Plastic surgery continues to be a boom industry in the UK, with everything from nose jobs to tummy tucks to breast augmentation growing by between ten and twenty per cent each year.
However, procedures remain expensive and are often difficult to reverse, and so doctors are keen to make sure that their patients are certain that they want to go under the knife.
Digital image manipulation has been used for years to show patients how they should look after the surgery, but for breast augmentation there is a new procedure that can temporarily increase breast size for a period of two to three weeks.
The procedure, pioneered by Dr Norman Rowe, will be marketed to women not just as a way to experience having a larger cup size before having surgery, but also to women wanting to adjust their appearance before a holiday or special event.
However, some surgeons in the UK have raised concerns about the potential risks of the procedure, such as bruising, asymmetrical breasts, and even punctured lungs.
New York-based Rowe has already successfully developed a procedure, called InstaBreast, which takes just 20 minutes and gives women augmented breasts for a 24-hr period at a cost of $2,500 (£1,600). The treatment works by injecting a saline solution into the breast, and can increase the size by up to a cup and a half.
Rowe intends his new procedure, which is currently referred to as ‘Vacation Breasts’, to last two to three weeks, making it suitable for holidays or special occasions. While the procedure is not yet available as he is awaiting FDA approval, Rowe has said that he believes it could give women who are considering surgery “a feeling of what a potential ‘under the knife’ operation will feel like day to day” and give them an idea about whether a permanent operation is suitable for them.
However, British surgeon Dr Ash Mosahebi has raised some concerns about the procedure. He acknowledges the treatment is viable and could be useful to help women determine whether they would be happy with larger breasts before committing to surgery, but said:
“I can see why this is being looked at, and sometimes temporary solutions kind of work. But for me the main issue is the chance of getting infections and the chance of further complications.”
The further complications that Dr Mosahebi mentions are manifold. Rowe has not yet confirmed exactly what solution he intends to use for the ‘Vacation Breasts’ procedure, and a risk is that the breasts will absorb the solution at different speeds. This could mean that women are left with mismatching breasts, with no guarantee that they will return to normal within the three week timeframe. Another potential risk, although extreme, is that the needle may be inserted too far and puncture a lung. Along the same lines, although less severe, is the risk of the needle hitting a blood vessel, which could cause severe bruising and discomfort – not something that women who are getting ready for a holiday or special occasion want to have to deal with.
Mr Nazar Kazzazi, a Medical Director from UK cosmetic surgery company MYA, also voiced his concerns on the procedure, saying:
“The risks of the procedure, especially infection and consequent damage to the breast, with other risks including rupturing the lung, bleeding and haematoma formation in the breast, and giving unequal/irregular breasts, from the process of introducing the needle and saline would greatly outweigh the benefit of the short-lasting breast enlargement.”
Temporary procedures may be part of the future of cosmetic surgery, but as with any procedure patients should be fully aware and prepared for the risks and possible complications that come with new techniques.