5 Innovations in Breast Implant Technology

The new generation of breast implants are designed to be safer, more comfortable and more natural looking than ever before.

Here we profile the newest implants to hit the market (or about to) and look at what benefits they can offer…

1. B-Lite Implants

The B-Lite is a super-lightweight implant made from tiny hollow microparticles. It’s 30% lighter than traditional silicon implants and is considered quite an innovation, since implants have stayed the same weight for many years.

Due to the weight of silicon implants, over time skin can stretch and sag, especially with larger implants. This means patients must sometimes undergo secondary surgery.

A year-long study has now been launched by researchers at Portsmouth University in the UK to see if the B-Light implant could reduced the need for repeat surgery by placing reduced stress on the breast tissue.

2. Natrelle Inspira Cohesive Implants

The Natrelle Inspira Cohesive is a so-called ‘gummy bear’ implant made from a silicone-based cohesive gel with a texture similar to that of a gummy bear jelly sweet.

Allergan, the company behind the Natrelle Inspira, has been making cohesive gel implants for around five years, but this new model contains a higher density of gel.

The size of the implants remain the same but they now contain more gel, which means the implants are firmer, fuller, and more taut.

The firmer texture makes the implant less likely to move around inside the breast pocket and prevents rippling. It also provides a firm, full, higher profile look, which is ideal for younger patients. The Natrelle Inspira has recently been approved for use by the FDA in the US.

3. Ideal Implants

The Ideal Implant is a new type of saline implant made from a series of internal shells nested together. The design creates two separate chambers, which hold the saline filler and control its movement.

This is designed to reduce folding and wrinkling, which is thought to be the main cause of implant rupture and deflation. On the outside, the edges have been lowered for better contouring to the chest wall and a more natural look.

Although there has been a move towards silicone-based breast implants, the Ideal Implant promotes the fact that it is made of saline, which can be harmlessly absorbed into the body, making it an entirely safe option. It is currently only available in the States.

4. Mentor MemoryGel Large Volume Implants

Mentor has been creating cohesive gel silicone implants since 2006.

Made from its patented MemoryGel, the implants are said to provide a ‘natural give’ that better resembles breast tissue.

In the last 18 months Mentor has made the implants available in four different projection options ranging from ‘Moderate’ to ‘Ultra High Profile’. Now the company is trialling the implants in extra large sizes.

Currently the largest volume implant available in the US is 800cc, but Mentor says this is not always large enough for women with larger chest widths or a higher BMI. Equally, if a larger breasted woman has had a mastectomy and wishes to have a reconstruction the current largest implants may not be adequate.

Mentor has launched a clinical trial with 600 patients to demonstrate the safety of MemoryGel implants up to 1445cc in volume.

5. Motiva Q Inside Implants

The Motiva Q Inside range of silicone implants by Establishment Labs aims to improve safety and reassure patients of implant quality with their integral RFID (radio frequency identification) microchip.

The microchip - the world’s first FDA cleared micro-transponder for use in humans - contains information about the implant such as its manufacturer and serial number. This information can then be easily obtained by any doctor with a handheld scanning device, even many years after they were implanted.

The serial number corresponds with a secure, online database and enables patients to be quickly identified in the event of a safety issue or device recall.

Unlike product and warranty cards that are typically provided to a patient undergoing breast augmentation or reconstruction, the RFID microchip can never be lost or misplaced.

If you would like to find out more about the different types of breast implants available at Ocean Clinic Marbella and discuss which would be best for you, make an appointment for no-obligation consultation.