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Gummy bear implants take their name from the candy because the implant’s filling reacts exactly the way you’d expect. The gel is made of cross-linked silicone. Press on it and it pushes back. It doesn’t flow or spill. Cut one open and it doesn’t leak. It retains its shape.
Standard silicone gel doesn’t behave that way. It moves when pressure is applied and migrates when the shell around it gives out. That material difference is what determines how your result holds up over time.
“Every gummy bear conversation I have starts with the gel,” says Dr. David Shokrian, the talented lead plastic surgeon at New York Breast Surgery Center. “Not the size, not the profile. The gel. That material is what makes the long-term result different from anything you get with a standard silicone implant.”
Dr. Shokrian and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Mohamed Soliman Ahmed Elfar at the premier breast procedure clinic in New York work with gummy bear breast implants every day. As a result, they often recommend them to women who want a result that holds its structure long after surgery.
Traditional silicone feels softer, but when its shell gives out, the gel moves into your surrounding tissue. Saline-filled implants fail even more dramatically. Your breast deflates as your body absorbs the liquid, and the change is obvious within days.
A gummy bear implant’s gel stays put even if the shell breaks. It holds its position, so a rupture doesn’t produce the surface change you’d see with either of the other two. The outer shell is also thicker, which is a direct reason why these implants maintain their shape over a longer period of time.
“You feel the firmness difference, compared to traditional silicone,” says Dr. Shokrian. “Firm breast tissue feels the same way. Give it a few months and you stop noticing it. The gel is pre-shaped, so I have to make a slightly longer incision to put in place, but I can place the incision so your scar heals with minimal visibility.”
Silicone implants gummy bear style and saline-filled implants are built and behave differently. Since saline implants go in empty, your plastic surgeon uses a smaller incision and adjusts the volume once the shell is inside. Gummy bear implants arrive pre-filled and pre-shaped, so they need a longer incision.
If you have thin breast tissue, there isn’t much between the implant and the surface of your skin. With saline, that can lead to visible rippling. You see the wrinkling through your skin, which of course doesn’t look like natural tissue. Gummy bear implants don’t produce that same problem because the gel stays fixed inside the shell.
“Saline failure is obvious when it happens,” says Dr. Shokrian. “Your breast deflates and the difference is visible within days. If a gummy bear shell breaks, nothing on the surface changes. Your breast looks the same as it did the day before. The FDA has a name for this: a silent rupture. Monitoring your implants and using imaging catch this kind of rupture.”
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, silicone implants account for the majority of breast augmentation procedures performed in the United States each year. Highly cohesive options like gummy bear breast implants represent the fastest-growing segment of that category for good reason: they work and they last.
The teardrop is fuller at the bottom and tapers toward the top. It sits the way your own breast tissue does. When your surgeon places it with the right pocket fit, there’s no visible line where the implant ends and your tissue begins.
Round implants, by contrast, make the enhancement visible from the front and the side. Your upper breast fills out, your cleavage is more pronounced, and the result doesn’t try to look subtle. Before talking about implant shape, your plastic surgeon first examines your anatomy, which can narrow your augmentation options. These anatomical factors include:
“In a consultation for breast augmentation, we always discuss implant shape,” says Dr. Shokrian. “If the shape is wrong for your anatomy, it doesn’t matter how well I place the implant or how precise the sizing is. You won’t be happy with what you see.”
If you’re dealing with unevenness between your breasts, breast asymmetry correction works alongside implant placement to make sure your result is balanced from every angle. Your body sets the parameters. Your preferences matter within those parameters, but they don’t override what your anatomy dictates.
Gummy bear implant sizes are measured in cubic centimeters and come in a wide size range to better match your body and your goals. An implant’s profile determines projection: how far the implant pushes forward from your chest wall. The profile must match your body’s dimensions for natural-looking results. Two women with the exact same implant size in cubic centimeters may have completely different results, just due to the implant profile, which involve:
“Your chest wall measurements determine which profile fits your anatomy,” explains Dr. Shokrian. “Getting this wrong has visible consequences. If I put a high-profile implant on a wide chest, it clusters in the center, leaving the outer breast flat. On a narrow chest, a moderate profile extends past where your breast tissue ends. The result doesn’t look natural from any angle. Both of these outcomes are entirely preventable because I take your measurements into account from the start.”
At New York Breast Surgery Center, your surgeon reviews your procedure in full before your surgery date. He discusses your implant choice, the incision locations and your expected result so you understand the plan. Nothing happens in the operating suite that you haven’t already agreed upon.
