Scared to spend the money for Brava, and have it not work

Question

I'm really scared to spend the money for Brava, and have it not work. I work at McDonalds and only make minimum wage. Would my Mcinsurance pay for any part of the treatment? And is there any way that I could get any sort of discount?

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS · Answer

I had patients interested in Brava when it first came out years ago, and many were convinced they liked the idea of "natural" breast enlargement without implants. After the first 10 patients, we reviewed our results and found that 1 had terrible skin irritation from the "protectant" used beneath the suction cups (had to stop after less than 2 weeks), and of those who completed a full 12 weeks (several tried a few more without success) nobody had larger than a 1/2 cup size increase.

	In a nutshell, Brava is a waste of money, a bigger waste of time, and a tremendously difficult program to follow as it is designed. Unless the company has (recently) revised its recommendations, 3-4 weeks (only) of treatment is even more worthless! I really can't believe reputable ABPS-certified plastic surgeons would even offer this as an option to their patients; the actual results are so minimal, and whatever (tiny) enlargement might be seen is gradually lost over time. This is truly one of those "great ideas" that totally flopped!

	You would have better luck buying the Emperor's clothes (they look lovely, I hear!)

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Brava has been available since early 2000's. I doubt any insurance will pay for this at home 24/7 device used for months. The risk is if it does not reach the goal you desire than you are out the fee, approx $3,000. I think you need to discuss with a Brava and non Brava surgeons.

Peter E. Johnson, MD · Answer

The suction systems to enhance the breast have been around for one hundred, yes 100 years, and the Brava system is one of the more recent. I do not know the cost, though the effort required is fairly great, and the results are modest. Review the web site carefully to make sure you understand the method and expected result. Insurance is very unlikely to help, though you can always check E-bay to see if one come up in your price range.

	Best of luck,

	peterejohnsonmd

E. Anthony Musarra II, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

The Brava system does work.  You must be committed to wearing the device for 3 to 4 weeks. I doubt your insurance would cover it, but it never hurts to ask.  Discounts are offered by some surgeons.  Again, it never hurts to ask.

Scared to spend the money for Brava, and have it not work

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Scared to spend the money for Brava, and have it not work

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