Is the Results of BRAVA Breast Enhancement Permanent?

Question

Back in 2004, I heard about revoluntionary breast enhancement called BRAVA that increase breast size without surgery or implants. I never heard about it again. Is the results of BRAVA breast enhancement permanent? Can BRAVA uplift the breasts?

George Marosan, MD · Answer

The problem with the BRAVA system was that it is cumbersome, you need to wear it for 10-12 hours/day, can't skip days and the breast eventually "shrank back" to its original size. There is a resaurgence in the BRAVA system to help prepare the breast for autologous fat augmentation. By stretching the breast tissue, you create more vascularity, a better tissue matrix that allows placement of fat and increased survival of fat. The BRAVA system is worn for 6-8 weeks prior to the fat graft procedure. I believe this new application of the BRAVA revolutionized breast reconstruction especially in women who also had radiation. The breast reconstructive techniques with muscle flaps from the back, abdomen or buttocks are long operations with significant risks and not always with natural outcomes. Implant reconstruction is not ideal due to the thinness of the tissues and not able to fill the axillary hollow that is left after a mastectomy. With fat grafting, you get a soft, natural looking breast with no incisions and no scars from muscle flap surgery.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s not unusual for women to
look for nonsurgical methods for breast enhancement.These fall into several categories including
drugs, creams, and exercise.None of
these methods have been shown to be effective for increasing breast size.The
BRAVA system is another nonsurgical method for breast enhancement.This technique utilizes a suction apparatus
which is applied to the breast over the course of time.Low continuous suction over prolonged periods
of time, has been shown to result in mild increases in breast size.The vast majority of patients report an
increase in breast size of no more than one-half cup size.This technique doesn’t appear to impact
breast sag.Maintenance is required to preserve this increase in
breast size.The technique is labor
intensive and in most cases results in minimal increases in breast size.Based on these observations, I feel that for
the majority of patients, breast augmentation with implants is still the best
alternative.If you’re considering
breast enhancement, consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon is the
best option.Unfortunately, this
technique will have no impact on breast sag and breast lift surgery is usually
always necessary to correct this problem.

Jason Hess, MD · Answer

I remain a skeptic with regard to the effectiveness of this device.  It will almost certainly increase the blood supply and swelling of the breast, but long term growth is the real question.  Some studies have confirmed growth following religious use of this device for at least 12 hours per day and only following several months of use.  It is now used to pr expand the breast for ft grafting, which is equally as controversial.  Most would like to avoid implants and seek some natural enhancement of breast volume.  Throughout history, pills and various devices have been marketed for this purpose, but, in my opinion, most of this is simply snake oil.  Good luck!

John Philip Connors III, MD · Answer

The threads of my colleagues have detailed the answer pretty well...NO, the BRAVA will not lift your breast enough to make a significant difference, at least one that is considered "rejuvenated". The only current use for the BRAVA system, which is cumbersome and requires serious dedication by the patient, is to prepare the breast for fat grafting augmentation....and even here it's use is controversial and is being studied by a number of plastic surgeons in controlled research trials.

	Hope this helps!

	Dr. C

	johnconnorsmd.com

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Brava will not uplift the breast. It is essentially a modified lactation pump that acts as an external tissue expander to stretch out the breast to a larger size. It has limited use but has recently gained popularity in the preparation fo the breast for receiving fat grafting.

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Is the Results of BRAVA Breast Enhancement Permanent?

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