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Dr. Craig Vander Kolk, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Mercy

Mercy Plastic Surgeon Dr. Craig Vander Kolk Discusses The Evolution Of Breast Implants On WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor"

Breast implants have greatly improved in the past 20 years, cutting down on complications that came with them.

In the 1990s, there were a number of problems with implants, including ruptures and leakage of the silicone and, often times, a hardening of the implants.

But the new memory gel implants are much different.

"They actually have better shape to them, so instead of flattened out, they have more projection," said plastic/cosmetic surgeon Dr. Craig Vander Kolk of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Mercy Medical Center.

According to Dr. Vander Kolk, they feel natural, but the real advantage is that if they were to rupture, the gel isn't going anywhere.

"In the old days, they leaked or ruptured and it was a sticky, oily mess. Now, with the new gel, it is cohesive. It has a memory. It's like a gummy bear," Dr. Vander Kolk said.

Another advance is the use of something called acellular dermis, which is a human product mostly made of collagen from which the cells have been removed for women who've experienced hardness of a previous implant.

"We open up the incision, and we actually lay this below it like a sling. So, it helps hold the implant in position, but it also decreases the reaction of the body to form a hard capsule," Dr. Vander Kolk explained.

To view Dr. Vander Kolk’s interview with WBAL-TV11, click this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/29766294/detail.html