They called it 'stem cell breast augmentation'... but turned out to be just fat grafting?

They called it 'stem cell breast augmentation'... but turned out to be just fat grafting?

Recently, the number of women suffering harm from procedures marketed as "stem cell breast augmentation"—which are in reality nothing more than autologous fat breast grafting—is increasing. Stem cell breast augmentation, which has recently gained popularity, utilizes fat-derived adult stem cells to raise the engraftment rate of simple fat grafting from around 20–30% to the 70% range.

When performing fat grafting surgery, if only fat cells are transplanted, they are prone to being absorbed or lost to the original breast tissue after a short period. In such cases, the survival rate can be improved by extracting stem cells from the fat tissue and mixing them with purified fat cells in a specific ratio before transplanting.

While conventional fat grafting required at least two to four repeated injections to achieve the desired results, stem cell breast augmentation is highly regarded for improving upon this inconvenience and virtually eliminating the risk of calcification. Consequently, many clinics are inflating prices by two to three times while performing the exact same fat grafting procedure by including the term "stem cells." The problem is that consumers generally do not know how to distinguish between the genuine product and the fake.

Shin Dong-jin, President of the Korean Society of Stem Cell Plastic Surgery (Director of SC301 Clinic), assessed, “Currently, there are hundreds of hospitals in Korea advertising that they perform stem cell breast augmentation, but there are only about 10 medical institutions properly equipped with devices to extract stem cells.” His view is that these institutions are talking about stem cell breast augmentation while performing simple fat cell transplants or using inadequate equipment.

If a clinic advertises the use of specific equipment while offering significantly lower treatment prices, you should verify whether that equipment is actually in operation. Undergoing surgery with equipment that cannot properly extract stem cells can result in a procedure no different from autologous fat grafting, leading to disappointment. You may end up paying the full cost without seeing a significant difference in results, potentially leading to great frustration.

For example, the 'Huricell' device, which boasts top-tier stem cell extraction and engraftment rates both domestically and internationally, has been experiencing a shortage of consumables since last year, yet there are hardly any places that have properly secured them to perform the procedure.

Director Shin Dong-jin stated, “Since HuriCell consumables are expensive, it seems that places where it is not cost-effective give up on equipment maintenance,” and introduced, “In the case of our hospital, we are equipped with HuriCell and TGI, and we are rapidly and precisely extracting and separating stem cells using a fully automated system.”
He added, “By utilizing specialized equipment and accumulated know-how to maximize stem cell density during the procedure, we are achieving a high fat cell engraftment rate.”

Director Shin has developed and filed a patent for a "composition that promotes tissue regeneration in fat grafting," designed to further enhance the fat engraftment rate using his accumulated know-how. By encapsulating ingredients such as polydeoxyribinucleotide, a liquid cell growth promoter, into microcapsules and administering them during the stem cell fat grafting process, differentiated effects can be expected.

In addition, as the first private hospital to introduce a cryogenic freezing system (CBS), we are storing residual fat healthily after surgery. For secondary procedures, we activate and utilize these well-frozen pure fat cells.

SC301 Clinic utilizes techniques that minimize damage to normal tissue during surgery to reduce swelling and bruising. While swelling and bruising are a natural part of the recovery process, patients inevitably find them bothersome as they wish for them to disappear quickly.

This inconvenience is alleviated by managing expensive oxygen tanks and implementing thorough post-operative care. Consequently, natural results settle within about a month after surgery, allowing you to wear low-cut clothing to your heart's content.

By utilizing such a thorough care system, pre- and post-operative care is provided to maximize the engraftment rate, thereby increasing satisfaction. For instance, pre-operative care creates space within the breast tissue for the extracted fat cells and stem cells, and after surgery, a dietary regimen is combined to prevent fat from accumulating in areas such as the abdomen and thighs from which the fat cells were extracted, while maintaining the fat content in the breasts to prevent a loss of volume.

In particular, as part of post-treatment care, a 'hyperbaric oxygen chamber' is utilized to alleviate swelling, promote cell regeneration, and aid in the rapid healing of muscle and skeletal injuries, thereby minimizing the recovery period.

Director Shin Dong-jin advised, “To increase the engraftment rate in stem cell breast augmentation, approximately 7000 million or more adipose-derived adult stem cells must be administered,” adding, “It is best to choose a hospital that directly verifies the exact number of stem cells injected using a ‘cell counting’ device.” He further added, “Since conditions such as breast fat tissue density and breast skin tissue vary from person to person, the amount of grafts, surgical techniques, and pre- and post-operative care must be tailored accordingly to achieve the desired results.”