What Silicone Breast Implants Tell Us About March Madness

The 7-year story of silicone breast implants might help you win that Final Four office pool.

If you’re making “safe” bets on Duke or Louisville this year, remember that certain teams (and medical devices) have a way of coming from behind to win.

Take silicone breast implants for example. Just a few years ago, surgeons would only use them for the occasional breast reconstruction. Even after the FDA moratorium was lifted in 2006, silicone gel implants were still used in only 19 percent of all breast augmentations.

Advances In Technology Drive the Silicone Resurgence

Today, the silicone breast implant is at the height of breast enhancement technology. The last two years have brought notable advances, especially the now FDA-cleared form-stable cohesive-gel implants from Sientra and Allergan.

Commenting on the new gel implants, plastic surgeon Robert X. Murphy, Jr, tells the Wall Street Journal, “If you cut one of them in half and you squeeze it, the silicone will protrude from the open end, but if you release the pressure, it goes right back in.” Dr. Murphy is the president-elect of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Last year, American plastic surgeons used silicone breast implants in more than 330,000 breast augmentation procedures. – a 53 percent increase since 2006!

So if you’re looking for upset picks, don’t discount New Mexico State, Valparaiso, or Wichita. If silicone breast implants can make a comeback, so can the Boise State Broncos.