Year after year, breast augmentation continues to be one of the most popular forms of cosmetic surgery. Breast augmentation enhances breast size and improves breast shape to give women the bust line they desire. This procedure can accentuate body contours and leave women feeling more confident about their figure. For all the women who have benefited from the results of breast augmentation, there are even more who have considered it.
While it is important to weigh the benefits and risks of any surgical procedure, Dr. Tracy McCall’s patients find that the typical results of breast augmentation are overwhelmingly positive. This procedure has a record of success.
Here, Dr. McCall provides an overview of the history of breast augmentation to give our Milwaukee, WI patients a better idea of how today’s advanced surgical techniques developed.
The Beginning of Breast Augmentation
A woman’s desire to increase her bust line is nothing new. Fuller and shapelier breasts have long been considered the ideal when it comes to the female figure.
In 1890, an Austrian doctor named Robert Gersuny decided he could help women achieve that ideal. Dr. Gersuny began offering women injections of paraffin. Paraffin added volume to a woman’s chest. Unfortunately, over time, paraffin became hard and lumpy, giving women a less-than-desirable breast shape. In addition, this procedure had a high rate of infection. As a result, this technique was completely abolished by 1920.
However, doctors were not done looking for a way to enhance the breasts. They soon turned to fat injections. Unfortunately, the success of fat injections proved to be temporary. It was common for fat to be reabsorbed by the body over time, leaving women with asymmetrical breasts.
Introduction of the Implant
In the 1940s and 50s, many women turned to non-surgical methods of breast enhancement. Women began to wear falsies or stuff the bra to increase bust size. However, doctors were still looking for a permanent solution.
In the 1950s, the early forms of breast implants were developed. Doctors implanted synthetic, polyvinyl sponges. These sponges would be another failure on the road to today’s breast augmentation. The sponges would shrink and harden shortly after implantation, and many patients suffered from infections.
Finally, in 1961, a corporation called Dow Corning collaborated with plastic surgeons to come up with a better solution. They designed the first silicone breast prosthetic. It was a rubber sac that was filled with a silicone gel.
In 1962, surgeons performed the first breast augmentation using the Dow Corning implant. In 1964 the same design was used to create the saline implant. Over the years, there have been many modifications and improvements made to the breast implant, but the basic design has stayed the same.
Breast Augmentation Today
Breast augmentation patients today have a wide range of surgical options available to them. Each breast augmentation procedure can be customized by implant type, implant profile, implant size, and surgical technique (incision) to provide patients with truly personal results. These techniques have proven to be safe and effective in providing women with the full, shapely bust line they desire.
Schedule an Appointment
If you would like to learn more about breast augmentation and how it can be customized to meet your unique needs and desires, schedule an appointment with Dr. Tracy McCall at your earliest convenience. Dr. McCall is happy to answer any questions you may have and will gladly help you determine if you are an ideal candidate for breast augmentation surgery.
