All About Gummies

Sweetie -- thanks for asking!  I love the Gummy!  I do agree that it seems well suited for a uni -- especially one like me, who had a reduction on her healthy breast (and not an augmentation).  I have seen some very good symmetry achieved with standard silicone rounds on BC side and saline augmentation on healthy side (there is a kind of saline that can be adjusted in size AFTER implantation... this makes for an especially optimum sort of fine tuning.  Such adustable saline implants may only be available for augmentation, by the way, as I have not heard of women using them on their BC side.

But for ME the gummy is terrific.  I love the way it feels, even though as people have said it is firm.  It still has a lot of give and in fact feels rather similar to my remaining breast.  I've always had firm breasts (though large) so that is probably why.  The shape of the gummy is almost identical to my healthy breast... there is slightly more on the upper pole but it's really more what I can feel than what I can see.  If I had had a regular round implant there would be a LOT more on the upper pole and probably would have been visibly different.

I find the top is full enough!  But if you want to have large mounds on top, more roundness there, then you may want to consider the round silicone implant.  What I like about the gummy though is it's shape, which is entirely natural, there is enough fullness on top but it is plumper near the bottom for sure (as a normal breast is).

So far I have no rippling and divots either... which may or may not be due to the gummy and it's adhesive surface.  My gummy is the Allergan 410, btw -- there is also a cohesive gel implant made by Mentor that comes round or teardop, I believe, and is less firm than the Allergan but firmer than the standard silicone.  Ask your PS about it.

So I say thumbs up for me   I would not mind at all having two of these, either.  The ONE thing I will say that may deter you is that they don't move -- and don't jiggle -- at least not so far.  Maybe with time the gummy will jiggle but right now it stays right where it is.

Lilah-thanks for sharing and CONGRATS!!! I am so happy you are pleased with your results. That's all the matters is that you feel good and whole again. They do sound perfect for a uni and I am leaning towards them because they seem the safest ones out there. I just want to verify with my PS about the fullness near the top. I know the gummi comes in different shapes too so maybe some of them are fuller and wider. I was only a 36-B before, but I'd like to be at least that and fuller and perkier, but not to obvious, you know like the "fake" Hollywood look. I know my Dr. does the Allergen's because that is what my TE is, not sure if he does mentor's too. When you say you are full enough at the top, do you still get cleavage? I was very full on the bottom before and my top started looking muscular because of working out so I'm really worried about the flat look near the top. That's my main concern but if there is a variety of sizes to address this it could be aright.

M-Star-very interested in what you decide. Please share what your PS says, pros and cons. You had a bilateral correct? What makes you lean either way?

sweetie~ yes i had bilaterals. I can see the pro's of the gummy,but i love the upper pole fullness of my TE.But to get that,i would need to have a round implant.Would look quite fake on me i think with being bony chested.Too much step-off.

Also,i do tae kwondo and its quite vigourous.I hear that implant can sonetimes rotate in the pocket~especially with hard sports etc. If i had round ones,rotation wouldn't be noticable,but with a teardrop shape,it would be very obvious and would then require more surgery to correct it.

I think the gummy appears safer due to its rigidity.......but then some women says its a bit TOO firm.

There are so many pro's and con's for each.Do i sacrifice upper pole fullness for a more natural shape?? Do i play it safe and get rounds cus of my sport (i compete nationally)??Urgh! my heads in a spin! lol

My PS will do rounds if i really want them,but i dont know.You get better projection with a gummy too!something that i feel is important to me. A round would get squished down a bit more by the skin and pec as it shrinks back,but cus a gummy is alot firmer,this would hold up better against pressure fron the skin shrinking.

My understanding is that they do eventually sag.  They are also not warrantied to last more than 10 years (though they do often last longer)... so it's likely an exchange (or two if you are young) is likely.  This is regardless of the type of implant.

