Breast implants are solutions to women who suffer from lower inferiority complex because of their under developed breasts. Breast implant is nothing but a medical device that is implanted under the chest muscle or breast tissue to reconstruct or augment the breast. There are mainly two types of breast implants – silicone gel-filled and the saline filled implants. These are inserted during the surgery and these allow adjustments of filler volume post surgery. Breast implants vary a lot according to size, profile and shell surface.
Approved breast implant methods
There are some methods that are approved and are medically safe. One is the method that was approved in May 2000 when Inamed or Mentor and Allergan as it is known today received the sanction of saline-filled implants. This kind of breast implant was approved for breast enlargement in women of 18 years or more as well as breast reconstruction in women belonging to any age category.
Again in November, 2006, Allergan and Mentor got the sanction of silicone gel-based breast implant. This method is perfect for women of 22 years or more as well as breast reconstruction in women of every age group.
Different types of breast implants
Three types of silicone devices are mostly used – silicone implants with a gelatinous silicone gel, saline implants filled with sterile saline solution and the alternative composition implants filled with fillers like polypropylene string and soy oil. Let us first go through the various types one by one.
Silicone gel implants – American plastic surgeons Frank Gerow, Thomas Cronin and the Dow Corning Corporation developed the first ever silicone breast prosthesis in 1961 and the first breast augmentation was done in 1962. Silicone gel filled breast implants are vividly described in five device generations.
First generation: The first model of the 1960s by the Cronin-Gerow Implant was a tear drop-shaped envelope filled with gelatinous silicone gel. This was beneficial to reduce the revolving process of the implant device against the wall of the chest.
Second generation: Manufacturers after the request in the 1970s by plastic surgeons for a more real-like breast implants, created a device with thinner silicone-gel filler and shells. But this version had the risk of leakage and shell rupture. There was another technological development in the 1970s and that was the polyurethane foam coating on the shell of the implant. This reduced the chances of capsular contracture. But this product also received a jolt after its usage was discontinued as they posed health risk because of the presence of 2, 4-toluenediamine (TDA). Again, the second generation introduced the device with silicone implant in a saline implant. But this design also failed because of its complexity.
Third and Fourth generations: The third and fourth generation devices came into form in the middle of 1980s and included elastomer-coated shells that had a thicker filler and reduced leakage of the filler.
Fifth generation: In the middle of 1990s, the fifth generation breast implant came into being that included semi-solid gel that abolished leakage of filler. Researches have proved safety and greater efficiency.
Saline implants
Saline implants are those breast implants that are filled with salt water or saline solution with biological concentration. This was first created in France by the Laboratoires Arion Company, but came into use in 1964. Latest saline-based breast implant models have room-temperature vulcanized (RTV) shells, are thick and made of silicone elastomer. Saline-based implants require smaller incision.
Another method is the Tissue Transfer Surgery that includes the usage of skin, tissue and muscle from other parts of the body to shape a new breast.