Women may soon be able to increase their cup size with a “lunch-break boob job” – a new minimally invasive technique that could take as little as an hour and doesn’t require artificial implants.

Secret behind the lift Cytori Therapeutics, a medical-research company based in San Diego, has developed a procedure called Celution, which uses stem cells from body fat to boost breast size.

Unveiled recently in Europe, it’s been tested on mastectomy patients there. Researchers hope it will be available to the public soon.

The new technique works by taking fat from a patient’s body using a minor liposuction-like procedure. About an hour later, cells are packaged into a cartridge and then injected into breast tissue.

The bottom line While the treatment is quicker and less painful than the one for traditional implants, the results aren’t immediate; it reportedly takes about six months for the breasts to enlarge.

The procedure has already been approved in the EU, but United States plastic surgeons are still on the fence about its safety. In fact, Celution still must undergo extensive testing before it can be widely used.

If it does become available stateside, patients here can expect to shell out just a few thousand dollars – as opposed to about $10,000 for traditional breast implants – for more natural-looking results in the long run. [via]