Lunch break boob jobs?
Women could be having boob jobs in their lunch hour as early as next year, according to Chemistry and Industry magazine.
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A new procedure developed by US biotech company Cytori - called Celution - takes just over an hour. Fat is taken from the bottom or belly using a minor liposuction procedure. Useful stem cells are separated out and then injected into breast tissue. The breasts enlarge over about six months.
Although the idea of using fat to reconstruct parts of the body is not new, breast reconstructions have failed because fat tends to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream. The Celution procedure overcame that problem by mixing fat-derived stem cells with the patient's own fat so it grows and regenerates within the breast to become a permanent addition.
The initial focus will be on reconstructive surgery for breast cancer patients following partial mastectomies - or lumpectomies - that remove tumours but spare the rest of the breast. But the company plans to expand its use to cosmetic breast enhancement.
The process has been approved in Germany, making it legal across the EU, but clinicians will have to wait until trials end early in 2008 before they can recommend the procedure to patients. It is expected to cost about £2,000 per breast.
Watch the New You video Beautiful eyes - for a natural alternative to cosmetic surgery.
