Macrolane

Breast injections

Macrolane is an injection of a substance called hyaluronic acid (or HA). HA is a naturally occurring substance that is present throughout your body. HA is already widely used in cosmetic surgery to fill and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles in various parts of the face. Examples of HAs currently in use include: restylane, perlane, prevelle, puragen, hydrafill and juvederm. The difference with Macrolane is that it is far thicker than any of the previous HAs that we have and so we can use it to reshape parts of your body. Macrolane is commonly used for breast enhancement and to fill areas of unwanted contours.


For breast enlargement, we can increase the breast size by 100cc on each side, which is the equivalent of around one cup size. Because it is an injection, the procedure can be performed in around one hour and there is minimal recovery time needed.


Macrolane usually needs a top up every year. So, we will arrange to see you at this time at a consultation. You will not receive a top up at that time, but we will simply want to see you to assess your progress. At this time you may choose to have more treatment or not, as the case may be. You can also receive a top up any time after your treatment from a few weeks onwards if you feel you need more than the maximum we can give in one session.

Breast filler injections

Macrolane is a new product and we want to know all about your experiences. We know that the substance it contains (hyaluronic acid) has been injected into millions of people and has a very good safety record. We do not know, however, what effects it has on your tissues (eg the breast, if it is injected there) in the long term but we have no reason to think it will not be safe for you. We will only have the answers to this question in several decades’ time once it has been around for several decades. Macrolane gradually dissolves away from your tissues over the year, and if you are particularly concerned about the presence of the product inside you, then there is another injection we can give which dissolves hyaluronic acid. In the mean time, however, Q-med, the manufacturers of Macrolane, tell us it is very safe. If you are near the age when you will need a mammogram then you should have the mammogram before you have your macrolane treatment, and we can arrange this for you.


Now that you have some information about Macrolane, the next step is to make an appointment with Mr Shoaib. At the consultation you can discuss whether you would like to go ahead or not with the procedure and we can book you in for treatment. A consultation does not commit you to treatment but it gives us an opportunity to discuss everything in detail so that you can make an informed decision.

Boob jabs

If you are having Macrolane treatment, then on the day of your treatment, about 1-2 hours before we start, you should start taking antibiotics for two days. You can take these antibiotics safely if you are allergic to penicillin. Please read the information leaflet that comes with the medication particularly the sections on side effects, cautions and interactions.


Treatment for Macrolane takes place at the Glasgow Nuffield Hospital. When you arrive at the hospital for your treatment please check in at reception. We will then take you to the treatment room. We draw some marks on your chest and the treatment starts.


You first receive injections of local anaesthetic. This helps keep discomfort to a minimum. Macrolane is injected into each side until we have filled you with the right amount. We can fill a maximum of 100cc in each side. Sometimes we have to mould the injection with firm pressure for the final shaping and then the treatment is over. You can go home immediately after the treatment and you can go back to your normal day to day activities later on that day. The whole treatment session will take around one hour.


Aftercare:
1. Do not sleep on your front for two weeks
2. Do not massage or manipulate the breasts for two weeks. You may touch them gently when washing.
3. Wear a sports bra for one week. You should buy one that is one cup size larger than your current bra.


After the treatment you should expect to feel some hardness around where the injections have been given. This will soften over a few weeks, which is when we will see you next at the clinic. If you have any problems when you are at home please contact us. You can have top ups after about six weeks.


You will need painkillers for around a week after the treatment. You should start these shortly after your injections, before the local anaesthetic injections wear off. You should take two co-codamol tablets every six hours and 400mg of ibuprofen every eight hours so long as you are safe to take these medicines and have no contraindications.


Macrolane usually needs a top up every year. So, we will arrange to see you at this time at a consultation. You will not receive a top up at that time, but we will simply want to see you to assess your progress. You may choose to have more treatment or not, as the case may be. You can also receive a top up any time after your treatment from a few weeks onwards if you feel you need more than the maximum we can give in one session.


Macrolane is a new product and we want to know all about your experiences. We know that the substance it contains (hyaluronic acid) has been injected into millions of people and has a very good safety record. We do not know, however, what effects it has on your tissues (eg the breast, if it is injected there) in the long term but we have no reason to think it will not be safe for you. We will only have the answers to this question in several decades’ time once it has been around for several decades. Macrolane gradually dissolves away from your tissues, and if you are particularly concerned about the presence of the product inside you, then there is another injection we can give which dissolves hyaluronic acid. In the mean time, however, Q-med, the manufacturers of Macrolane, tell us it is very safe. We know it can migrate, lead to minor asymmetry, can cause lumpiness in the breasts and can make mammogram interpretation difficult. The procedure is mildly uncomfortable, even though we perform the treatment under local anaesthetic, and you will usually need painkillers for a few days after the treatment.


Macrolane can also be used for body reshaping in other parts of the body, for example for male chest enlargement as below and male biceps enlargement, as a more subtle and natural looking alternative to implant surgery.