[Bridge Economy] Successful Stem Cell Breast Augmentation, Did You Check 'Self Counter'?

Recently, stem cell cosmetic procedures have become one of the growing favorites in the anti-aging market. Stem cells refer to undifferentiated cells that have not yet differentiated into tissues. As the name suggests, they are cells whose "fate has not yet been determined," and thus possess the ability to differentiate into various body tissue cells when provided with appropriate conditions. They are used not only for treating intractable diseases but also for cosmetic treatments such as hair loss and skin improvement. When utilized during fat grafting, they promote blood vessel formation in the transplanted pure fat and aid in engraftment, thereby increasing the survival rate.

Recently, a considerable number of medical consumers prefer 'autologous fat grafting,' which involves harvesting the patient's own unwanted fat cells and transplanting them into the breasts instead of using implants. It is highly popular because it is free from the side effects that can occur with implant surgery, such as capsular contracture (hardening of the tissue around the implant), implant rupture, and the need for periodic implant replacement.

Dr. Shin Dong-jin, Director of SC301 Clinic, is a figure who has raised the credibility of stem cell plastic surgery by researching the engraftment rate for over 10 years since 2007 and compiling his findings into academic papers. With clinical experience spanning over 4000 cases and ceaseless academic activities, he has proven through research papers that the engraftment rate exceeds 70%, which is more than double that of conventional fat grafting (20–30%).

Conventional simple fat grafting has a survival rate of only 10–20%, volume diminishes quickly after surgery, and it is unavoidable to go through the inconvenience of requiring 2–3 repeated surgeries to satisfy patient needs. Its popularity is declining as ungrafted fat can lead to side effects such as calcification, where it hardens quickly.

On the other hand, stem cell breast augmentation allows for the creation of natural-looking, full breasts with a single procedure, without the need for repeated treatments (retouches), thanks to the effects of stem cells. Since unnecessary excess fat is removed from areas such as the abdomen or thighs to harvest fat cells for transplantation, overall body contouring is an added bonus.

The problem is that as the popularity of stem cell breast augmentation rises, an increasing number of clinics are claiming to perform "stem cell surgery" while actually conducting PRP or simple fat grafting. Dr. Shin Dong-jin emphasized that the necessary and sufficient conditions for successful stem cell breast augmentation are "proper equipment" and "medical staff with extensive clinical experience" capable of handling it.

First, to extract high-quality stem cells from pure fat cells, expensive, genuine stem cell separation equipment must be used. The doctor must shape them beautifully without clumping in the breasts and take measures to minimize the absorption of fat cells into the body.

Director Shin pointed out, “There are only about 10 hospitals in the country equipped with expensive equipment capable of properly isolating and concentrating stem cells,” adding, “The equipment is shabby, and there are many places where even novice doctors in stem cell plastic surgery who have only recently started performing surgeries deceive patients by claiming to have ‘10 years of experience.’”

He continued, “Since stem cell cosmetic surgery is much more expensive than simple fat grafting, it is necessary to visually verify how much stem cells have been injected into my breasts,” adding, “SC301 Clinic is equipped with a cell counter system that verifies the number of stem cells injected after the procedure, so those who have decided on stem cell cosmetic surgery should check during the consultation whether this cell counter is available.”

He emphasized, “One hospital is performing the procedure using a simple PRP kit without even properly equipping itself with stem cell extraction equipment,” adding, “In such cases, one must be careful as the engraftment rate is similar to that of autologous fat grafting, resulting in a waste of money.”

The stability of the surgical outcome is guaranteed only when the operation is performed by a physician who is proficient in handling this advanced equipment and possesses extensive clinical experience to ensure stable engraftment.

In addition, it is necessary to check whether the hospital has pre- and post-procedure care specialized for Korean women.

Director Shin Dong-jin stated, “It is difficult to harvest fat from Korean women due to their daily dieting habits and narrow rib cages, and there is a high risk of a low engraftment rate afterward.” He added, “To expect highly satisfactory results, one must find a facility equipped with a fat condition management system that secures high-quality fat cells through a healthy fat diet and care before the procedure and maintains the engraftment rate afterward.”Reporter Jung Hee-won yolo0317@viva100.com