Silicone Gel Implants Still Banned

There's an article dated January 9, 2004 at washingtonpost.com that may be of interest "Silicone Gel Implants Still Banned - FDA Questions Long-Term Safety" by Marc Kaufman. "Silicone gel breast implants will not be allowed back on the market for general use because they have not been proved safe over the long term, the federal government said yesterday." - Suzanne

I understand that gel implants give a more natural appearance vs. saline. Is this true?

Is it true that to whole band of gel implants was biased on a few extreme cases that went bad?

In regards to the natural appearance of different implant prosthetics I found an article that discusses it at MSNBC: Seeking Better Breast Implants "Some people are concerned about the safety of silicone gel and many people are disappointed about the performance of saline implants, notably that they are associated with more ripples, have a more liquid feel and don’t look as natural as the silicone implants,” says Dr. Grant Stevens, medical director of Marina Plastic Surgery Associates, with locations in Marina Del Rey and Palos Verdes, Calif.

I was unable to confirm the validity of your statement in regards to the ban on silicone implants being banned based on a few cases.
A January 8, 2004 article posted on CNN.com states that “Instead of approving a return to the market, the FDA on Thursday issued new guidelines for Inamed Corp. and other breast implant manufacturers about assessing the safety and effectiveness of the products before they are available to the public.”

You can conduct further research at the FDA website . Can anyone else provide some insight to these questions? Thanks!

Suzanne

Thanks for the information. When I tried to use the FDA link it had a double http: in the link. After I removed the extra http:// it worked.

Let me read to articles you suggested and I will repost if I have additional questions.

Thanks

Sorry about the link... thanks for letting me know I fixed it!

i heard that the gel gave less of a ripple appearance, but i am not certain.

"Because the implant is a foreign object, the body will typically form scar tissue around it. The tightening and squeezing of this scar tissue is called capsular contracture. This contracture may result in hardening of the breast tissue, rippling of the skin, and changes in breast shape. It also may cause pain, which, if severe, can require surgery to remove the scar tissue or replace the implant itself."
Source: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/400_implant.html

So silicone gel implant are being used again, which one, or manufacture is the best?

My doctor said the manufacturer's of the MemoryGel Implants are and have been approved by the FDA since 2006.  They do feel much more natural than the saline.  The saline will always deflate over time and give a rippled appearance.  The risk of capsular contraction (sp?) is reduced dramatically if the implant is placed behind the muscle.

Another company that makes several types of implants is Mentor. You can also check out there website for information.