When Houston, TX plastic surgeon Courtney El-Zokm, MD’s patient Amy Beth came to him for a breast surgery to replace the implants that didn’t suit her anymore, he recommended giving her breasts an added lift using an internal bra made of a dissolvable biological mesh.
“I had my implants in for more than 10 years and I wanted a revision,” says Amy Beth. “My breasts were so heavy; they had begun to fall to the side. Because they needed a lot of structure and support, I chose to have the internal bra done as part of my surgery.”
Usually performed as part of a breast lift or breast augmentation procedure, Dr. Courtney tells his patients to think the internal bra as a temporary scaffolding that helps give an added lift and shaping. “This new advanced mesh technology helps support the weight of an implant or large, heavy breasts that have a lot of tissue. It reduces the risk of sagging, and my patients are loving the results.”
How It Works
“The material is a flexible, oval-shaped mesh made from a natural derivative,” Dr. Courtney says. “During the procedure, I insert it into the lower part of the breast underneath the implant and suspend it to the chest wall to give the breasts a natural sling,” he says. “It’s truly an invisible bra and after the procedure you won’t be able to see or feel the mesh underneath your skin. The best part is that it’s made from a naturally derived that helps generate new collagen production in the area it’s placed.”
What It’s Made Of
The GalaFlex mesh Dr. Courtney uses is made from the same type of material used in a thread lift, he notes. Thread lift threads are made of polydioxanone, which is commonly used as a surgical suture, and they tend to last about six months before they dissolve. “The internal bra is made from poly-4-hydroxybutyrate—which is similar—but lasts longer,” he explains. However, the mesh goes underneath the skin is essentially the same. “The true benefit is in the thickness in the skin that occurs after about six weeks. By six months to a year, you’ll see it improve greatly, which is how the implant or larger breasts continue to be supported over time, even after the mesh has fully dissolved.”
How Long It Lasts
The mesh will eventually dissolve within a year to 18 months after the surgery. “I’m allergic to everything. I’ve even had an allergic reaction to Steri Strips after surgery,” Amy Beth says. “But I had no reaction to the mesh. It’s not like an implant where your body knows something is in there. It’s safe and I loved that it dissolved over time, and I don’t have a foreign object in my body.”
A Lifted Look
For Amy Beth, the difference between her first augmentation and her revision using a mesh is night and day. “I had 275 cc implants and eventually went up to 530ccs. My biggest complaint was that I had a large space in the middle of my breasts. Even with implants, I used to have to wear swimsuits that had a bra sewn in. Now, I can wear string bikinis and I’ve literally never worn a string bikini in my whole entire life. This is the perfect option for people who never want to wear a bra again, which let’s face it, is all of us.”
