A well known plastic surgeon in Orange County, CA is being investigated for illegally importing Cohesive Silicone Gel Breast Implants from Tijuana, Mexico. These implants are not approved by the FDA and can be obtained in the USA only through clinical trials. Link: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-me-breasts12apr12,0,1510009.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Silicone implants were taken off the market in 1992 over concerns they might cause autoimmune diseases if they leaked. The ban has spurred a black market for the implants, which some would say are considered more natural in appearance and feel than saline-filled ones approved for use in the nearly 300,000 U.S. women who have cosmetic breast surgery every year. Moreover, many women feel that they are much safer because in case of rupture, they maintain thier shape because of thier “gummy bear - like” feel.

What this article did not mention is the exudus of women who cross the border into TJ every year for breast augmentations for silicone gel implants. Plastic Surgeons in Mexico do not have to wait for the FDA to lift the ban on Cohesive Gel Implants. Mentor and Inamed, the two leading makers of silicone implants, each have demand in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica. The average cost of a BA in TJ is $3500.

For more info on SCGI: http://www.implantinfo.com/breast_implants/silicone_gel_breast_implants/silicone_gel_breast_implants.htm