Landmark 5-Year Study Confirms the Excellent Safety and Performance of PERLE™
A newly published peer-reviewed study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal provides strong clinical evidence supporting the long-term safety and performance of the PERLE™ smooth breast implant from GC Aesthetics®.
Following 738 patients and 1,476 implants over a period of up to five years, the study demonstrated remarkably low rates of implant-related complications, capsular contracture, implant malposition and reoperation after breast augmentation and augmentation-mastopexy.
These findings represent another important milestone in GC Aesthetics®' commitment to evidence-based innovation and provide surgeons with valuable real-world clinical data to support informed implant selection.
High-Quality Clinical Evidence Matters
As breast implant technology continues to evolve, long-term clinical evidence is becoming increasingly important for surgeons and patients alike.
Published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, the study "Five-year Results of the PERLE Implant in Breast Augmentation and Augmentation-Mastopexy" evaluated the clinical outcomes of consecutive patients receiving PERLE™ implants between December 2020 and December 2025.
The retrospective cohort included:
- 738 patients
- 1,476 PERLE™ implants
- Primary and secondary breast augmentation
- Augmentation-mastopexy procedures
- Up to 5 years of clinical follow-up (median follow-up: 34 months)
Researchers assessed implant-related complications, capsular contracture, implant malposition and reoperation rates to evaluate the long-term clinical performance of PERLE™ implants.
Key Clinical Outcomes
The study demonstrated consistently low complication rates across both augmentation and augmentation-mastopexy procedures.
Overall implant-related complications
- 2.8% overall
- 2.2% following breast augmentation
- 5.5% following augmentation-mastopexy
Capsular contracture
One of the most encouraging findings was the exceptionally low rate of capsular contracture.
The reported per-patient rates were:
- 0.5% after breast augmentation
- 0.7% after augmentation-mastopexy
Across all 1,476 implants, the overall capsular contracture rate was only 0.3%.
Implant malposition
The study also reported very low implant malposition rates:
- 0.7% following augmentation
- 1.4% following augmentation-mastopexy
Low Reoperation Rates
Reoperation remains one of the most meaningful indicators of long-term implant performance.
For breast augmentation patients, implant-related reoperation rates were:
- 1.2% at 1 year
- 2.1% at 3 years
- 2.5% at 5 years
No Implant Ruptures or BIA-ALCL Reported
Importantly, throughout the study period, investigators reported:
- No implant ruptures
- No rippling
- No cases of Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL)
These findings further reinforce the favourable safety profile observed during the five-year follow-up.
Why PERLE™?
Launched in 2020, PERLE™ was developed to combine advanced implant engineering with predictable surgical performance.
Its design includes:
- Smooth surface with an average roughness of approximately 5 μm
- Sixth-generation highly cohesive silicone gel
- 100% gel-filled construction
- Multiple projections and sizes to support personalised surgical planning
These design characteristics aim to provide excellent shape retention, natural aesthetics and consistent handling during surgery.
Building on an Expanding Scientific Portfolio
The new publication adds to the growing body of peer-reviewed evidence supporting GC Aesthetics® breast implants.
Previous publications have already demonstrated encouraging short- and medium-term outcomes with PERLE™, including:
- A multicentre 2-year clinical study
- A single-centre UK clinical experience
- Long-term evidence supporting other GC Aesthetics® implant technologies over 10 years
Together, these studies demonstrate GC Aesthetics®' long-standing commitment to generating robust clinical evidence that supports everyday surgical practice.
Advancing Evidence-Based Breast Surgery
At GC Aesthetics®, innovation extends beyond product development. It is supported by continuous clinical research designed to provide surgeons with reliable, peer-reviewed evidence that informs surgical decision-making.
The publication of this five-year study further strengthens confidence in the long-term clinical performance of PERLE™ and reflects our commitment to delivering breast implant solutions backed by meaningful scientific evidence.
As The Total Breast Care Company™, GC Aesthetics® remains dedicated to supporting surgeons with innovative technologies, comprehensive clinical research and solutions that improve patient care throughout every stage of the breast surgery journey.