A Spending Spree?

City bankers on spending spree as pay soars
Independent - London,England,UK
... younger. The women tend to go for breast augmentation
and facelifts. There is no doubt these bonuses are having an
effect. These ...

An Option in Breast Reconstruction

Fat stem cells being studied as option for
breast reconstruction
EurekAlert (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
... Experts estimate that one pound of whole fat removed in a
tummy tuck, for example, can yield up to 200 million stem cells,
which in culture can be expanded by ...

The No.1 Surgical Cosmetic Procedure

Silicone Implant Makers Win Canadian Approval
MediaPost Publications - New York,USA
... Breast augmentation is the No. 1 surgical cosmetic procedure
performed in the US, with nearly 340,000 American women undergoing ...

More on Silicone Gets the Okay

Renovo reports further positive data for
anti-scarring product
Life Style Extra - UK
... incisions. The company is conducting a wide range of trials
of Juvista, in indications such as breast augmentation and
mole removal. ...

New Plastic Surgery Website Provides
Unbiased Information & ...
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... From breast augmentation and enhancements, nose
reconstruction, tummy tucks, face lifts, liposuction, hair
restoration, facelifts and Botox treatments ...

Illicit advertisements not allowed in newspapers
China Daily - China
... The move came after the two bodies ordered China's
television stations not to broadcast shopping programs
featuring breast augmentation services or diet ...

Health Canada's Decision to Grant Licences
with Conditions for ...
eMaxHealth.com - Hickory,NC,USA
The decision will allow women who are seeking breast
reconstruction following a mastectomy and those seeking
breast augmentation open access to silicone gel ...

Canada Approves Silicone Breast Implants
E Canada Now - Brantford,Ontario,Canada
... “The decision will allow women, who are seeking breast
reconstruction following mastectomy and breast augmentation,
open access to silicone gel-filled ...

Silicone Is In Again

Silicone breast implants are legal again in Canada
SooToday.com - USA
... A woman's decision to undergo breast reconstruction after a
mastectomy or for breast augmentation should be made only after
consultation with a health care ...

Dentist offers more services than just filling a cavity
Chicago Daily Southtown - Chicago,IL,USA
... consultation.". Plastic surgeon Dr. Elton Tinsley specializes in mole
removal but also does breast augmentation, Harris said. "It's ...

Silicone breast implants make a comeback in Canada
News-Medical.net - Sydney,Australia
... causing auto-immune diseases or other systemic illnesses exists and
two studies have since shown that women undergoing cosmetic breast
augmentation did not ...

Phoenix-Based Dr. Kotoske Has One of the Highest
Volume for Breast ...
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... 2006 -– With a recent survey citing that one in five Americans are
interested in receiving some kind of cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation
continues to ...

Mentor Gets Licence...

Nose jobs, tummy tucks the rage as India parties
Scotsman - United Kingdom
... Private clinics offer procedures such as rhinoplasty (nose reconstruction),
tummy tucks, liposuction as well as breast augmentation and reduction for prices ...

Mentor Granted Canadian Medical Device
Licences For MemoryGel ...
Trading Markets - Los Angeles,CA,USA
... implants. In Canada, choices for women seeking breast augmentation
and reconstruction had previously been limited. Mentor's MemoryGel ...

Mentor Receives Canadian Medical Device
Licences with Terms and ...
Canada NewsWire (press release) - Canada
... Corporation. "In Canada, choices for women seeking breast augmentation
and reconstruction had previously been limited. Mentor's ...

Can Breasts Ever Be Too Big?
Chosun Ilbo - Seoul,South Korea
... Plastic surgeons say no, since Koreans have a smaller frame.
“Most women who want to undergo breast augmentation
surgeries want to have B-cup breasts (250 cc ...

Hydromedix Group in the News...

Hydromedix Group, Inc. is Pleased to Announce the
Appointment of ...
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
... helping to reduce swelling and speed recovery; a breast and torso
application to assist with pain management from breast augmentation
or reconstruction; and ...

Original ‘Extreme Makeover’ returning
MSNBC - USA
... happened to the first version of “Extreme Makeover” when that is
all they did...makeovers for people...plastic surgery, breast
augmentation , zoom whitening ...