After surgery, your implants sit higher on your chest than they’ll end up. Swelling holds them high. Give yourself a few weeks of healing time. Once they settle, the implants drop into the pocket and your shape settles. The gel holds its form throughout the whole process, so after the welling subsides, you get a predictable result of what you’ll have long-term.
Gummy bear implants cost more than saline-filled or standard silicone-filled implants. The special gel in gummy bear implants costs more to produce than standard silicone. It carries stricter controls, more steps and higher material cost. But women who’ve chosen these implants have reported favorable results.
Breast augmentation with gummy bear breast implants at New York Breast Surgery Center is most often a cash-only procedure, since insurance considers it a cosmetic procedure. Your total procedure cost at New York Breast Surgery Center may reach as high as $25,000 or more. Your total procedure cost includes:
Capsular contracture is a complication from any type of breast implant. Your body wraps every implant in scar tissue. When that scar tissue tightens and hardens, it changes the shape and feel of your breast. Capsular contracture treatment at New York Breast Surgery Center corrects this when needed.
Furthermore, implants don’t last forever. When yours needs to come out or be replaced, your plastic surgeon handles your breast implant removal surgery, often using the same incision sites as your original surgery. He can replace your implants in the same procedure, so it doesn’t compromise your results.
And then there’s a silent rupture. “This is the one complication tied specifically to cohesive silicone gel,” says Dr. Shokrian. “It’s different from any other implant failure. Because the gel holds its form even when the shell fails, medical imaging is the only way to detect it. We set up a regular monitoring protocol for you once you get your implants, so you’re well-protected.”
In 2019, the FDA recalled specific textured implants after connecting them to a rare lymphoma called BIA-ALCL. The link was to the textured surface, not to the silicone filling. Your gummy bear implant has a smooth shell. Also, breast implant illness (BII) is a rare occurrence that your surgeon discusses during your consultation.
Gummy bear implants aren’t for fit for every woman. Your surgeon determines if you’re a good candidate at your consultation, not before. Your health needs to be stable. Your breast development needs to be complete. You must meet other criteria.
If you have a narrow chest with a goal of more projection, you may be an ideal candidate for high-profile gummy bear breast implants. You must have enough skin elasticity to accept the implants. A breast lift with implants covers both goals in one surgery. But pregnancy, active smoking and uncontrolled health conditions may disqualify you for the procedure.
Have questions about gummy bear breast implants? Find answers to some of the most common questions below.
Gummy bear implants carry full FDA approval for breast augmentation. Dr. Shokrian and Dr. Elfar work exclusively with FDA-approved implants, so every option they present at your consultation meets that standard, without exception.
Yes, breastfeeding after getting gummy bear breast implants is possible. The implant sits behind your breast tissue, leaving your milk ducts completely intact.
Gummy bear implants vary in weight, based on size, but a 300 cc implant weighs about 300 grams, which equals roughly 0.66 pounds. Larger sizes, weigh more accordingly, which directly impacts how your breasts feel and where they sit on your chest.
The surgery runs between one and two hours, depending on your specific procedure plan. You go home the same day from New York Breast Surgery Center’s accredited surgical suite.
Yes. If your goals change, your implants can change with them. Breast implant removal surgery handles the removal. If you want a different approach to volume, consider fat transfer breast augmentation.
Both breast implants use silicone gel, but they work differently. Gummy bear breast implants hold a fixed, structured shape through highly cohesive gel. Motiva breast implants use progressive gel technology with an ultra-thin shell that moves naturally with your body.
Under-the-muscle placement takes longer because your chest muscle has to adjust, along with your healing tissues. Over-the-muscle recovery takes less time. Ask the plastic surgeon at your consultation which method he recommends and how it affects your healing timeline.
You must wear a surgical bra for four to six weeks after your gummy bear implant surgery. The garment supports healing and keeps your implants properly positioned during your recovery.
Dr. Shokrian and Dr. Elfar plan every gummy bear breast implant procedure to accommodate your anatomy and your goals. Your measurements drive your implant selection. What your chest wall allows decides the placement.
Gummy bear breast implants reward precision, and at New York Breast Surgery Center, that precision runs through every step of your care, from the consultation to the follow-up and monitoring. Schedule your gummy bear breast implants consultation in Midtown Manhattan or Great Neck, Long Island today.
Facility Safety Note: All surgical procedures are performed at our JCAHO-accredited flagship surgical center in Bryant Park, Manhattan (HCO ID: 676295). Consultations, minimally invasive procedures and pre/post-operative care are available at our Bronx and Great Neck locations.
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