2014 Poised to Bring More Breast Augmentation Innovations

    SHREVEPORT, LA, January 12, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dr. Simeon Wall Jr. of The Wall Center for Plastic Surgery (www.wallcenter.com) says 2014 is poised to be another remarkable year for developments related to breast augmentation. The Shreveport, Louisiana plastic surgeon says with new FDA approvals and promising clinical research on the horizon, he believes that 2014 will mark another milestone year for the procedure, which saw significant advances in 2013.

Two long-awaited FDA approvals in 2013 brought new cohesive silicone ("gummy bear") implant options to the market: Allergan's Natrelle 410 and Mentor's Contour Profile Gel (CPG). "These implants are very strong and durable, yet create a very soft, natural-feeling result," says Dr. Wall Jr. "These implants are great for the right patient, but they're not for everyone. It's a great time for women considering breast enhancement. We have so many more options that we had just a few short years ago, and we can pick the implant that will work the best for each and every patient."

2014 looks to bring more new implant types to the mix, with a hybridized product called IDEAL IMPLANT anticipated to achieve FDA approval this year. IDEAL IMPLANT was designed to offer patients the natural-looking results typically associated with gel implants, and the peace of mind of saline in a single implant. It features lowered edges to better contour to the chest wall, and a series of interior baffles said to control the movement of the saline, reducing bounce and minimizing wrinkling and rippling. The Wall Center will be among a select few practices in the world to initially offer this new implant when it is approved. "The IDEAL IMPLANT is intriguing, and very well made," says Dr. Wall Jr. "It will provide a nice compromise for women who just aren't comfortable with gel-filled implants, despite their record of safety."

The Wall Center for Plastic Surgery has a record of offering the latest options for breast implants to its Shreveport, Louisiana patients. Routinely invited to participate in clinical trials, the practice is often among the first to debut highly anticipated products. One example is the adjustable gel implant, which is scheduled to begin clinical trials in the near future. The practice is one of only 28 in the country invited to test these innovative implants. The Wall Center is also part of the ongoing Mentor CPG study, which includes a number of shapes and sizes of CPG implants not yet FDA-approved.

In addition to new advancements in implants, research into fat grafting for breast augmentation has increased dramatically, a trend that promises to continue in 2014. The procedure involves harvesting the patient's own fat from another part of the body, usually the abdomen, hips or thighs, then injecting it into the breasts. Dr. Wall Jr. pioneered breast fat equalization many years ago by utilizing his experience with SAFELipo and fat shifting, and has found that fat grafting of the breasts has become more and more popular in his practice over the last few years. This procedure is usually reserved for women who want a very modest size increase, or targeted fullness of the breasts such as with a breast lift. Dr. Wall Jr. also finds fat grafting of the breast to be useful in conjunction with breast implants, typically referred to as a composite breast augmentation. Women who need correction of contour irregularities also benefit from fat grafting with or without additional procedures.

Dr. Wall says "Historically, fat transfer results have been highly variable, as a significant portion of the transferred fat may be reabsorbed by the body, which means patients required multiple sessions. With experience gained over 15 years fat grafting, my results have become much more predictable, with more of the fat 'taking'. With continued research into better techniques for harvesting, handling, and treating the fat, we'll see even better results with fat transfer to the breasts, and less need for multiple fat grafting sessions."

Since breast augmentation is perennially one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries, researchers and plastic surgeons have good motivation to continue refining the procedure and the outcome. "Breast augmentation has improved by leaps and bounds over the past several years," says Dr. Wall Jr. "I'm proud of the part The Wall Center has played, and excited to see what 2014 will bring."

The Wall Center for Plastic Surgery (www.wallcenter.com) was founded in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1970 by Dr. Simeon Wall Sr. His son, Dr. Simeon Wall Jr., and daughter-in-law, Dr. Holly Wall, joined the practice after completing their general surgery and plastic surgery residencies at Stanford University. This family of board-certified plastic surgeons specializes in cosmetic surgery for the breast, body and face, and serves patients from Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The practice performs more than 2,000 cosmetic surgery procedures each year, and has earned special recognition from each of the 3 major U.S. breast implant manufacturers. The doctors have been selected as "Top Plastic Surgeons" by their peers and by consumer groups alike.

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