Three years ago I decided to look into having some sort of medical procedure done to slow down the natural process of aging causing my breasts to lose volume.
I struggled to find the right specialist because I wanted my breast to look as natural as possible after the surgery without large horizontal scars under my boobies or vertical scars on my breast itself after mastopexy.
After several disappointing trips to visit various plastic surgeons, I found someone who offered me exactly what I wanted:
- Full perky breast with only two small scars under my armpits
- Silicone ergonomic implants designed to make my breast look and feel as natural as possible.
In this blog post, I am looking at the history of breast enlargement surgery and discuss the augmentation options available between 1889 and 2021.
If I was to make my boobies looking bigger in [b]1889[/b], my only option would be to get vaseline/paraffin injections from surgeon Robert Gersuny. Despite serious complications of paraffin dispersing in my body after this treatment, I would most likely go ahead with it because it was popular for 20 years.
Early 1900: I would be spoiled for choices - Surgeons could offer me implants made of ivory or glass balls; Terylene wool or polymer sponge. Apparently this was not very popular - I wonder why?
In 1950-60, I could have a synthetic filler (like silicone) injected directly into my breast. This would make me happy for a bit but after sometime I would most likely develop silicone granulomas - my tits would become very hard and the surgeon would have to cut off both boobies. Oh well!
In 1961 surgeons Corin and Gerow invented the first silicone filled implant and inserted it to a dog (!) Esmeralda who chewed her stitches and implants were removed. Luckily a year later, they offered implants this time to a woman: Timmie Jean Lindsey who did not chew her stitches and became the first person to receive silicone implants.
In 1964 I could get for the first time smooth round implants filled with a saline solution.
If I waited to have the surgery five years later (1969), the doctor Franklin Ashley could offer me a natural looking implant in a shape of a teardrop with a textured surface to reduce the risk of the implant dislocating.
In 1992 I would most likely get only saline filled implant because U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned silicone ones which started leaking inside the body leading in some cases to a cancer ;-(.
From 2006 onwards, FDA imposed strict rules on the production of saline and silicone implants to make them safer for patients. As a result both types of implants would be available for me that year.
The evolution of breast enlargement surgery over the last 100 years is horrifying and astounding.
I feel lucky that in 2022 instead of paraffin injections I was given a choice of over 450 implants of different shapes. VECTRA 3D software captured 3D images of my breast allowing me to preview surgery results during an in-office consultation. The tools available now for the axillary endoscopic technique to insert the implant (via the armpit) make surgeons more comfortable offering this and that was the main factor why I have decided to do it this year.
There is a chance that in the future I could be offered chemical/hormonal products which will stimulate the breast growth without having implants but for now I am happy to host some “plastic-fantastic polymer” inside me for the next 10-20 years.
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