Taken from
Yahoo News (click for link)LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Women eager to have bigger breasts now have an alternative to surgical implants: a twin-dome device that uses suction to stimulate cell growth. And there is apparently no shortage of candidates.
The annual number of surgical breast augmentations has doubled to 203,310 in 2000 since 1997, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and implants are the second most popular cosmetic surgery after liposuction.
The trade group credits increased social acceptance of plastic surgery for the trend. Others say advertising, lower costs and media coverage of **28**' surgery contribute to the demand for enhanced breasts.
The new vacuum-powered apparatus, known as Brava, consists of oversize plastic cones fitted under a large zip-up sports bra that has to be worn at least 10 hours a day for a minimum of 10 weeks.
``There is tremendous interest from women who do not want breast implants,'' said Dr. Richard Fleming, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who has patients using the Brava system.
Yet some doctors say there are still questions about how much permanent extra breast tissue the new system can deliver.
In initial studies, 200 women using it added a bra cup size to their breasts, according to the Miami company that developed and markets the system. Brava LLC says the idea of using tension to stimulate tissue growth is far from new, but they are the first to use it to trigger breasts to grow.
After being placed over each breast, the system's plastic domes are connected to a machine that draws air out of the domes and pulls on the breast tissue.
CHEAPER THAN IMPLANTS
In addition to avoiding the pain and complications of surgery, the new breast enhancement method, at $2,000 to $2,500, costs a lot less than implants, which run about $5,000 to $6,000, Fleming said.
Surgeons groups estimate that up to 20 million women in the United States want larger breasts, but only a small percentage are willing to undergo surgery to attain their body image.
But Dr. Robert Greenberg, a past president of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons, asked: ``How many women are really willing to wear a suction-cup apparatus for a minimum of 10 hours a day for 10 weeks?''
For all the trouble, the Brava system offers only minimal enhancement, he said, adding: ``It is yet to be determined whether the enlargement will persist for the long term.''
Sara, a 29-year-old patient of Fleming who has been using the Brava system for five weeks, says she is very happy with the results so far. ``There was a lot of swelling during the first week, but now it's a lot less.''
She said she straps the Brava system on at night before going to **82** and, so far, she is up a bra size. ``I was always talking with friends about whether to get a boob job or not, but I've never had surgery before and the idea scared me. Also, I've seen them (implants) and they don't look real,'' she said.
In the early 1990s, thousands of lawsuits were filed against makers of silicone gel breast implants by women alleging that the implants were prone to leakage and raised their risk of developing chronic diseases.
'FULLER, LARGER BREASTS WITHOUT SURGERY'
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) (FDA) banned silicone implants for most women in 1992 and their use is restricted to reconstruction after breast cancer surgery.
Women undergoing breast augmentation now receive saline-filled implants, a silicone shell filled with sterile saltwater, but other types are being tested.
``The Brava system is the first FDA-approved device to offer women the opportunity to have fuller, larger and firmer breasts without undergoing surgery,'' Fleming said.
A spokeswoman for Brava said the FDA reviewed the system for safety and effectiveness but decided not to regulate it.
Fleming and his partner, Dr. Toby Mayer, both specialists in head and neck surgery, are fellows of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.
``This is a relatively new procedure that's been tried on a limited number of patients. Its effectiveness has not been answered in a large group of patients,'' Greenberg said.
He noted that there are a great number of women who for various reasons want to have larger breasts. ``Some of them have seen their breast shape change after giving birth and breast-feeding, some were born with small breasts, and some have significant asymmetry,'' the plastic surgeon said.
``In all fairness, women should know that this (the Brava system) is still in its early stages,'' Greenberg added.
Sara said her friends, some of whom have tried pills billed as breast-enhancers that failed to work as advertised, are waiting to see her final results. ``I will go in at the end of 10 weeks and take some pictures,'' she said. ``They've done studies showing that the effect lasts for 1-1/2 years out.''