The man who coined the term “gummy bear gel implants” spoke with PSP about his hopes for the future of breast augmentation.

W. Grant Stevens, MD, FACS, is the Medical Director of Marina Plastic Surgery Associates in Marina del Rey, Calif. In practice for 23 years, he is past chairman of the department of surgery of Marina del Rey Hospital and associate clinical professor at the University of Southern California, as well as the director of the Cosmetic Surgery Fellowship. He has performed thousands of breast augmentations.

The gummy bear implant goes by different monikers. Also known as the Mentor CPG, Sientra Colhesive Gel Implant, Inamed Style 410 Implant, and Type 5 form-stable cohesive gel implant. These implants were invented in the early 1990s and has gained a reputation for being a longer-lasting implant that maintains a predictable shape.

The gel is more cohesive or firm and more solid than other silicone gel implants. Silimed or the US Sientra is the only company to offer a round cohesive gel or gummy bear implant.

The cohesive breast implant’s unique teardrop shape anatomically mirrors the patient’s breasts, which project more at the bottom than at the top. As the implant is thinner at the top, it will more naturally blend into the upper chest.

PSP: What is your opinion of the new silicone breast implants, and how do they differ from the old type that was banned?

Stevens: The new silicone breast implants are the form-stable, highly cohesive gel breast implants. These are the state-of-the-art implants which have been available to me for now over 6 years. I’ve implanted well over a thousand of them, and I’m extremely happy with them. I have documented a lower capsular contracture rate, a lower instance of implant fold, and an improved appearance of the breasts. In addition to that, they offer the peace of mind to the surgeon and the patient in the unlikely event that the implant failed, the implant material would remain intact and well confined within the pocket.

PSP: Does the procedure for breast augmentation vary depending on the client, or is it more standardized?

Stevens: The procedure of breast augmentation is highly patient-specific. Cookie-cut surgery on breast implants results in unsightly, distorted, unattractive breasts. There are many different techniques in breast-augmentation surgery, and they are patient-specific. Each woman has their own anatomical variation and her own needs that are specific to her. The implants need to be tailored to the patient as well as the surgical technique.

PSP: What are the most common questions or concerns that patients have when they come in for an initial consultation, and how do you manage their fears?

Stevens: My patients have a number of questions when they meet with me regarding breast augmentation surgery. Clearly, they want to not only look good, but to feel good; and they are concerned about their underlying health. The most important thing that I’m concerned about is their health and safety.

Figure 1. A 49-year-old female had a mastopexy and augmentation with Mentor CPG implants