“Gummy Bear” is the non-medical terminology used to refer to silicone gel breast implants that are form stable. These implants are filled with a highly cohesive version of silicone gel that holds shape, even when the implant is ruptured.

Pros and Cons When Selecting Gummy Bear Implants

Unlike earlier predecessors, Gummy Bear implants do not generally pose a risk of free-floating silicone. They have a much stronger shell and are filled with a material that is designed to remain inside the shell. Despite these advances in structural safety, silicone gel implants remain soft and extremely natural feeling.

A potential downside for Gummy Bear implants is that because they are pre-filled when your surgeon places them, they will require a slightly longer scar. Saline implants come unfilled and can be placed in the body in a deflated state, requiring a smaller incision. Saline implants are generally not as soft, however, and can have more risk of unnatural rippling without adequate natural breast tissue.

Do Gummy Bear Implants Generally Cost More?

Compared to saline implants, Gummy Bear implants are generally more costly in terms of raw materials. Saline implants are filled with just that – saline. This is very inexpensive. The technology and manufacturing process required to produce Gummy Bear silicone implants is taken into consideration when thinking about the cost. As a result, you may see your surgeon price silicone breast augmentation or implant replacement slightly higher than its saline equivalent. This is generally not more than a few hundred to a few thousand dollars unless the technique involved changes the time required in surgery or otherwise.

Deciding If They Are Right For You

The first step would be doing thorough research. There are many ways to find a plastic surgeon. Arguably the best way would be to receive a referral from another physician, such as primary care, dermatologist, or OB-GYN. These providers often see multiple patients with good results and can attest to those by referring their own patients somewhere. Friends are a secondarily good referral source, especially if they are patients themselves. When it comes to advertising, the most essential consideration is the plastic surgeon’s education, board certification ONLY by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and before/after gallery. If those components match your desired outcome, then they would be a good source of information to seek in consultation. You will often come across taglines such as “no downtime surgery” or “no anesthesia required”. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. There are no shortcuts to SAFE plastic surgery.

The next step would be contacting the office of a board-certified plastic surgeon to find a time to meet them. First impressions last a lifetime, so pay attention when speaking to the receptionist upon calling. Should you decide to have surgery, this is the team you will be dealing with multiple times per month for at least a year. The administrative team is a direct reflection of the surgeon’s ways of working. Another thing to clarify would be a potential timeline for surgery. This is sometimes best done before reaching out to qualified providers because they are booked one to six months out, on average. Knowing well enough in advance will give you adequate time to interview surgeons, get any preoperative lab work done, and feel confident moving forward with your scheduled procedure.