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Can I really get soybean oil breast implants?
Developed in the 1980's, soybean oil breast implants have been used for research over the last 20
years. It was an attempt by an American scientist to develop safe and more realistic implants to
test surgical methods on. In Europe, they have been a viable implant material with over 100,000
soybean implants having been sold and implanted.
These implants have not been FDA approved for use in the United States, even though they are currently
being used in research. Soybean implants have been available for years in other countries under the name
Trilucent, and have enjoyed great popularity overseas.
Problems with soybean implants have been recorded with the controversial conclusion of mammograms not
being able to detect early signs of breast cancer. This may have changed with the use of MRI’s, but is
inconclusive. The side effects of implants with silicone have included the inability for the body to
absorb the silicone once ruptured. With soybean implants, the body readily absorbs the material into
its system. There are other upsides, including the fact that soybean implants are not zones that may
be susceptible to capsular contracture (a common problem with silicone/saline) and soybean oil breast
implants provide a less hospitable environment for bacteria growth than any other type of implant.
Despite not being approved for use in the US, this may be a viable option for patients in the near
future. There are several clinical trials currently being conducted to assess the soybean oil
implant- speak to your physician about the current trials and your possible involvement in them.
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Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery
