[Hankook Ilbo] 'Stem Cell Plastic Surgery' in Name Only Floods the Market

'100% Autologous Stem Cell Transplant!' 'Promote Recovery with Stem Cell Therapy!' 'Even Breast Augmentation with Stem Cells!'… .

In Seoul's Gangnam plastic surgery district, advertisements for stem cell treatments employing all sorts of flowery language are flooding the airwaves. However, as there are not many hospitals actually providing proper stem cell treatments, appropriate oversight by health authorities and caution from patients are required. Moon Ji-sook, a professor of bioengineering at CHA University, stated, "While stem cells have infinite potential to realize the dream of eternal youth, they can become toxic if misused; therefore, their use must be strictly restricted until their safety is verified."

Stem cells extracted from thigh and abdominal fat

Stem cell therapy is a field gaining significant attention in the cosmetic surgery industry. A prime example is "stem cell breast augmentation," which involves harvesting fat from the patient's thighs and abdomen, extracting adult stem cells from it, and transplanting them. This procedure represents a further advancement from "autologous fat grafting breast augmentation," which involves harvesting fatty tissue from the abdomen or thighs and transplanting it into the breasts, as an alternative to the insertion of implants that can look unnatural and cause significant rejection due to foreign substances.

However, a major drawback of autologous fat graft breast augmentation was that the survival rate of transplanted fat cells was only 10–20%. Therefore, stem cell breast augmentation emerged in 2008 as a surgical method that significantly increases the survival and engraftment rates of fat cells by transplanting stem cells extracted from adipose tissue along with the fat cells. Currently, the engraftment rate of stem cell breast augmentation exceeds 70% on average. To achieve such a high engraftment rate, more than 3,000 million extracted adipose-derived adult stem cells are required.

Shin Dong-jin, the representative director of SC301 Clinic who has pioneered the field of stem cell breast augmentation surgery, said, “If stem cells are separated from fat and then combined with pure fat cells and transplanted into the breast area, the engraftment rate of fat cells can be raised to over 70%.” Director Shin explained, “The anti-inflammatory effects of stem cells, differentiation into fat cells, and induction of angiogenesis are factors that increase the engraftment rate.”

Chief Director Shin has proven the efficacy and safety of breast augmentation using adipose-derived adult stem cells through three 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 chest 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 than in younger ones." He added, "Stem cell breast augmentation is an eco-friendly medical technology in that it is biocompatible and does not use artificial chemicals."

A scene showing a breast augmentation surgery using stem cells, which is gaining popularity in the beauty industry. Korea Times file photo

You should find a hospital with extensive experience in stem cell surgery.

Riding the wave of popularity for stem cell cosmetic surgery, numerous procedures utilizing stem cells are being performed at dozens of clinics, primarily in the Gangnam area of ​​Seoul. However, surgeries that are merely "stem cell cosmetic surgery in name only" and are in reality nothing more than autologous fat breast grafting are flooding the market, deceiving consumers. While stem cell cosmetic surgery and autologous fat grafting are similar in that they utilize fat tissue harvested from areas where unnecessary fat has accumulated, such as the thighs and abdomen, the transplanted fat may not properly engraft if the procedure is not performed accurately after sufficient stem cells are extracted, or if pre- and post-operative care is inadequate.

Therefore, various conditions must be met for stem cell cosmetic surgery to be performed properly. Chief Director Shin emphasized, “First of all, the patient must have a sufficient amount of fat, and the quality of the fat must also be good.”

In addition, it is necessary to verify the extraction equipment used for stem cell cosmetic procedures. Many clinics advertise that they perform stem cell cosmetic procedures equipped with the latest equipment. However, the most advanced equipment among stem cell extraction devices is the TGI, which is the only device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for research purposes. In the case of the domestically produced HuriCell, the supply of consumables has been cut off for the past year, rendering it unusable. Industry experts explain that other equipment cannot properly extract stem cells.

It is essential to carefully check whether hospitals and clinics offering stem cell therapy are equipped with sterile operating rooms and sterile laboratories. A sterile surgical system is crucial as a preventive measure to minimize infection and damage issues arising from the external exposure of autologous tissues extracted during liposuction. Furthermore, while the surgery itself is important, finding a clinic that provides proper post-operative care during the engraftment period is key to maximizing the survival rate.

In addition, you should check whether the clinic has medical staff with extensive experience in stem cell cosmetic surgery. Since the fat material used for stem cell breast augmentation is limited, it is difficult to repeat the procedure if it fails due to a mistake; therefore, you must choose carefully when undergoing the surgery for the first time.

To achieve the desired effects of stem cell breast augmentation, the procedure requires sufficient equipment, systems, and expertise to extract a sufficient amount of stem cells during surgery. Pre-operative care may be necessary depending on the condition of the breasts, and thorough post-operative care is essential to ensure successful engraftment. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to choose a hospital with ample experience and a properly equipped system for stem cell breast augmentation.