Memory Gel (Cohesive Gel) Implants

If you have decided to get breast augmentation surgery, you must next decide what type of implants to get. Implants come in two types, saline filled or silicone filled. Silicone-filled implants are often called cohesive gel, memory gel or even “gummy bear” implants.

Cohesive has been adopted as a new term to describe the newer silicone fill materials when comparing them to the more liquid fills in implants made in the 1970s. It is not a new technology; it’s just a new term that is used to describe the greater viscosity that is the preferred mode of silicone breast implant today.

Memory gel implants have been in use for nearly twenty years and over a million women all over the world have them. They feel more like natural breast tissue than other types of implant. In fact, some people refer to them as the gummy bear or Jello implant because of the consistency of the silicone gel. It is solid rather than liquid, giving a more natural texture. It is called memory gel because it will return to its shape if stretched. If there is a leak or rupture, the gel binds to itself, reducing the change that the silicone will spread beyond the implant.

There are two types of implant, smooth and textured. The smooth implants normally require a large pocket and ten percent of the time can cause capsule contracture—a tightening of the scar around the implant, which causes excessive firmness or hardness. The smooth implant can also ripple or wrinkle occasionally, giving the skin above it a wavy appearance. Textured implants are far less likely to cause capsule contracture at only three percent of the time, but far more likely to cause rippling (up to nine percent of the time).

Implant size is typically a personal decision for the patient to make. Cup size is an inexact estimate of the final size, since cup sizes vary by manufacturer and fit. Describing the cup size does aid the surgeon, however, although it helps to use photos to show the plastic surgeon the desired look.

The most accurate method of estimating implant size in ounces is to fill a plastic bag with measured amounts of water, place it in a bra with the patient’s estimated cup size, and cover it with a sweater.

To learn more about your breast implant options, consult with a plastic surgeon in your area.