For the past 5 years, there was an injectable filler called Macrolane that was being used in the UK for all sorts of body contouring operations – including breast augmentation. As you might imagine, the idea of a “lunchtime” breast augmentation by injection – in 45 minutes without the need for implants – became quite popular in the U.K.
A spokesman for the British equivalent of the FDA, known as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said: “This is not because of safety concerns with the product itself but because the product may interfere with the reading of mammograms and could make diagnosis more difficult. The product can still be used in its other indications, such as augmenting body contour and correcting soft tissue defects.”
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) said that in a survey of its members, 25% of surgeons reported patient complications after the use of Macrolane.
