The History of Breast Augmentation
Published on May 18, 2012 by Stephen Ronan
Advancements in the field of medicine have led more and more women to undergo breast augmentation through the use of breast implants. To every patient’s benefit, the implants and procedure methods have changed greatly over the years. Read on for a brief history of breast augmentation.
The first breast enhancement operation took place in the spring of 1962 when Timmie Jean Lindsey visited her local hospital to have a tattoo removed from her breasts—at this time, doctors Frank Gerow and Thomas Cronin asked if she would be interested in volunteering for the first breast enhancement procedure. Dr. Frank Gerow developed the idea for a new kind of breast implant after squeezing a plastic blood bag and discovering how similar it felt to natural breast tissue, which led to conception of the first silicone breast implants.
Silicone breast implants were first tested on a dog named Esmeralda in which the implant was inserted under the skin. After a few weeks, she chewed at her stiches, compromising the implant and necessitating its removal. However, the procedure demonstrated the safety of silicone breast implants, leading surgeons to begin testing the procedure on human patients. Silicone breast implants were later presented during the 1963 assembly of the International Society of Plastic Surgeons in Washington DC.
Development of the breast implant was spurred by enthusiasm for curvier silhouettes during the 1950s. At this time, the idea of bigger breasts was becoming increasingly popular—a trend that was partially attributed to the creation of Barbie dolls and Playboy Magazine. Female stars like Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe also increased the popularity of breast implant procedures as women strived to look like these busty and beautiful celebrities.