Smooth Breast Implants

There has been a resurgence recently in the use of smooth breast implants for breast enlargement.

Breast implants were invented in 1961 and the first manifestation of them had a smooth shell.

This was not adherent when placed inside the breast and had a tendency to move and for visible rippling.

In 1968 polyurethane foam implants were introduced which consisted of a silicone implant surrounded by a three-dimensional foam.

The scar tissue would grow into the foam rather than forming a smooth shell around the implant and so when it contracted, it was broken up by the foam and it did not compress the implant and make it feel hard.

In the 1990s there was controversy about polyurethane implants and they were withdrawn from the market for a period of time.

It was recognised that the roughness of the foam was beneficial in the development of capsular contracture and so the shell of smooth implants was roughened in a process known as ‘texturing‘ to roughen the surface and mimic polyurethane foam.

In the UK, textured silicone implants have been the mainstay for breast enlargement with only a minority of cases performed with smooth silicone implants.

Until now…

ALCL is a cancer of the capsule around breast implants and has been associated with the texturing of the implant.

For a long time there were no cases of ALCL in patients with smooth breast implants.

There are some now, but it is a lot less likely to occur in patients with smooth breast implants compared to those with textured or polyurethane foam implants.

For this reason, many surgeons are moving towards smooth breast implants rather than textured breast implants.

Time will tell whether we start to see more problems with rippling or capsular contracture.

Here at the STAIANO Clinic, we are not tied to any make or manufacturer of breast implants.

We will talk to you about the pros and cons of smooth implants, textured implants and polyurethane foam implants so that you can make the best decision for you.

There are risks of using smooth implants which is why they were modified in the early days of implant development.

However there is now the benefit of the low risk of ALCL which needs to be balanced against these risks.

If you have any questions about breast implants you can download my guide with Frequently Asked Questions here or join me on Facebook LIVE at 7pm every Tuesday evening when I hold a Q&A every week.

I am holding a breast implant event from 5-7pm on Wednesday January 29th 2020 if you have any questions about breast implants and want to learn about the pros and cons of the different types of implants as well as alternatives to having breast implants at all.

Feel free to come along and please bring a friend. There is no need to book but if you book in advance, you can have a free sizing session with our clinic nurse Vicki.

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If you have any questions you can contact us on 0121-454 3680 or email us at [email protected]

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