Stem cell breast augmentation is an eco-friendly medical technology.

Women undergo hormonal changes during childbirth, and after delivery, factors such as breastfeeding reduce skin elasticity, eventually causing changes in breast shape. While breastfeeding allows for emotional bonding with the baby, aids in the development of immunity, nerves, and intelligence, and can even help the mother lose weight after childbirth, the problem of breasts shrinking rapidly and sagging is unavoidable. With the recent increase in older mothers, a significant number of women are concerned about these issues. There is a growing trend of women actively considering breast augmentation after being shocked by the noticeable change in their breast shape compared to their younger years.

▲ Dr. Shin Dong-jin, Chief Director of SC301 Hospital, is examining a mixture of stem cells and fat extracted from a patient prior to stem cell breast augmentation surgery. The small photo shows Director Shin (front row, right) carrying the Incheon Asian Para Games torch. / Courtesy of SC301 Hospital

Dr. Shin Dong-jin, director of SC301 Clinic, stated, “When breastfeeding is stopped, the enlarged fat and mammary gland tissue in the breasts contract abruptly, reducing the elasticity of the dermis layer and causing breast ptosis, where the breasts sag downwards.” He added, “In addition, the breasts are prone to shrinking and losing elasticity.”

It is said that there are many cases where husbands gift plastic surgery to their wives who are depressed. “As husbands get older, they tend to become more accepting of the fact that their spouses undergo procedures to maintain their femininity. They want their wives to stay beautiful without aging too rapidly, while also expressing their gratitude for giving birth to healthy children. I often meet couples whose self-esteem is restored and marital harmony improves as they are satisfied with the results.”

Director Shin Dong-jin stated, “The ultimate goal for women who decide on plastic surgery, even at an advanced age, is a ‘return to femininity.’” He added, “Breast augmentation is one of the procedures chosen by women who have fallen into marital ennui after childbirth to regain intimacy or to win back the heart of a spouse who is having an affair.” This reflects a psychology where women do not stop at efforts to maintain a youthful appearance through wrinkle removal or facial surgery; instead, they seek to reclaim their femininity by restoring the breasts—considered the crowning glory of feminine beauty—to be full and firm, thereby defying the passage of time lost due to aging and breastfeeding.

Recently, there has been a growing preference for 'autologous fat graft breast augmentation,' which involves harvesting fat tissue from areas such as the abdomen or thighs and transplanting it into the breasts, instead of inserting implants, which can look unnatural and cause significant rejection due to foreign substances. Through this process, the removal of fat can help reduce excess body fat gained after childbirth and refine the body's contours. However, conventional autologous fat graft breast augmentation had the disadvantage of a survival rate of transplanted fat cells of only 20–30% and a duration of around one year.

"Stem cell breast augmentation," which emerged in 2008, solved this problem. Dr. Shin Dong-jin, who has pioneered this field, explained, "If stem cells are isolated from fat and then combined with pure fat cells before being transplanted into the breast area, the engraftment rate of the fat cells can be raised to over 70%." He added, "Factors that increase the engraftment rate include the anti-inflammatory effects of stem cells, differentiation into fat cells, and induction of angiogenesis."

Director Shin has proven the efficacy and safety of breast augmentation using adipose-derived adult stem cells through two research papers. His analysis of the results of stem cell breast augmentation on 200 patients aged 20 to 50, who were available for follow-up observation over a one-year period in 2013, showed that breast circumference increased by an average of approximately 5 cm regardless of age. The women who underwent the procedure received injections of fat cells and stem cells ranging from over 90 cc to a maximum of 260 cc per breast. He stated, "Since breast augmentation improves sagging skin and restores breasts that have sunken due to factors such as breastfeeding, significantly better results are often seen in middle-aged patients rather than younger ones." He introduced the procedure by noting that "stem cell breast augmentation is an eco-friendly medical technology in that it is biocompatible and does not use artificial chemicals."