An interesting new procedure is sweeping across social media and news desks: “Vacation” breast implants. Apparently, physicians are marketing a saline injection into the breasts in order to give an “implant look” without implants. Physician’s administering the procedure say the effects will last from 24-48 hours. Allegedly, women wanting a “breast boost” for an event, can come in, have the injection, and then experience the extra oomph in their breasts for a couple of days.
William P. Adams Jr. MD, a board certified plastic surgeon and renowned breast augmentation expert from Dallas, finds this procedure to be a horrifying mix of ill-advice and marketing scam. Dr. Adams conducts a simple study to prove to patients curious about this procedure that a shot of saline is nothing close to having real breast implants.
By William P. Adams Jr., MD
and Adam McMillon
The Plastic Surgery Channel
Harpooning patients for a quick dime
Utilizing a breast implant, saline solution, and some sandwich bags, Dr. Adams proves his point be performing a quick comparison between what a vacation breast procedure might result in and how a real breast implant looks on a patient.
“We did a simple bench study and took an implant, putting it in a plastic sandwich bag,” says Dr. Adams. “You can see how the implant itself has a confined distribution of volume. There’s a shape that it imparts onto the sandwich bag. Conversely, look at the sandwich bag that we’re injecting saline into. This looks nothing like the one with the implant, in fact the saline is dripping out because there’s nothing to confine it.”
“This procedure does not mimic a breast implant. Which would you rather have?”
Marketing spin, big bucks, and no reward for patients
Physician’s marketing this vacation breast procedure are slapping on price tags of up to $3000. That’s a lot of money for a temporary, poorly devised procedure to improperly boost breast volume. “If you’re a patient who is interested in this procedure, they say this lasts 24 hours, but it doesn’t last anything close to 24 hours,” says Adams. “Science tells us that the saline is almost fully absorbed in 1 to 2 hours. Regardless, injecting saline in a breast does not mimic a breast with an implant in any way. And, surprise, surprise, there is a much better scientific alternative.”
The true way to see what an implant might look like on you: 3D imaging
“There was a study published recently that showed 3 dimensional imaging was 98% accurate in showing women what they’re going to look like after a breast augmentation,” says Adams. “You can come in during your consult and in 5-10 minutes, see a very accurate simulation of what you would look like with a breast implant. You don’t have to be harpooned or harmed by someone trying to inject saline into your breast, and it doesn’t cost 2000 or 3000 dollars.”
“Ultimately, this is a marketing gimmick. If you’re a patient who saw this and thought it might have some value, stop right there. It is a bad idea and has no value to you as a patient.”