Body shape is 'fashion'... Know-how to accentuate the 'bust line' to complete a curvy figure

'Breast Augmentation' Options Diverse: Implants, Autologous Fat Grafting, Stem Cell Fat Grafting, etc. … Stem Cell Surgery Popular with 70% Engraftment Survival Rates

Dr. Shin Dong-jin, Director of SC301 Clinic, is preparing for surgery. ©HealthO

The preference and importance of a beautiful figure vary depending on the standards of the era or society. In Korea these days, the value placed on one's physique is so high that the saying "body shape is fashion" is heard naturally. With the Western-style S-line gaining popularity, women make tearful efforts to achieve a figure that everyone envies. However, literally, a "Western-style" body is something Westerners are born with, and Asians inevitably face racial limitations. While one can somewhat replicate a skinny figure, it is clear that natural leg length (leg shape) and the breasts that complete the volume cannot be changed through self-care alone.

In particular, breasts that are "of the right size, lifted firmly without sagging," are an attractive feature that is difficult to achieve unless one has received a gift from God. The average breast size of Korean women is an A cup, which is the smallest.
Therefore, many people try lymphatic massages, drink strawberry milk said to enlarge breasts, or train their chest muscles with weights in an attempt to achieve beautiful breasts, but often end up disappointed as they do not see significant improvement.

Shin Dong-jin, Director of SC301 Clinic (President of the Korean Society of Stem Cell Plastic Surgery), stated, “For Asian women, the ideal chest circumference (top bust passing through both nipples) is about 20 to 25 cm longer than their waist size and about 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) smaller than their hip circumference, with an appropriate breast size of approximately 250 cc per side.” He added, “On the other hand, Western women’s breasts are about 300 cc per side.”

Those who have worked hard but have seen no results or cannot give up their large breast size may consider seeking medical help.
Breast augmentation surgery is broadly classified into three types: the most common type using implants, general autologous fat grafting, and stem cell fat grafting.

Breast augmentation using implants is still the most common method. This involves injecting silicone gel or saline solutions into the breast area to increase size. Nowadays, the quality of implants is excellent, and they produce a texture that is as natural as possible, allowing for a more natural yet definite improvement in breast size compared to the past.

However, since it is a surgery involving the insertion of a foreign material, there are concerns about side effects such as capsular contracture (hardening of the tissue surrounding the implant), pain in the chest area after insertion, and an unnatural shape and feel.

If you have undergone breast augmentation using implants, consistent care and attention are required even after the procedure.
Director Shin emphasized, “Even if a specialist performs the procedure with great care, the durability of the implant decreases over time,” adding, “In severe cases, problems such as capsular contracture (hardening of the tissue surrounding the implant) may occur.”

In 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that implants should be checked annually via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because two out of ten implants may rupture or leak after more than 10 years. It recommended that if one has undergone breast augmentation with silicone implants, the implants should be replaced within 8 to 10 years for safety. The U.S. medical community also pointed out that there is a risk of implant damage in approximately 40% of cases for any silicone implant after 10 years from the procedure.

Furthermore, one cannot be completely free from breast cancer. Last year, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety even issued an unusual "Medical Device Safety Letter" regarding implants whose safety had been proven and whose import had been approved, stating that "implants inserted for breast augmentation can cause cancer" and urging "medical professionals or patients who discover this to take prompt action and report the side effects to the Ministry."
Director Shin advised, “Women who have had breast implant surgery should check for abnormalities and monitor their breast health at least once every two years through X-rays, ultrasounds, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).”

In such cases, removing or replacing breast implants is not the only solution. Extracting fat from one's own body and transplanting it can be an alternative. Although autologous fat grafting was popular for a while, there were quite a few cases of disappointment due to a lower-than-expected survival rate. Furthermore, satisfaction was low because the results were short-lived and required multiple touch-ups to maintain.

Recently, with the development of stem cell regenerative medicine, 'stem cell autologous fat grafting' is attracting attention for raising the engraftment rate to 70%, overcoming the limitation of simple fat grafting surgery which was a low level of 20–30%. It is a procedure in which fat is harvested from the abdomen, thighs, or back, pure fat cells are separated, high-quality stem cells are extracted from them, and then transplanted to the chest along with the fat cells.
Patient satisfaction is high because minimal amounts of transplanted fat are absorbed, allowing the procedure to be completed in a single session, and it also offers the benefits of liposuction by removing unwanted excess fat from areas such as the abdomen and thighs. Dr. Shin Dong-jin recently developed the 'Triple Up Stem Cell Autologous Fat Grafting' technique, upgrading the standard of stem cell autologous fat grafting to the next level.

Director Shin Dong-jin enhanced the credibility of the procedure by proving the high fat engraftment rate resulting from the effects of such stem cells in his recently approved master's thesis from Shandong University School of Medicine in China. In his thesis titled "Analysis of Clinical Effects of Breast Augmentation Surgery Using Fat Grafting with Adult Adipose Stem Cells," he demonstrated that he has raised the engraftment rate of fat cells and stem cells to over 70% through breast augmentation for two consecutive years.

He said, “Proving a stable engraftment rate of around 70% with stem cell breast augmentation is of great international significance,” adding, “Stem cell breast augmentation has differentiated advantages such as complementing the shortcomings of conventional implant surgery, such as capsular contracture, rupture, and leakage, while remaining natural-looking without visible signs of surgery and causing no foreign body sensation. This research result will further promote the use of the procedure.”