Let’s continue this week’s article with a quiz:
Question:
Mentor breast implants have gone through many improvements since their introduction. What major advancement in implant design during the 1990’s significantly improved both safety and patient satisfaction?
A. Use of saline-filled implants with thinner shells
B. Introduction of highly cohesive silicone gel (“gummy bear”) implants
C. Development of external support bras specifically for implants
D. Switch to glass microsphere-filled implants for lighter weight
E. Use of self-inflating implants with adjustable volume
Correct Answer:
B. Introduction of highly cohesive silicone gel (“gummy bear”) implants
As someone who has specialized in breast surgery for over 40 years, I’ve had a front-row seat to the evolution of breast implants. When I first began performing augmentations in the early 1980s, the implants we used were very different from the Mentor implants available today. It has been fascinating—and gratifying—to witness the improvements in safety, quality, and patient satisfaction over time.
The very first implants in the 1960s were made with thick silicone shells and firm gel. They were revolutionary for their time, but the look and feel were far from natural. Saline implants soon followed, and while they had the advantage of being filled with sterile salt water (absorbed safely by the body if leakage occurred), they often lacked the softness patients desired and could ripple visibly.
