On November 17, 2006, the FDA approved the new silicone implants made by the California corporations Mentor and McGhan. Since the moratorium on silicone filled breast implants was imposed in 1992 extensive research, clinical trials and improvements in design and construction have been completed. Improved silicone screening procedures have been developed, and all this has now culminated in the chance for women to once again have the freedom to choose the type of implant that they desire.
Today silicone implants are filled with a thick gel, known as cohesive gel, not a liquid, and have slightly thicker shells than before 1992. They are anatomically shaped, or round, and do not fold. They come in various sizes, from low-profile, to moderate, to high-profile. You can choose either a textured surface or a smooth one. Most agree that they look and feel more natural than saline implants.
Leaks Unlikely, With No Disease Links
Their new design means that silicone implants are more durable and less likely to rupture and leak than saline, and therefore pose less likelihood of any need for replacement surgery. In fact, they are securely sealed and have virtually no chance at all of ever leaking. It has been established that there is no causative link between these silicone implants and any known disease.
Note that they have not been approved for insertion through the TUBA incision, at the belly button.
There is a urine test which you can take at home to detect the presence of free silicone in the body. However, silicone has widespread use, as in hand lotions, soaps, processed foods, hairspray and many other commonly used items. So there are many ways for it to get into a person’s body. If the test found no silicone in the urine, you would know there was no leak from the implants, but if it did detect silicone, that would not necessarily mean there is any leak.
If you have been putting off breast implant surgery until you could have the implants of your choice, your wait is over. The reintroduction of silicone filled implants will not prevent women from choosing saline filled implants, but simply provide more options.
If you are considering breast augmentation, talk to your cosmetic surgeon about the advantages and disadvantages of silicone vs. saline filled implants.
