Breast Augmentation: A Brief History

Oct 28
07:55

2011

Ace Abbey

Ace Abbey

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Although breast augmentation surgery is newly popular it has been around for just over a century. Learn more about the history of the procedure and what the next phase of technology will be.

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Although breast augmentation surgery has been a popular plastic surgery procedure in the last twenty to thirty years,Breast Augmentation: A Brief History Articles the idea of augmenting a woman's breasts has been around since the late 19th century. In just over 100 years, the procedure has developed into the revolutionary and safe method of breast enlargement that it is today.

The very first instance that breast augmentation was recorded in history is in 1895. Surgeon Vincenz Czerny from Austria removed a tumor from a female patient and in order to restore the symmetry of her breasts using adipose tissue from her own body. He paid special attention to the feel and contour of her restored breast, matching it to the other. This introduced both the idea of restorative surgery and augmentation surgery but also the importance of the body's symmetry and shape.

In 1889, Robert Gersuny, another Austrian surgeon, experimented in breast augmentation by using paraffin. This ended up being an extremely poor and dangerous substance to use but it introduced the idea of injection. Other injection materials were considered and experimented with from ox cartilage to rubber. Prosthetics were also developed to enhance the size of breasts. Glass balls and ivory were among the substances used.

Although these surgeries sound crude, they became the basis for better scientific methods in the 40s and 50s. Morton I Berson and Jacques Maliniac used material harvested from the patients' chest wall to help augment the breasts, entering though a flap underneath the breast. In the 50s and 60s, silicone was just being invented and was used in experiments for breast augmentation surgery.

Silicone became the revolutionary material that was used around the globe for women looking for a way to augment their breasts. At first the material was injected into their breasts. Because the body generally fought off the foreign substance, many of these early surgeries ended in complete mastectomies. The injections were banned in the United States until implants were designed with silicone gel inside them. Now instead of injecting silicone, prosthetics were implanted in the chest wall for a safe, effective enlargement method.

In the 70s the second generation was improved upon. In the 80s is when the most progress was made and internationally, breast augmentation surgery was on the rise. Saline also soon became available, giving women another less invasive option, as silicone bags were implanted and then filled with saline.

Recently the FDA reports that there are a lot of complications that are associated with older implants, especially those over 10 years old. Today the technology is moving in two directions. Because of heavy scarring that happens with silicone, new technology is being developed for safer implant options. Fat transfers are also becoming increasingly popular. Harvesting fat through liposuction, it is closely related to the history of the procedure itself.

As this procedure grows in popularity, medical innovations will continue to develop new and improved ways of augmenting breast sizes for women of all ages.