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Eco-friendly medical treatment that provides satisfying breast volume… patented technology plays a part.

By 2014-09-03No Comments

Eco-friendly medical treatment that provides satisfying breast volume… patented technology plays a part.
Utilizing autologous tissue without artificial implants, and even 'LOHAS' certified



2014-09-03 12;05;05.jpg
▲ Shin Dong-jin, Director of SC301 Clinic ⓒHealthO


As the effectiveness of 'stem cell therapy' is gradually being recognized in the medical market, stem cell breast augmentation has emerged as a hot keyword among cosmetic procedures utilizing it. An expert who has made a significant contribution to creating this atmosphere is Director Shin Dong-jin of SC301 Clinic.

Stem cells can differentiate into any desired type of cell, such as fat cells, chondrocytes, bone cells, or muscle cells, giving them excellent ability to restore deficient or defective tissues. They also possess the capacity for rapid healing and recovery through mechanisms such as inducing angiogenesis, anti-inflammatory responses, and immunosuppressive reactions. However, with numerous clinics and hospitals claiming to offer stem cell therapy but lacking the necessary know-how and proper equipment, consumers need the discernment to identify them.

Director Shin Dong-jin pointed out, “Places that isolate stem cells to perform breast augmentation and anti-aging procedures (facial volume enhancement) account for less than 5% of all clinics and dermatology clinics,” adding, “There are many places that merely go through the motions using simple centrifuges without even having the equipment to isolate and extract stem cells and pure fat cells, such as Huricell, TGI, Megastation, and Chastation.”

Are you saying that there are many places falsely promoting simple fat grafting as stem cell breast augmentation?

“That is correct. Our hospital has reached its current state since 2007 through trial and error, utilizing various types of equipment. If fat cells are simply extracted from the abdomen, purified, and transplanted, the engraftment rate is only 20–30%, causing the volume of the face and chest to collapse rapidly after a short time. This is the reality for most hospitals and clinics. However, if stem cells are isolated, mixed with fat cells, and injected, approximately 70% survive. We proved these actual effects through research papers in 2012 and 2013. An analysis of the results of stem cell breast augmentation on 200 patients aged 20 to 50, who were available for follow-up observation in 2013, showed that chest circumference increased by an average of about 5 cm regardless of age. We plan to publish this as a paper soon as well.”

- The specific role of stem cells is.

Stem cells not only differentiate into fat cells but also increase the survival rate of the injected simple fat cells, ultimately raising the overall engraftment rate and helping the engrafted fat to be maintained for a longer period. However, as a significant number of hospitals inject excessive amounts of fat cells to boost the engraftment rate, side effects such as the fat cells failing to settle and undergoing necrosis frequently occur.

- Recently received the Minister of Health and Welfare Award in the 'Eco-friendly Medical' category for his dedication to research on stem cell breast augmentation.

The purpose of the LOHAS (Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainability) spirit is to shun artificial and environmentally polluting lifestyles and to pursue sustainable development for health, the environment, and society. Unlike conventional breast augmentation, which involves inserting artificial implants filled with saline or silicone, stem cell breast augmentation does not result in rupture, inflammation, or capsular contracture (hardening of the tissue surrounding the implant). Women prefer it because they do not feel a foreign body sensation, and the shape and touch are natural, making it undetectable that surgery has been performed. Even with proper care, approximately 40% of silicone implants are damaged within 10 years, requiring removal or revision surgery. Therefore, we can proudly claim that stem cell breast augmentation, having overcome these challenges, is truly eco-friendly.

– Following the awarding of the Minister of Health and Welfare Award, I was also invited to the 'Beauty & Makeup Expo' held in Macau, China.

"Macau, which has a strong image due to its gambling industry, is focusing its attention on revitalizing the convention industry to dispel this perception. It seems they invited us after learning about our hospital, as they were looking to discover and introduce new cosmetic surgery technologies. We received a positive response at the expo by showcasing our comprehensive stem cell breast augmentation technology and stem cell cosmetics (serum)."

– I heard that you are very interested in entering the Chinese medical market.

“I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Medicine at Shandong University. I enrolled to promote medical tourism in China, as I witnessed the university’s forward-looking commitment to fostering new medical technologies. I visit three or four times a year to discuss research and build my professional network. I expect to see results soon.”
The name of the hospital, SC301, is derived from the English acronym for Stem Cell and the People's Liberation Army Hospital (also known as 301 Hospital) used by China's top leadership.

– A substantial amount has been invested in stem cell breast augmentation research, and a patent has been filed based on the research know-how.

“We spent over 10 billion won just on bringing in state-of-the-art equipment. Half of it was discarded after only a few uses because it proved ineffective. Trial and error is inevitable. I founded the Korean Society of Stem Cell Plastic Surgery in 2009 to pass on the know-how we acquired with such difficulty. However, it is regrettable that this technology has not spread widely due to the financial burden of purchasing equipment, which costs at least 3 million won. The related patent describes a composition that promotes transplanted stem cells and fat cells to maintain a high engraftment rate, maximizing the diffusion of stem cells within tissues and angiogenesis. It is a solution that can address the problem of requiring two or three surgeries due to insufficient surviving fat volume after breast augmentation.”

- What are the prospects for stem cell breast augmentation?

“Since 2008, we have performed procedures on over 2000 patients. This is likely the highest number in the country. As time goes by, equipment improves and know-how accumulates, leading to improved engraftment rates. We recently introduced an ultrasound diagnostic device, enabling us to measure increased breast volume more objectively. Currently, saline implants account for 15% of the total demand for breast augmentation, cohesive gel implants for 80%, and stem cell augmentation for about 5%, but this figure is projected to surpass 10% next year. We hope to standardize our expertise so that more doctors can engage in stem cell breast augmentation.”