One Story About Reconstruction...

Breast cancer: one family's fight against the disease
Independent - London,England,UK
... As the surgeons were using fat from her stomach to rebuild her breasts,
she was also given a tummy tuck. The last to go, Pam, was not apprehensive. ...

What You Should Know About Silicone...

About Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone breast implants are prosthetic medical devices used for cosmetic purposes. These cosmetic purposes can range from what is normally considered to be purely cosmetic to gender reassignment (i.e. male-to-female operations) to reconstruction, as in the case of mastectomies.

These implants essentially come in two forms: a silicone shell filled with silicone gel, or a silicone shell filled with a saline solution. Of the former, in many countries, there continue to exist many legal restrictions both on their sale and use. This is mainly due to the fallout that occurred in the 1990's when a significant number of women developed complications due to ruptured silicone gel implants. It should be noted that, many of these women were affected by the first few generations of implants developed from 1961 to the 1980s.

To this day, there have been no genuinely conclusive long term studies regarding the risks of the current generation of silicone gel implants. In part, a big factor is simply the age of this generation of implants relative to the age of a long term study - think of at least 10 or more years.

Regardless of the lack of conclusive data on the potential health risks of silicone gel implants, including the saline solution type, several facts are known today.

Enough facts are known so that in some countries, it is the legal responsibility of the surgeon to ensure that the patient agrees to undergo the procedure with a reasonable, informed consent. Other variables can include the age of the patient. (Implants are never recommended in individuals whose breasts may still be growing.) Also, a cooling off period of a few weeks is often recommended. This is to allow the individual to more objectively review the potential risks, ask the surgeon more questions, and possibly come to a better understanding of WHY they want to have the procedure done.

One known fact is that, no matter how durable existing implants became, a lot can happen once it's inside a person's body. The reality is that implants can rupture, and will need to be replaced. The issue, of course, is when. Again, this is something that can vary among individuals and how they take care of their implants. In other words, it's normally safe to assume that an implant will need to be replaced within the lifetime of the individual. Again, a lot can depend on the individual and not just their age.

Irrespective of whether the implant consists of silicone gel or saline solution, no medical device is 100 percent safe. Just as there are few things in life that are 100 percent safe. The point is giving informed consent, and not rushing into an elective surgical procedure.

From Another Side and News Updates

Breast Augmentation From Another Side

Whenever I brought up the subject of breast augmentation, I could hear my partner begin to grumble. She'd always been against it, opposed to it and happy to say no to it. Her point was that cosmetic surgery should be used for reconstruction, except in extreme cases. She couldn't see the point of trying to make one's self appear more attractive, primarily according to what OTHER people thought was attractive. As far as she was concerned, it was far more important that the individual themselves be concerned about their body image.

On the other hand, this was coming from someone who managed to attract the occasional stare of both genders whenever we went out. Her body was something that made her overly self-conscious as a teenager, due to its beauty in shape and form. However, by the time she left high school and started working, she soon got over it. And besides, she could deal with anyone's ogle if it ever got to be harassing.

I, on the other hand, didn't have the serious self-image issues she had as a teenager. And in some ways, that was the problem. I was always looking at ways of improving my appearance, like make up, clothes, new hairstyles, etc. It was like an unending metamorphosis. Unfortunately, the caterpillar kept coming out of the chrysalis instead of the butterfly, or so I thought. Then one day, after having done some research, I began shopping around for a doctor and/or clinic that could perform breast augmentation surgery. The sane ones basically said, that I wasn't ready. (The other ones just wanted my money.) I simply couldn't understand nor fathom why they said that to me. It sounded ridiculous. I was generally physically healthy, had the resources, and had a reliable partner that could help me as I recovered. It was then that I realized that I needed to deal with WHY I really wanted to get this done in the first place.

It had to be for me. It wasn't for anyone else, not even my partner. If she left me because of it, so be it. I wanted to do this for myself. Ultimately, this is what I told her. She was shocked at first. A few hours - and tears - later, she finally understood WHY I wanted to do this.

So it was after getting across this initial hurdle, that I finally went back and arranged another consultation. After that, it was to arrange the appointment for the procedure.

