There was a time when women seeking to undergo breast augmentation surgery had to worry about the safety of the materials being used by their plastic surgeon. These days, however, the development of high-tech modern materials coupled with strict regulations by the FDA has made this popular procedure as safe and long-lasting as ever.
There are now two basic methods of increasing breast size surgically -- and safely. One involves the implantation of saline bags in the breasts that are filled with a sterile saltwater solution. The issue with this method, however, is that if the bag containing the saline solution ruptures, then even though the body safely reabsorbs the solution, the shape of the breast will change as the solution leaks into the breast cavity. This requires surgery to restore the breast to the desired shape or, at the very least, to remove the empty bag. In addition, many women complain that the feel of the saline bags don't feel very natural, but rather, like balloons implanted under the skin.
A much better alternative for women seeking breast augmentation are silicone gel inserts, which — unlike previous silicone inserts — were approved as safe by the FDA in 2006.
"The gel implants we use now are still silicone, but it's a different type of silicone,” says Dr. Luis Viñas who specializes in breast augmentation surgery. "It's more like a memory gel, and you'll hear these implants referred to as 'gummy bear' implants."
Dr. Viñas says that he uses gel implants 99 percent of the time in his practice because of their multiple benefits. Paramount among these benefits is the way gel implants feel. "Our MENTOR Gel Implants feel very similar to actual breast tissue, and my patients love this natural feel."
Gel implants are also a superior choice because of their durability. Unlike saline implants, if the silicone wrap that surrounds the gel should rupture, the gel will simply stay in place. In fact, there's a good chance that women who have these implants might never even notice a rupture, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Finally, Dr. Viñas said that gel implants are his material of choice when doing breast augmentations because of how natural they look.
"The shape of the implant is amazing," he said. "Gel implants deliver the same round look of natural breasts. And, when a woman lays down, the gel implant also moves like a natural breast does."
As the Chief of Plastic Surgery at the Good Samaritan Medical Center and with more than 30 years experience, Dr. Viñas has extensive experience in breast augmentation and many other forms of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.
He says that the first step with all of his patients is to talk and understand why they want the surgery, whether it be to make the body look more proportional, to turn back the hands of time or to restore volume lost through weight loss, trauma or disease.
Once that's understood, Dr. Viñas carefully explains options with all of his patients ensuring that they're comfortable with their choices and the entire procedure.
Using state-of-the-art equipment at his private office in Palm Beach — including an exclusive anesthetic pump to help with a comfortable recovery — Dr. Viñas takes great care to ensure that every surgery is a success.
He invites you to visit his website at lavinasmd.com to learn more about breast augmentation procedures and other aspects of the expert plastic surgery he offers. Or, you can fill out the form below to have personalized information sent directly to you from his office.
