When I think about this topic, I just can’t get past the vision of Madonna’s metal-looking cone shaped bra. I am definitely old enough to remember that look she sported in the 1980’s, and I’m old enough to bemoan sagging breasts too. But opt for a man-made internal bra to support my chest in my golden years? Not sure about that one.
To be fair, internal bras currently being pioneered in Europe and around the world look nothing like bizarre, industrial rock star lingerie. According to a November 2009 article in the Daily Mail, a U.K. periodical, one version of the internal bra is the brainchild of Eyal Gur, an Israeli plastic surgeon. Made of silicone, it’s a quarter moon shaped cup with two thin straps. The silicone cup is inserted through two small incisions under the breast on either side. The straps travel upward and get attached to ribs higher on the chest.
Dubbed the “Cup & Up” bra, Dr. Gur believes it will be available across Europe within the next year. He operated on his first patient last fall and stated there are many more volunteering to try the new device. Dr. Gur says that a breast lift with the Cup & Up is less invasive than a traditional breast lift, cost less and last longer.
In South Africa, plastic surgeons have another idea for a lift assist: the Internal Bra System. Unlike the Cup & Up with its sling approach, the Internal Bra System is a fabric mesh cone designed to be inserted under the skin. The fabric, called Breform, is similar to the material often used internally to support hernia repair.
The idea behind the Internal Bra System is for the mesh cone to take the stress off the skin. Breast tissue is supported in place by the fabric, which will not sag over the years as skin inevitably does. An additional benefit is that the scars surgery leaves behind will not stretch.
A breast lift using the Internal Bra System requires incisions similar to a traditional breast lift. The difference is, whereas many women today require a breast implant to restore a perky look, the Breform cone eliminates the need for a silicone or saline implant. The mesh becomes incorporated into breast tissue over the years, doctors say. They believe its unlikely the breasts will sag again, which is not something a patient can expect with a traditional lift.
The Internal Bra System has been tested in more than 600 European women to date, says a February 2010 article in the New York Daily News. And a trial with 170 women in The Netherlands found no serious complications after four years.
If you’re thinking you might want breast lift surgery here in the U.S., don’t count on one of these options being available to you any time soon. Neither one is anywhere near gaining FDA approval. Still, it’s encouraging that researchers continue to come up with new and improved ways to help us keep looking young.