So when I was doing some back reading today of my Aesthetic Surgery Journal (it’s been a busy spring) in March 2022, there was an article “Five Year Safety and Satisfaction With the Lightweight Breast Implant.”
I thought hmmmm. I haven’t heard of this implant.
This is a new implant called the “B-Lite” lightweight breast implant. They (in Israel) made an implant that weight 30% less than traditional silicone implants but maintains the same size, form, and function.
Why is that great?
Less weight of the breasts means less sagging and drooping over time. It means less strain on your back, neck, shoulders, and bra straps. It could mean less implant malposition, fold migration, and weight related complications.
Intrigued? I was.
Study:
- Retrospective single center single surgeon analysis of prospectively collected data
- 827 patients (some were primary breast augmentations, some were revision breast surgery)
- 1653 implants were placed, range 250-883cc
- Most were round, textured, and extra high profile inserted through the inframammary fold
Results?
- Only two of five capsular contracture patients required reoperation
- No cases of rupture, ALCL
- 95% of patients rated the aesthetic outcome as good
- 95% liked the natural look and feel of their breasts
My thoughts?
Heavy breasts get pulled by gravity. They age more, droop more, pull on the neck more. The weight of an implant has always been the weight of the cc’s. So a 250cc implant = 250 grams = about 1/2 pound. To make breasts bigger but minimize the stress? That is an awesome concept, particularly for women with poor skin tone, post pregnancy/breast feeding, menopause, and thin skin.
But one confounding factor in this article is the use of textured implants. Texturing kind of “holds” the implant in place, which also minimizes stretching and aging of the natural tissue. But because of the rare risk of ALCL, few of my colleagues are still using textured implants, and many textured implant styles have been removed totally from the market.
If the lighter gel can be put into a textured implant, it could likely also be put into a smooth one.
Again, an interesting concept.