[JoongAng Ilbo] Plastic surgery using stem cells requires a doctor with advanced know-how.

There are medical institutions that attract patients through exaggerated advertising without possessing the know-how for stem cell treatment procedures, so consumers are advised to exercise caution.

The key to the procedure is extracting stem cells in a fresh state with high purity and activity, and injecting them into the target area (affected site) at the right time and place. Simply put, this means that the equipment must provide the necessary support. Shin Dong-jin, director of SC301 Clinic and a leading authority on stem cell breast augmentation in South Korea, stated regarding the current state of stem cell extractors, “In Korea, there are four major brands of stem cell extractors—T, M, C, and H—but the most reliable is the T brand.” He added, “However, a significant number of medical institutions using the T brand actually have poor stem cell extraction capabilities due to lack of proficiency in operation, or have installed them merely for display purposes.”

He explained the importance of the equipment, stating, “The lower the brand, the greater the variation in the actual stem cell extraction rate, and many stem cells are damaged by high heat during the centrifugation extraction process. In addition, if engineers or doctors are unskilled in operating the machine, it takes a long time, and damaged cells are injected into the affected area, resulting in poor treatment outcomes.”
​

“In the case of stem cell breast augmentation, the know-how involves extracting fat from areas such as the abdomen, isolating pure stem cells from it, and then mixing the pure fat with high-purity stem cells in a golden ratio of approximately 10 to 1 before injecting them into the breasts. The purpose of isolating the stem cells is to increase the survival rate of fat cells, thereby achieving a fuller, more voluminous appearance. If fat is simply extracted and injected into the breasts, the survival ability due to the stem cell effect is reduced, resulting in only about 10 to 20 percent surviving.” He explained how crucial the doctors’ expertise in stem cell extraction is.

At this time, a significant number of medical institutions lacking confidence in machine performance or the extraction of high-purity stem cells inject excessively large amounts of fat cells and stem cells. "Normally, 150 to 200cc of the cell mixture should be injected into one breast, but due to a lack of confidence or excessive ambition, there are many cases where over 300cc is injected," said Director Shin. "In such cases, side effects occur where the cells cannot breathe and undergo necrosis, or become entangled with nearby tissues and undergo calcification; ultimately, revision surgery to remove them may be necessary."

Shin Dong-jin, director of SC301 Clinic, pointed out, “It is true that there is an overflow of doctors promoting stem cell procedures out of greed, ignoring the fact that acquiring proper equipment at current market prices requires high costs and months of training.” He added, “This causes patients to waste their money and time, and carries the lurking risk of side effects that could lead to revision surgery or even a third surgery.” SC301 Clinic argued that since the cost of equipment and personnel for stem cell extraction amounts to 5 to 8 million won in terms of raw materials alone, one must be suspicious of medical institutions offering stem cell breast augmentation for less than 10 million won.

Director Shin has performed over 6000 total cases of stem cell-based breast augmentation and facial fat grafting combined. Following the publication of a paper in the academic journal of Shandong University Medical School in China between 2012 and 2015 proving a 70% engraftment rate for 'stem cell breast augmentation,' he further established himself as a leading authority on stem cells in South Korea by publishing a paper in the British Oxford Journal of Aesthetic Medicine last March stating that the engraftment rate reached 75.1% three months after stem cell breast and fat grafting.
​