“What is a gummy bear implant?”

Hello. Great question. There are basically only two types of breast implants. Saline (basically the fluid in IV bags), and Silicone. This type is silicone is similar to jelly. The silicone come used to be very loose, like watered down jelly. Therefore, if a silicone implant ruptured, or basically tore, the silicone would ooze out causing all sort of problems with the breast. In 1991, these implants were banned by the FDA. In 2004, the breast implant companies, came up with a more viscous, less liquified silicone, so that if the implant ruptures, it won’t ooze out. Some started calling it “gummy bear”. Just like when one bites on a gummy bear leg, the rest of the bear doesn’t ooze out of the leg and it still retains its shape. Funny no? Well, those implants still oozed out slightly, so a couple of years ago, Mentor came up with a new one called Mentor Memorygel Xtra silicone. This is what I use. This is a true “gummy bear”. No oozing at all, and has a thicker shell. It’s the best. You can visit my website at DrRoya.com for further information.

Older forms of silicone breast implants were made of a liquid silicone much like maple syrup encased in a silicone shell. If the shell broke, the liquid silicone would exit the shell and spread into the surrounding tissues. Newer models of breast implants are made with self-cohesive gel, which sticks to itself. It has the consistency of the candy called a Gummy Bear, therefore, if the outer shell breaks, the silicone does not travel. That is what is referred to as gummy bear implants.

The new silicone breast implants that are currently on the market (compared with the generation of silicone implants that were removed from the market in the 1990s) is a “gummy bear implant.” The silicone is more cohesive or solid. A cut into the implants does not cause the silicone to “run out” or bleed. It is a more solid internal material. Some refer to the anatomical breast implants which are even more cohesive as "gummy bear implants." It is called a gummy bear implant because, like the gummy bear candy, it is a stiff gel and not a liquid fill.

It’s high viscosity polymer. They don’t feel natural.

“Gummy Bear” is used to refer to modern silicone-filled breast implants. The manufacturers use a cohesive gel product that will not leak out if the implant ruptures and because of the consistency of the implant, it has earned the nickname "gummy bear."

The "gummy bear" is the popular name for what plastic surgeons refer to as "form stable" implants. These implants contain a form of silicione gel that is very tightly cross-linked so that the implant can literally be cut in half and the gel will not run, very like a gummy bear. While this makes the implants essentially leak proof, it also makes them more firm and stiff and some patients do not like this. Most gummy bear implants are anatomically shaped, somewhat like a tear drop in order to better shape the breast naturally. These types of implants are always textured- have a "fuzzy" surface versus the usual smooth surface- and textured implants have been connected to a rare form of lymphoma of the breast. For this reason, many surgeons have shied away from the gummy bear implants. I still use them occasionally but almost entirely for reconstruction, not cosmetic breast augmentation. There are now some implants coming out that are smooth and round, containing the form stable gel. The verdict on these is still out.

The breakthrough in technology that produced high-strength cohesive (CSG) gel created the strongest material on the market, but it has a naturally soft feel to the touch. The thicker consistency of the gel produces a firmer feel than you get with traditional implants. The CSG product as “gummy bear” because of its resemblance to the bear-shaped candy that holds its shape even when you bite into it. Many women choose it for its shape that resembles a teardrop with the projection at the bottom that you recognize as a natural-looking breast with tapering at the top.