Are Beverly Hills Silicone Breast Implants Safe?

March 21st, 2010 | Posted in: Breast Implants |

Are Beverly Hills Silicone Breast Implants Safe?

Since the scare over silicone breast implants in the 1990s, many women have been asking their surgeons in Beverly Hills: “Silicone breast implants – are they safe?” It is important to note, when answering this question, that not all Beverly Hills silicone breast implants are the same. Silicone implants were first developed by Texas plastic surgeons in 1961. Since then, these implants have gone through five “generations,” each representing a new type of manufacture. The implants from each generations are significantly different. The first generation of implants were made from a thick silicone rubber sac filled with a thick silicone gel. Since these did not feel very natural, the second generation of silicone breast implants (Beverly Hills was a very popular location for these types of implants) used thinner sacs and thinner gels, creating a more natural feel. These second-generation silicone implants were associated with complications such as leaking implants and capsular contracture. Due to a polyurethane foam coating, these silicone implants were alleged to increase cancer risks, but an FDA investigation disproved this and found that the implants did not increase risks.

In the third, fourth, and fifth generation of silicone implants, manufacturers used thin but sturdier sacs to prevent leaking and thicker silicone substances to improve the feel of the implants while decreasing the risk of complications. These implants are considered much safer than earlier versions and less likely to cause any complications. In fact, a very thorough study conducted in 1997 by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science (IOM) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that silicone breast implants posed no significant risks. Many other studies also concluded that there is no link between disease and silicone breast implants. The FDA has approved silicone gel-filled implants as safe for patient use.