Does the future of plastic surgery hold a non-surgical breast augmentation procedure? A new article published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal assesses the safety and efficacy of the hyaluronic acid-based gel Macrolane as a potential option for breast enhancement.
Made by Q-Med, who also makes Restylane, Macrolane is a gel that adds volume to tissues and can be used for restoring and enhancing body contours or for filling concave deformities and scars. According to Q-Med it provides results without open surgery, and the scarring at the injection site is minor and is likely to become less noticeable with time.
Macrolane has not yet been approved for use in the U.S., but it is used in Europe, and it has been well established for use in aesthetic facial procedures, according to the study. A new formulation may make it suitable for breast enhancement as well.
The study was done in Sweden with twenty women who received injections of the gel under local anesthesia. Researchers found high subject improvement rates for breast appearance (83%) at 6 months post-treatment. At 12 months after treatment, 69% of breasts were still considered improved. The decline in satisfaction after a year is not surprising because the gel’s results are not permanent.
The highest levels of satisfaction were observed in relation to the shape and general appearance of the breast, although comparable trends were also noted for size and firmness, according to the study.
The gel is a new option for the patient population who desire aesthetic improvement of the breast but who do not want to undergo surgery, the authors concluded. They stressed that further studies with larger numbers of patients are needed.
Dr. Jonov is a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in plastic surgeries of the face, breast, and body at Seattle Plastic Surgery.
