The History of Breast Augmentation Surgery

Women have been trying to enhance their bust size for ages. In early times, this was accomplished by clever padding, cinching, and costuming. Then came brassieres, which were stuffed with everything from tissue paper to nylon hose filled with birdseed. Still, women wanted a better, longer-lasting solution. In 1895, Austrian-German surgeon Vincenz Czerny carried out the first breast augmentation surgery. The first breast implant patient had had a tumor removed from her breast. Czerny took fatty tissue from a benign tumor on the patient's back and implanted it into her breast to "avoid asymmetry". This procedure earned him the title "Father of cosmetic breast surgery". For years to follow, various substances were stuffed and injected into women's breasts, often with disastrous results. Some of these materials included ivory, wool, paraffin, ground rubber, sponges, and various plastics. As you can imagine, the results of these early forays into breast augmentation were less than suitable.

In 1945, a Dr. Berson took the tissue from a woman's chest wall and rotated it into her breast region to add fullness there. This approach was abandoned in favor of silicone gel injections in the 1950's and 60's. Again, the results were horrific. About 50,000 women had silicone injected into their breasts, and many of those experienced necrosis, lumps, and hardening of the breasts. Some women had to undergo mastectomies just to find relief. In 1962, the first silicone breast implants came on the scene. They were looked on with suspicion by the Food and Drug Administration.

In 1992, concerns were raised about their safety and the risks associated with this breast augmentation surgery, with some patients claiming that their silicone implants had given them systemic diseases. Their use would eventually be limited to breast reconstruction following mastectomies and carefully controlled clinical studies. Saline implants soon took their place, but many women complained about the quality of these substitutes. After years of intense scrutiny, silicone gel implants were cleared of any link to systemic illnesses.

They were approved for use once again in 2006. Now women have their choice of silicone or saline breast implants. What will the future hold for breast augmentation? Some people think injections will make a comeback, using long-lasting fillers such as Restylane. Others believe that softer, more realistic materials will be developed for breast implants. Regardless, there is one thing we can be sure of: breast augmentation surgery will continue to be in demand.