By: Katharine Griffiths
Created on 19th May 2011

IMPLANT SCANDAL CONFIRMS BUYING LOCAL IS BEST

British Boobs for British Workers! Rise in Consumer Confidence for ‘Made in UK' Implants

Ashby de la Zouche/Cumbernauld - April, 2011 -There is no denying we're encouraged daily to buy British produce and save on air miles, but after the recent scandal which revealed hundreds of thousands of French (and some Dutch) breast implants sold in the UK and Europe were filled with a substance said to be meant for mattresses, Britons also appear to be considering the wisdom of ‘buying local' when it comes to cosmetic surgery. Today, the UK's only manufacturer of implants Nagor (www.nagor.com) announce they have grown in size by nearly 12% in the last two years despite the recession, and stress the importance of trusting the brand of implant as much as the choice of surgeon.

Despite test results from the French authorities showing no toxic effect from the fraudulent gel, advice from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons remains unequivocal: women who have (or suspect they have) the controversial PIP implants should have a scan, and should there be any sign of weakening or rupture, both implants should be removed. Many women, unsurprisingly, want the implants taken out regardless of the result. During this turbulent period, another implants manufacturer - the world's largest - has now moved their operations to Latin America.

According to Nagor's UK Sales Manager Douglas Black;

"Recent statistics confirm that breast augmentation continues to be the most popular form of aesthetic plastic surgery and an estimated 25,000 women underwent the procedure in Britain alone last year. It is becoming clear that since the recent PIP implant scandal the UK public are becoming more cautious and educated about their options. Through the worst of the recession, our company has actually increased in staff numbers by 11.5% - two years ago, 49 of our employees were on a three-day week but now all 108 are full-time to cope with demand."

Nagor is the only manufacturer in the market to offer lifetime guarantee for rupture and free replacement for capsular contracture, an abnormal reaction where the breast tissue around the implant ‘encapsulates' and hardens. By virtue of this unique, extensive warranty policy they were recently ranked the highest in a survey by consumer website the Body Bible. The survey polled plastic surgeons and covered key areas such as range of implants, wear and tear, rupture, capsular contracture rates, ability to retain shape and patient warranty - among others. Nagor came top of the league board above all including well-known names such as Allergan and Mentor.

Douglas Black adds:
"It is crucial that patients are aware of the quality and warranty of their implants. The provider is likely to have been carefully selected but the patient should also find out where the actual device comes from and feel able to trust the brand. Surgeons are encouraged to use Nagor products but they are not restricted to it alone, so the public should know to ask the right questions."

Consultant plastic surgeon Norman Waterhouse, co-founder of the UK's first-ever national specialist breast augmentation provider Mybreast.org says:
"At MyBreast we pride ourselves on using high quality and calibre implants of British design and this is why we exclusively offer Nagor to our patients. The company first supplied breast implants in the UK in 1979 and they have an enviable track record for safety. Nagor is dedicated to the specialist design, manufacture and supply of high quality silicone cohesive gel breast implants and are so confident in the product design that each implant is backed by a lifetime guarantee."

Being based in Britain, the team at Nagor (which has grown by 11 employees since April 2009) are accessible to local clinics and this allows them to work closely with UK surgeons, developing and refining each product range according to the latest patient trends, needs and requirements. Nagor are currently sponsoring a multicentre Prospective Post Market Clinical Study to collect data on the long term safety and performance of its gel-filled breast implants. Nagor also provide their products to the NHS for breast reconstruction patients.

Nagor is the only British manufacture of silicone cohesive gel implants with facilities situated in Ashby De La Zouche in central England and Cumbernauld Scotland, employing 108 highly skilled and dedicated staff. They have been selling implants since 1979 and offer a lifetime guarantee on all breast implants. For all media enquiries please contact Lauren Horncastle or Kate Chaundy on 020 7250 4750 or email lhorncastle@caciquepr.com or kchaundy@caciquepr.com