Yeah I want to add: my understanding is that non-gummies definitely do sag over time (but more than two years time) while gummies because they adhere to the skin and don't move, have less of a chance to sag.  It probably depends on each individual.  That said, I think they MIGHT sag Farah so hang in there   Glad to hear that they haven't rotated!  That's the whole idea of the textured anatomicals.

 Farrah- so your's are also gummies? I was interested in getting gummies with more upper pole fullness. I heard that breast implants for reconstruction don't give that same droop under the breast, especially with gummies. On a natural breast it is actually called the inframamory fold and I'm not sure implants can really duplicate that. You look great in you pic, very natural.  It's good that you can do weight training and not worry about changing the shape of the implants. I want to get  into that too but like M-star and also want to wait until  I'm completely healed.

Liliah-only 10 years! at that rate we could end up with like 3-4 more surgeries. Can you imagine getting your implants exchanged out in your 70's or  80's!

m-star,

I started weight training about 6 weeks post exchange. I was working with the same personal trainer I had from pre-mx and he always liked to hit the chest press exercises. I hated the feeling of my implants flattening when I contracted the pec muscle and I kept telling him "you can't sculpt my chest anymore...it's already been sculpted!!" I've now given up pec exercises altogether, I just don't see the point! But I do try to do shoulder exercises where the pecs work, like chin ups (assisted), triceps dips and even push ups. My boobs distort and look completely ugly when I contract my pecs heavily so I always wear a padded sports bra to disguise it. Otherwise I don't have any issues at all.

sweetie, thanks for your nice comment. Also, I know what you mean about getting implants replaced in our 70's. I've thought about that too! I think about the possibility of creeping out some poor young nurse but then again... if I reach my 70's and that's my biggest concern then I'll be doing okay!

Farrah~ wow! i always HATED push ups anyway! i have weak core muscles so push ups hurt my lower back. Good excuse not to have to do them now! ha ha! I have to agree,if i do ANYTHING that contracts my pec muscles,it makes me feel yukky! Eeuww! Its the grossest feeling ever! Kinda turns my stomach. So anything that involves doing that,im gonna avoid. I love doing my TKD but i hate exercising,if that makes sense? We sometime do a circuit during training,and doing dips tp work your triceps is my idea of hell.I hate gyms too. Bring on the bingo-wings!

 I have already decided to quit fighting as a)its bit dodgy with having implants in and b)i would hate to mess up all my surgeons good work. I asked my PS (again) about possible rotation and she said,yes,it can and has happened,and if it does,they will swap them out for rounds as that wont matter if they rotate. She just said not to do any sport or exercises for a good few weeks after exchange to give the implants chance to "stick" to my insides.

Goldieknox~glad to hear your happy with your mentors.Its nice to get posistive feedback on implants that aren't as commonly used. I hope i'm as happy with my "gummys" when i get them!

Hi Sweetie - Originally, my reconstruction was done with the Natrelle 150 anatomical permanent expanders. At the time I went along with this choice because just having the one surgery seemed like a GREAT idea, but I quickly discovered that I hated them. They were very uncomfortable. Maybe that was just because of capsular contraction but I don't think so, and I'm a stomach sleeper and those bad boys were never going to allow that to happen. Also the injection ports that sat on my rib cage on either side was very aggravating and obvious to the eye. Once it was clear that I was going to need a capsulectomy, my PS told me I had the option of sticking with what I had or switching out, but he didn't suggest anything at the time and said we could discuss it at the next appointment.

At first I think it was the safety issue that had me leaning to the gummies, but really I couldn't find anything negative about them except some people found them too firm (which is just fine with me) and the problem with rotation (which if this pocket doesn't tighten up might be something I'll have to deal with if I don't get revision done first) When I went back to see my PS to discuss the surgery, I really went in with the gummies as being what I wanted. When I asked if they were a possibility for me, my PS  didn't bat an eye or suggest anything else. It was like that was what he had already picked out for me even before I had asked. So I took that as a pretty good sign. Projection was an issue for me as well and the Mentor had what I was looking for. I really wanted to "stand out". I probably gave you more info than you were looking for and I'm not even sure I answered your question, lol. Oh and I should mention that with the expanders I had a lot of rippling, but none so far with these new guys, and that is a defiant plus to me. 

