In June 2015, Allergan introduced the INSPIRA silicone gel breast implant to the U.S. This implant design, which has been used safely in Europe for many years, is now U.S. FDA approved. The Natrelle Inspira Silicone implant offers both surgeon and patient an ideal option to further enhance upper breast fullness.
Historically, I prefer the Mentor MemoryGel Implants versus the traditional Allergan Natrelle silicone implants, because, to me, I felt that I was delivering better results. I first trained with Allergan implants during my general plastic surgery fellowship at UCLA. Then during my cosmetic surgery fellowship in Scottsdale, the implant of choice was Mentor. I had struck gold. I used Mentor Implants exclusively from 2010 through mid-2015.
It turns out that my preference was not without reason. In South Texas, not unlike Scottsdale, most of my breast augmentation patients tend to prefer a fuller and more enhanced upper breast profile. For patients seeking a truly “fake” and “bolted-on” breast appearance, I couldn’t even use silicone implants. The only option was to use overfilled saline implants at an 115% overfill to achieve the patient’s desired look.
The downside to overfilling the saline implants is they sometimes feel too firm. However, patients love the look.
With regards to silicone implants, they are prefilled, and it turns out that the traditional Allergan Natrelle implants are only about 86-87% filled with silicone gel, whereas the Mentor MemoryGel implants were 91-92% filled. Hence, the enhanced upper breast fullness and “nicer look” that all my patients (and I) liked better with the Mentor implants.
In 2015, I struck gold again, but this time with diamonds. The Allergan INSPIRA implants were now available on the market giving patients and me an additional option. The INSPIRA silicone gel implant is an “over-filled” or “fully-filled” silicone implant – 96-97%. Now, a moderate-plus profile INSPIRA implant can give my patients, who need a moderate-plus profile implant, the high-profile look they desire from Mentor. The advantages of silicone implants include a decrease in the risk of capsular contracture, an enhanced warranty, a more natural feel, and less palpable rippling. And now patients can avoid the risk of their breast feeling too hard from an overfilled saline implant.
Ultimately, patients must understand that breast implants are medical devices, and they do not want buy into the hype. Just like a cardiac surgery patient has very little insight into whether a mechanical or tissue valve is best for their heart surgery, they depend on their heart surgeon to make the best choice. So goes cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgeons now have a tremendous choice of medical devices (implant types, styles, and shapes) to help you achieve your breast augmentation goals!
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