The History of Breast Aesthetics

POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics GmbH 2021-01-19
According to the latest ISAPS survey statistics, Breast Augmentation continues to be the most common plastic surgery procedure, with more than 1.84M procedures performed in 2018, representing a 6% growth compared to 2017 and a 27% increase in the past 4 years!

But how did the Breast Aesthetic procedures begin? And how did they develop over time? 

In the infographic below, you can find a brief history of Breast Aesthetic procedures in the last 125 years!

1895 Surgeon Vincenz Czerny performed the earliest breast augmentation using the patient's autologous adipose tissue harvested from a benign lumbar lipoma.

1900 In the first half of the twentieth century, physicians used other substances as fillers for breasts or breast implants - ivory, glass balls, ground rubber, ox cartilage, Terylene wool among others.

In 1961, the American plastic surgeons Thomas Cronin and Frank Gerow, and the Dow Corning Corporation, developed the first silicone breast prosthesis, filled with silicone gel. 

1962 the first augmentation mammoplasty was performed using the Cronin–Gerow Implant.

1992 FDA banned silicone implants in cosmetic procedures after complaints that the devices ruptured - and among concerns that they could lead to health problems.

2006 Those links were never confirmed and when the FDA lifted the ban, it said silicone implants are "safe and effective." 

2008 POLYTECH establishes full production in its facility in Dieburg, Germany, becoming the first and only breast implant manufacturer to have its products 100% “Made in Germany”.

2010 PIP Breast Implants banned in Europe.

2013 B-Lite® implants gain CE approval, introducing a new category of Lightweight Breast Implants. 

2018 B-Lite® is now part of POLYTECH, expands its global reach, strengthening the company commitment to innovation.