I am going to say yes, they do more gummies in the UK but only because they have been in use much longer here than in the states. I wouldn't be the expert on that though. I've only lived here for a year and a half. 

I'm sorry to hear about your set back. You could put a positive spin on it,  it gives you a little more time to weigh your options so that you can be sure to pick the implant you will be most happy with.

I swear I don't talk this much in person. I'm actually kinda the shy type..........

Goldieknox-thanks for your insight. It is actually very helpful. That expander technique seemed a  little rough on you.  Since the gummies are not yet approved in the US (but I can still get them because my Dr does them) I'm get a mixed reaction from women in the US. I have a friend here who got them and loves them. I think women in the US are more used the round, Bay watch look and also the fact that gummies being under trial there are not a lot of Dr's who can offer them. It makes me wonder when they do get approved how many Dr's will then be loving them and offering them. Even with the NSM I had I couldn't find any Dr's doing it. They just started doing it again for women who met certain criteria. Well you said you are shy so i appreciate you sharing. These threads have been awesome! The Dr's don't go into this kind of detail when you're at those 15 min appointments! I went to Natrelle website and printed off a bunch of information on the gummies so at my next visit I be prepared to ask the right questions. Here is how I feel now. I really want the gummies because I feel they are safer,but I still want to make sure I have upper pole fullness and a natural look, I want the best of all worlds. Is that even possible?!!

Liliah-Europe always seems to be ahead of us medicine and fashion!

Mentor CPG as I understand it are a little less firm than the Allergan 410... that said, True gummies (which are cohesive gel) only come in anatomical (or teardrop) shape.  That's the whole point, I think!  There are probably some round cohesive gels but I am not aware of them.  Sweetie -- go to the Mentor site as well so you can know info about both types of gummies before talking to your PS. 

I know exactly where you are coming from!!!  I had - have the 410's and was not happy with the look or feel at all.  I also kept on saying at least I am cancer free but to be honest, I wanted to have these perfect looking breasts!!!!  And I don't!

I say have - had because I had an infection in my right breast and they had to take the implant out and the reconstruction basically failed on the right side.  I had complications with thinning skin not healing, etc.  So I have one breast deflated and the other still has the 410 in.  In September, I am going to have the lat flap done on both sides.  

Hope that everything is going well with you.

Francine 

Cini1 - I'm so sorry you have had such a rough time and there is nothing wrong with wanting to have great looking breasts. I hope it all works out well for you in September!

I like my Allergan 410 (gummy) implant... you probably have either Allergan 410 or Mentor CPG coming   Let us know when you find out!

Lilah and M-star- I'm not sure my Dr. uses Mentor. He definitely uses Allergan because my TE are 133fv. He can use the Naturelle collection from Allergan. Do you know if PS's have access to any type of implant or they mainly deal with certain companies.

Cini1-sorry to hear your not happy and are having problems. It's interesting to read the different points of view from people who have actually had the 410's in. I'm at a  loss to know what to do. I have TE set up for gummies, but am swaying back in forth. I agree with Goldieknox, there is nothing wrong with wanting perfect boobs. gosh after all we've been through is it too much to ask!!

JillyG-wish you luck, let us know what you choose and how it goes.

CS777-thanks for the detail about the implants. It helps me understand them a lot. It's good to hear your happy with the 410's. It seems most people who are happy with the 410's are uni's. I wonder if they give a better look when matching another breast. I'm a bilateral, so not sure what is best for me.

Oh, a question for all of you with 410's, do you have cleavage at all? how about width? I heard you don't as much cleavage is any with 410's, is this true?

What is the best way to get a natural, yet perky breast, a cross between baywatch and natural! Is it possible?!