The economy may be in meltdown, but a girl still has to look her best — whatever the cost. Anna Coogan on 10 of the latest treatments to help enhance your cleavage
By Anna Coogan
Research — it’s all about researching whatever procedure you’re going to have, breast or otherwise,” says Ailish Carthy, managing director of Cosmedico Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Wicklow, about new boob-boosting treatments.
“We’ve had lots of queries about Macrolane filler for breasts and thought about introducing it, but then two girls came in looking for breast augmentation — one was going to audition for a girlband — and both had already had the filler, and we saw the results,” says Ailish.
Boob jobs are not going away, if anything they’re becoming more popular, with Sex and The City writer Candace Bushnell writing about 18-year-old American girls getting bigger boobs for their birthdays in her new novel One Fifth Avenue, and celebrating with pool parties to show off their new physiques.
So breast surgery is a rite of passage for American teenagers, and we know whatever happens Stateside eventually infiltrates Dublin youth culture.
Just like it’s teenagers and young women who make up most custom in salons looking for Brazilian and French waxes before hitting the beach and nightclubs.
Unfortunately, young women are the worst for researching cosmetic procedures, often getting carried away on the promise of a quick fix.
“I’m not saying Macrolane doesn’t work for some women, but I haven’t been impressed with what I’ve seen. I could see the filler in the breasts, and the girls couldn’t have breast augmentation for 18 months afterwards,” says clinic boss Ailish.
Here’s a round-up of the latest bust-boosting treatments — because cleavage is in this winter and you may feel you need help to do it as best you can.
Just don’t forget to research your surgeon or doctor and procedure before signing on the dotted line. After all, if celebrities can get it wrong — and celebrities who’ve been accused of bad boob jobs include Courtney Love, Tori Spelling, Tara Reid, Pamela Anderson and Christina Aguilera — then anyone on an average budget has to be extra careful. Remember, you want your curves to resemble those of Holly Willoughby or Kelly Brook, and not Victoria Beckham.
This is an injectable filler containing hyaluronic acid and is injected deep into the breasts with a thick needle resembling a knitting needle. It aims to give breasts a round and full look, and involves the use of local anaesthetic. The entire procedure takes about 30 minutes and it is temporary — patients are recommended to go in for treatment once a year or every 18 months.
There was a big fuss about this procedure last spring when American surgeons began introducing it in clinics. Botox is traditionally used to smooth out facial lines, but the Botox boob job involves injections into the pectoral muscles which subsequently raises the back and improves posture, and as a result boobs are lifted. Just like the face, the effects wear off, making top-ups necessary.
Transfer of fat from either your tummy or bottom to fill out your breasts. Doctors have experimented with augmenting breasts with fat before, the Wall Street Journal reports, but previous tests led to “hard lumps or calcifications” because the fat “died” once it was grafted. The new fat put into breast tissue is sent to a lab prior to insertion, so that the stem cells within can be fortified. This process is all the rage in Asia.
The Gold Thread Lift procedure is a form of thread lift surgery designed to lift the sagging underlying tissues of the cheek and jaw line by threading a web of gold into your skin and deeper soft tissues. Now it’s being used to plump out cleavage creases by stimulating collagen production in the skin. Considered best for sun worshippers with a damaged decolletage, and not recommended for women over 45.
Combines micro-current therapy and deeply penetrating skin care. This treatment uses both a faradic (intermittent) and galvanic (constant) micro-currents to stimulate muscle fibres, which achieves a toning effect and improves surface skin texture. Combined with intensive muscle-toning formulations, skin is toned and the texture smoothed. Fans say it restores elasticity to breast skin. Sadie Frost is said to be a fan.
The Caci Bust treatment aims to lift, tone and strengthen muscles around the bust area, and is another alternative to a breast lift implant. The bust is massaged with cotton-tipped probes, which deliver tiny micro-impulses to firm the underlying tissue and fill out the breast. Viewed as a good choice for women who want to eliminate the concave look that may occur after breastfeeding or weight loss.
The Brava Breast Enhancement System is a clunky-looking bra which aims to increase your breast size by a whole cup size, and has found a market among women who want to ditch the chicken fillets without undergoing the knife. The bra uses vacuum pressure to expand breast tissue, and should be worn every night for about 10 weeks to achieve an increase in breast size.
The ingredients in herbal pills which claim to increase breast size are mostly extracts from rye, wheat, malt, barley, hops, oats and maize, which are all rich in plant hormones called phytoestrogens — oestrogen-like (the female hormone) chemicals. These are said to stimulate breast tissue growth in the same way that oestrogen does at puberty and in pregnancy. They are claimed to be over 80pc effective. The tablets must be taken for about three months to increase breast size by one cup.
Claims to eradicate wrinkles/crepey skin from the cleavage to give a younger appearance. Lasers create a pattern of microscopic wounds which trigger the body’s natural healing process and stimulate collagen for a fresher skin tone.
Plant extracts are reportedly pressure-injected deep into skin using a high-tech oxygen wand. Natural plant hormones stimulate growth in delicate breast tissue, firming sagging skin.