Since that time, I haven't looked back once at my decision with regret.

---

News Updates

Crows leave the nest
San Francisco Chronicle - CA, USA
... includes local writer Joyce Maynard (author, "At Home in the World"), whose previous
"Moth" performance riffed on her breast augmentation; Adam Gopnik (author ...

Blunt Sharpe
Leeds Today - UK
... per cent are female. Face lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks – all to enhance
or just to create a more youthful appearance. ...

Tram Flap Surgery Builds New Breast
Hamilton Spectator - Ontario, Canada
... Removing the material from the abdomen to make the new breast has an effect similar
to a tummy tuck, something Bashaw considers a benefit.

A Personal Decision...

What Made Me Choose Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation had always seemed like something that either porn stars or celebrities did. It was something out of reach for the average mortal. It was something that carried a lot of risk, namely all that stuff in the news years ago. It wasn't until a few years ago that I actually went in for it myself. I won't go into all the gory details of what it took to find the right surgeon. But there was so much misinformation I had to sift through. In fact, it wasn't misinformation as much as the kind of stuff that tried to stick a knife to your own body image. It made you feel inadequate, not enough, like a child. Offers of magically increased bust sizes, or some garbage about "how implants saved my life." All trite, but they all struck the same chord. They all sent a shock to your self-image to make you fee insecure. In terms of how they differed, it was only a matter of how far they took it. That's also why I'd been put off by breast augmentation. The people who went in for it were fools. Then it happened. I talked with someone who had done it.

I won't mention who it was. Suffice to say, it was someone close to me. They had just undergone the procedure. I was a little incredulous at first, to say the least. She was the last person I'd ever thought who'd go in for it. Not because she already looked beautiful. She was always someone who seemed like she had what it took to get by in this world. She was someone who wouldn't take stupid risks. The kind of person who wasn't unsure about her body, felt comfortable with who she was. This is what first got me thinking about how I felt about breast augmentation. That's when I thought of myself in her shoes. That's when I thought about going in for it myself.

It was a big change for me. Not a complete transformation, but getting to feel better with how I looked. After all, this wasn't something I was just going to shed. This was surgery.

Since then, having had breast augmentation has its ups and downs. Whatever the case, the point is that I feel happier with how I look. It's not just with how my body looks to other people, but how I look for myself.

News Updates

Read My Lips: Not All Fillers Are Safe For Lip Augmentation ...
Science Daily (press release) - USA
... The demand for lip augmentation is on the rise, according to the ASPS. ... Women Taking Breast Enhancement Pills Swallow Empty Promises (November 29, 2004) -- Flip ...

Satin Skin to Demo North Carolina’s Only TriActive ...
dBusinessNews Triangle (press release) - Raleigh,NC,USA
... This treatment improves results when used before and after liposuction and other aesthetic surgeries, such as breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, and others. ...

Reasons for Breast Augmentation...

Mismatched breasts common but correctable
Reuters.uk - UK
... In severe cases, Erhardt said, breast augmentation, breast lift, and breast reduction are often used to correct breast asymmetry and create balance between the ...

News About Post-Op Recovery...

Colorado Cosmetic Surgeons Provides Clients With The Latest ...
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... Williams of Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery have announced they will be offering the use of ON-Q for many of their breast augmentation and tummy tuck procedures. ...

Greenberg Dispells the Myths...

Dr. Greenberg's Myths about Plastic Surgery Dispelled
LongIslandPress.com - NY,USA
• After eyelid surgery, you won’t be able to close your eyes when you go to sleep. • When you have liposuction, the fat is going to go somewhere else. ...

About Getting It Right the First Time

McDreamy Choked By Castmate -- McJealous?
TMZ.com - Glendale,CA,USA
... As for the breast augmentation, Tara says that she had it done to even out her breast size ("the right one was always bigger than the left") and that she got C ...

Breast Implant Surgery: Getting It Right the First Time
PR Leap (press release) - Chula Vista,CA,USA
(PRLEAP.COM) DALLAS – Many women considering breast augmentation are surprised to learn how common revision surgery is among implant patients. ...

