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Silicone gel implants

FDA Approved Mentor® Cohesive Silicone Gel Breast Implant

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You may have read Dr. Elliott’s previous blogs about Sientra and Allergan’s FDA approval of cohesive silicone gel filled breast implants over the past year. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a third highly cohesive silicone gel filled breast implant manufactured by Johnson & Johnson unit, Mentor Worldwide LLC.Franklyn Elliott MD discusses types of implants

As with the other FDA approvals of cohesive silicone gel implants, these Mentor® implants underwent rigorous testing and review.  The FDA collected six years of data from 955 women to ensure safety and effectiveness of the MemoryShape Breast Implant.

Some believe that these silicone gel implants may provide firmer, more natural-looking results compared to other implants. Similar to other implants, they come in different sizes and textures to fit your unique body shape. During breast augmentation consultations, Dr. Elliott discusses different breast implant options to determine which will best benefit the patient’s aesthetic goals and desires. Patients with cohesive gel-filled implants have the advantage of better maintaining their shape after trauma or rupture.

As with all cosmetic or reconstructive surgeries, Dr. Elliott encourages his patients to thoroughly research and discuss their surgical options with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

For more information about breast augmentation surgery or other procedures Dr. Elliott offers, please contact us to schedule a consultation. Connect with Dr. Elliott on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic and reconstructive news.

FDA Approved Allergan’s New Silicone Gel-Filled Breast Implant

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You may have seen Dr. Elliott’s previous blog about Sientra’s FDA approved silicone gel-filled breast implant. Now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved another highly cohesive silicone gel-filled implant manufactured by Allergan, Inc.

The Natrelle® 410 breast implants are approved for women over the age of 22 who would like to increase their breast size or seek to rebuild their breasts after trauma or illness with  breast reconstruction.  Over a seven year period, extensive research and data was collected from 941 women to ensure safety.Breast implants atlanta alpharetta ga

These silicone gel implants may provide a firmer, natural-looking result than previous silicone breast implants. As with any surgical procedure, Dr. Elliott thoroughly discusses realistic expectations and concerns patients may have. Allergan will also conduct post-approval studies to assess long-term safety and effectiveness.

Similar to the more commonly known silicone and saline breast implants, cohesive gel-filled implants can be placed under or above the chest muscle. These implants also come in different sizes and textures. The advantage of cohesive gel implants is their ability to better maintain their shape after trauma or rupture.  With more options now available for breast augmentation, Dr. Elliott encourages all of his patients to conduct their research and discuss with a board-certified plastic surgeon their breast augmentation and breast reconstruction with implant options.

For more information about breast procedures or other procedures Dr. Elliott offers, please call us to schedule a consultation. Connect with Dr. Franklyn Elliott on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for the latest plastic and reconstructive news.

Common Breast Augmentation Misconceptions

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dr franklyn elliottBreast enlargement surgery can help women who are dissatisfied with their breast size, whose breasts have lost volume after weight loss or pregnancy, or who suffer from breast asymmetry. While there are rare chances of complications with any surgery, there are many breast augmentation myths floating around the internet and outside of plastic surgery offices. Below are a few that I would like to clear up.

Myth 1: You cannot breastfeed with implants. While it’s true that breast implants can cause issues with breastfeeding, this situation is rare. The placement of the breast implant and the type of incision used  can have an impact on a woman’s ability to breastfeed after pregnancy; however, most women are able to breastfeed normally and naturally even with breast implants.

An incision along the crease of the breast as opposed to a nipple (areola) breast incision is more likely to allow a woman to breastfeed after pregnancy. Likewise, if the implant is placed under the pectoral (chest) muscle, the tissue involved with breastfeeding is less likely to be impeded by the implant. Make sure to discuss your family plans with your board certified plastic surgeon before surgery to help determine which type of breast augmentation surgery is best for you.

Myth 2: Silicone gel filled implants are dangerous. The FDA removed silicone implants from the market in 1992 because of a lack of information on long-term safety. However, after fourteen years of clinical studies, silicone implants were declared safe. In 2006, after much testing and review, silicone gel implants were approved for breast augmentation surgery by the FDA again.

Regardless of the type of implant you receive, it’s important to follow up with your breast surgeon regularly and undergo annual mammograms with technicians who have experience screening women with breast implants.

Myth 3: Everyone can tell when a woman’s had breast enhancement surgery. Breast sizes vary naturally. Even smaller framed women with a lower body-fat percentage can have large breasts without augmentation surgery. Some women pursue breast augmentation surgery looking for larger results, while others are more interested in a slight size enhancement. Breast implant sizing is an individual choice discussed between each patient and their surgeon.

When determining an appropriate breast implant size, I take into consideration the patient’s body type including her height, current breast size, the width of the shoulders, her weight, body shape, as well as desired breast shape and size. Most women want their breast augmentation results to look natural, though, with subtle enhancement that doesn’t give away that they’ve had surgery.

There are many more misconceptions about breast augmentation surgery and breast implants. Make sure to discuss all of your breast surgery questions or concerns with a board-certified plastic surgeon. For more information or to schedule your consultation, contact our office. You can stay up to date on the latest Atlanta plastic surgery news by connecting with me on Facebook and Twitter.

*Diagrams from ASPS