibly also for its appealing nickname. Nicknamed “Gummy Bears” after the popular chewy fruit candy, these innovative breast implants are the latest craze in both breast augmentation and breast reconstruction surgeries and have several advantages over traditional implants.

Just like a real gummy bear, Gummy Bear breast implants share the same gummy-like consistency as the candy and are tear drop shaped, giving them the look and feel of natural breasts. Because of their unique texture and composition, they are a great choice not just for patients who are considering breast enhancement for cosmetic purposes, but also for women who have undergone a mastectomy following breast cancer and are considering breast reconstruction surgery. Post-mastectomy patients usually opt for more natural-looking implants, and Gummy Bears are the ideal choice, helping patients better adjust to the change.

Gummy Bear implants are also popular because of their stability. Filled with a highly cohesive silicone gel, the Gummy Bear implants are firmer, and thus, more stable than liquid gel implants. These breast implants are also sturdier than saline or standard silicone gel implants, which can shift downward, altering in appearance due to the sheer force of gravity. Gummy Bear implants have a distinct shape that will not change. Like gummy bears, the implants will retain their shape when they are squeezed due to the semi-solid silicone gel within them, which is denser than traditional silicone.

Leading researchers also believe Gummy Bear may even have a safety advantage over traditional silicone implants. The chances the implants will rupture are also much lower than for traditional silicone implants. Because of their firmness, the gel does not shift within the shell casing of the implant like liquid gels may do, reducing the chance of shell collapse, folds and rippling. If for some reason the Gummy Bear implant were to rupture, the cohesive silicone gel will basically stick to itself instead of leaking out into the surrounding breast tissue. As of right now, no cases have been documented in which the cohesive silicone gel has leaked out following rupture.

There are currently two Gummy Bear implant brands available in the United States and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Sientra and Natrelle 410. The Sientra breast implant was approved by the FDA last year and comes in five shapes. The implant was superceded by the highly cohesive Natrelle 410, made by Allergan, which was approved this year and comes in 12 shapes. Both are considered form stable but vary in their ratios of height, width and volume.

Since both of these implants are filled with silicone, they are approved only for adults 22 years of age and older for cosmetic purposes. However, they are available for women of all ages who have undergone a mastectomy and are undergoing a breast reconstruction.

If you are considering Gummy Bear implants for your breast augmentation or breast reconstruction procedure, contact New York plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer today for a consultation to determine your ideal option.