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| Timmie Jean Lindsey |
The first successful breast augmentation was likewise reconstructive rather than cosmetic as the patient had previously had a large tumor and a portion of her left breast removed. German surgeon Vincenz Czerny used a good-sized lipoma-a fatty, benign tumor-from the patient’s back to reconstruct the breast, and it’s safe to assume that the attempt was only able to be made because biological material from the patient was available to work with.
This happened in 1895, and surgeons spent the next 70 years trying to come up with a viable material for commercial breast implants. Paraffin, alcohol-soaked sponges, and beeswax all failed to make the grade, but fortunately for breasts everywhere, Houston junior resident surgeon Frank Gerow came along in the early 1960s. Gerow conceived of the silicone implant after squeezing a blood bag and noting the similarity to a woman’s breast. His first experimental procedure was performed on a dog. It was successful, and before you ask, yes, the implants were removed once it was determined to be so.
Timmie Jean Lindsey, his pilot human patient, was asked to volunteer for the procedure after coming in to consult about having a tattoo removed. She was thrilled with the results. As a testament to the viability of the procedure, she still retains her implants—the first ones ever—to this day.
source: listverse.com
