What Are The Advantages Of The New Sientra Breast Implant?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in getting breast implants and am confused about what type of implants to get. I have seen two doctors and one uses Mentor implants while the other uses Natrelle implants. I don’t understand the differences between these two company’s implants and I realize that choice is best determined by the doctor. I read recently that there is now another company offering breast implants known as Sientra. What are the benefits to these implants if any?

A: While all silicone breast implants contain silicone gel material, there are different formulations of that silicone used by each company. These formulations are proprietary and are given different names by each company. What is becoming most important in gel formulations is how cohesive they are, also known as form stable. The more form stable implants have become known in urban terms as ‘gummy bear’ breast implants.  Sientra offers only silicone breast implants that are composed of what they call ‘high strength’ silicone gel, which is their version of the so-called gummy bear implant. What I like about the Sientra implants that they may be form stable but are also very soft. If cut in half, the gel material does not extrude or break down and remains intact. You can actually take the implant and twist it 360 degrees and the implant shell/material will not fracture or break. This is a very important feature to decrease the effects of shell stress on insertion and lower long term implant rupture rates.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana