Surgeons welcome withdrawal of controversial 'boob jab'
BAAPS had urged caution on ‘Lunchtime Boob Job’ injectable
20 April 2012 (Last updated: 27 Mar 2019 11:56)
London – 20 April, 2012 – In the wake of the PIP breast implant scandal, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (www.baaps.org.uk ) welcomes the decision by manufacturers to withdraw a controversial treatment that had been marketed to women as a ‘lunchtime boob job’. The injectable filler Macrolane, meant for body contouring (such as for the buttocks) has this week been withdrawn for use in the breast, due to a ‘lack of consensus’ regarding cancer screening results of breasts treated with the product.
A survey among BAAPS members had previously shown that one in four surgeons were seeing patient complications stemming from the use of Macrolane (http://www.baaps.org.uk/about-us/press-releases/491-1-in-4-surgeons-fixing-botched-permanent-filler-ops). A study published over a year ago in the International Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, co-authored by former BAAPS President Barry Jones and BAAPS President-Elect Rajiv Grover, warned it could interfere with breast screening and noted that patients were needing corrective surgery after the treatment (http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/1748-6815/PIIS1748681510001087.pdf).
According to consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS President Fazel Fatah;
“The concept of simply injecting a temporary filler to augment the breast may seem appealing – especially to those marketing ‘lunchtime boob jobs’ – but any treatment can only be considered safe once it is known what long term effect it has on cancer screening as this can affect such a high proportion of women. Without good long term studies over 5 to 10 years it is wise that Macrolane has finally been withdrawn for breast use. At the BAAPS we have been calling for dermal fillers to be reclassified as medicines, which will require further studies into their efficacy and safety similar to the US Food and Drug Administration’s approval process.”
Fazel Fatah concludes;
“We have urged caution in the past against the use of fillers in the breast, especially when there is a lack of peer-reviewed results from controlled clinical trials. We have publicly aired concerns before regarding lump formation and capsular contracture in the breast from the use of Macrolane – these are problems that can cause significant anxiety to patients who then must be subjected to scans and invasive diagnostic (and even surgical) procedures.”
ENDS
About the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
The BAAPS (www.baaps.org.uk ), based at the Royal College of Surgeons, is a not-for-profit organisation, established for the advancement of education and practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for public benefit. Members undergo thorough background screening before they can join. Information about specific procedures and surgeons’ contact details can be found on the website, or by contacting their office at 020 7430 1840. Further materials can be posted to members of the public seeking specialised information. BAAPS is also on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BAAPSMedia and Facebook: www.facebook.com/BritishAssociationofAestheticPlasticSurgeons
For all media enquiries, please contact pr@baaps.org.uk
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