Brian Tierney

Have you heard of “gummy bear” breast implants? Many women interested in breast augmentation have. Both here at my practice in Nashville, TN and online, women have a lot of questions about these innovative silicone implants. A recent survey by the popular plastic surgery forum RealSelf showed that 70% of women knew the term “gummy bear” implants, but few knew what they are or what makes them different. So let’s look at some quick facts. Here are my answers to 5 common questions: 1. Why are they called that? The nickname comes from the implants’ consistency. Gummy bear implants are made … Continue reading  

The overwhelming popularity of silicone breast implants represents a remarkable turnaround since the FDA approved their return to the market less than 10 years ago. The most recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons® showed that more than 75% of patients last year chose silicone implants for their breast augmentation procedures. At my Nashville, TN practice, virtually all of our patients — 97% — selected silicone implants last year. In the first year after the FDA lifted the moratorium on silicone implants — 2006 — fewer than 20% of the women who underwent breast augmentation surgery opted for the silicone version. That … Continue reading