Breast Surgery Blog in Korea
Evidence-based guides on augmentation, revision surgery, implant selection, recovery, capsular contracture, and incision options, from UNE Plastic Surgery in Gangnam, Seoul.
Surgical Planning
Breast Reduction: Who Needs It, What to Expect
Breast reduction is decided from daily life, not appearance. When it is indicated, how the amount and method are chosen, and recovery, satisfaction, and complications, with cited studies.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Breast Lift (Mastopexy): What It Does and Doesn't
A breast lift repositions the nipple and gland of a sagging breast; it does not add volume, and a lift alone tends to make the cup slightly smaller. Ptosis grading, when an implant alone works, waterfall and Snoopy deformity, and recovery, with cited studies.
Read GuidePatient Guide
Breast Implants: A 130-Year Safety History
The 130 years of breast implants are a history of learning safety, and the 1992 FDA moratorium was the turning point. Paraffin to gummy bear, the moratorium, the science that cleared silicone, and BIA-ALCL and BII today, with cited studies.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Cup Size vs cc: What Actually Sets Breast Size
A cup is a circumference difference, not an absolute size, so the same cc lands one to two cups apart. What sets cup size, the cc-to-cup range, the five things that split the same cc, and why cc is set last, with cited studies.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Breast Implant Types: Shape, Surface, Fill, Profile
An implant is described on four axes - shape, surface, fill, profile. What each means, the evidence on smooth vs textured and capsular contracture, the brands used in Korea (Motiva, Mentor, Sebbin discontinued), and sizing from diameter, with cited studies.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Tuberous Breast: Correction and Options
A tuberous breast is a structural problem, not a volume one, so an implant alone often falls short. The Grolleau and Kolker classifications, the four things combined in correction, reported results, recovery, and conditions that make results harder, with cited studies.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Breast Augmentation with Pectus Excavatum
Mild-to-moderate pectus excavatum can be improved by augmentation, but the key is pocket design matched to the chest wall, not a big implant. Five accompanying findings, the big-implant myth, base width and medial pocket control, and safe-approach principles, with a cited study.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Breast Implants vs Fat Grafting
Implants keep the placed cc; fat grafting keeps only the 50-80% that takes. Compared on volume (mean 297 mL), complications (1.6% major), and the screening variable, plus who suits which and the hybrid option, with a cited review.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Breast Surgery Preoperative Tests: A Checklist
What tests you get before breast surgery and why, general vs twilight anesthesia, the six things to disclose, why smoking stops for 8 weeks, fasting, and when a date is rescheduled, with cited sources.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Breast Implant Size: Choosing by Body Type
Implant size is set by chest and breast base width, not cc. The High Five measurements, footprint-conus-envelope, sizing by body type, and the ballerina breast trend, with cited studies.
Read GuideSurgical Planning
Breast Implant Placement: Dual Plane vs Subfascial
Where the implant sits decides shape, feel, and recovery. The four layers, dual plane vs subfascial, the Tebbetts Type I-III classification, the 20 mm rule, and capsular contracture by plane, with cited studies.
Read GuideImplant Care
Do Breast Implants Need Replacing Every 10 Years?
No rule requires replacing breast implants every 10 years. Where the myth came from, what the FDA actually recommends (imaging at 5-6 years, then every 2-3), 10-year Core Study outcomes, and silent rupture.
Read GuideImplant Comparison
Motiva vs Mentor Breast Implants — Side-by-Side Comparison
Shell technology, gel cohesiveness, capsular contracture rates, warranty terms, and indication patterns. Includes FDA Core Study data for Mentor and published Motiva SmoothSilk data.
Read GuideFrequently Asked Questions
Who writes the medical content on this site?
Articles are written and reviewed by Dr. Kim Uigeon, a board-certified plastic surgeon at UNE Plastic Surgery in Gangnam, Seoul, who practises in breast surgery only. Where an article reports findings from published research, the study is named so that readers can check the source. Clinical opinion is separated from study findings in the text.
Can these articles replace a consultation?
No. The articles explain general principles, published evidence and the trade-offs between options. They cannot assess chest width, tissue thickness, skin elasticity or medical history, which are what determine whether a given technique or implant is appropriate. Any plan, timeline or expected result has to be confirmed by examination at a consultation.