Answering the Question WHY?...

Why I Chose Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation had never been a top concern for me. Ditto for cosmetic surgery. It had always seemed like a cop out. As if the people who went under the knife for it did it because they were insecure. Not only that, but they thought it would be the "be all and end all" for them. In other words, they'd still feel insecure after the fact because they hadn't dealt with the real problem. Their own self-image.

Then one day, I saw some interviews with women who had done it. It really blew me away. They weren't insecure. They were happy for having done it. It wasn't like they felt they HAD to. They wanted to regardless of what other people thought or said. So, it was their OWN decision. They knew the risks, had heard all the stuff in the past in the news about the safety of implants.

It's hard to describe how it felt to hear them. It felt... Well, it was kind of empowering. Their bodies, their choice. That's what I got out of it. And so, that's when I realized that all my negative obsessing about breast augmentation was wrong, a cover up. I was trying avoid my own interest in the procedure by putting it down.

This isn't to say that it's the same for everyone. Nor do I want anyone to think that they SHOULD do it just because they're "interested". I had to think a long time about this, and feel comfortable knowing that it was what I wanted.

After preparing myself, I then went on the mythical quest for the perfect surgeon. What I found was a lot of information about all the different ways breast augmentation could be done. On top of that, the different kinds of implants. As well, the legal restrictions around certain types of implants - namely the silicone-filled variety.

The other thing I found was how different the surgeons and/or clinics marketed themselves. There were a lot of ads that would reaffirm everything I thought was wrong about it. Fortunately, there were some that actually sounded intelligent, i.e. not some turn-of-the-century hawker selling snake oil.

Talking with these people, who actually sounded like they cared, I was finally able to make a decision. They also answered the endless questions and concerns I had about the different kinds of breast augmentation. Not only the pros and cons of each technique but what had to be done afterwards to make sure that the implants wouldn't rupture.

Although it took a while, in the end I was glad I did my homework first. But more importantly, I'm glad for having seen those women talk about their own experiences with breast augmentation.

---

News Update

"Quality Of Life And Self-Esteem After Breast Asymmetry Surgery"
Medical News Today (press release) - UK
... Breast augmentation, breast lift, and breast reduction are commonly used to correct breast asymmetry and create balance between the breasts. ...

A View From A Different Side...

Breast Augmentation From A Different Side

When my wife first told me she wanted to undergo breast augmentation surgery for breast implants, I was surprised. Actually, surprised is an understatement. We'd been married for a few years already. We also had three kids. No marital problems, outside of the usual arguments all spouses have. Finally, she never seemed to me like someone who'd want something like this. As expected, I asked her why. So we sat down for a long talk after the kids had gone to sleep. She started to tell me, it was something that she had thought about for a while. She told me how she had begun to seriously look at getting breast augmentation done. How she'd even gone in for a consultation. But it wasn't something she wanted to tell me about until she was sure about it.

I asked her if there was something I had done to make her decide to have breast augmentation done. I got a firm NO on that one, and to the other bewildering questions that filled my head. She began to explain that, it was something she wanted to do for herself. This is what I really had trouble with. She looked as beautiful as the first day I met her, if not more so. We had an active sex life. No issues there. Then I had these weird visions of what she was going to look like. Also, how she was going to look like to other people. Bluntly, she told me that she wasn't in it to enjoy having guys staring at her chest all day.

The kind of change she wanted was more in tune with a desire to look younger. I asked her if she wanted to look like she was a high school student again. More like in college was the answer I got, with a sly grin. (We'd met in college.)

Anyway, she told me that it hadn't been an easy decision. We weren't exactly loaded with cash. This is why she was asking for my support. Pausing for a minute, looking into her face, I said yes. It felt like one of the most important things I'd done for her. As important as the time I was there with her when our kids were born.

When I did say yes, it struck me how significant a decision this was for her. Also, how much she needed me to be there for her too.

---

News Updates

Busted Myths about Breast Implants and Answers to Other Common ...
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular and common of elective surgeries in the United States. More than 250,000 women elected to get implants in 2005. ...

MORE ON 'A Chorus Line'
New York Times - United States
... Breast augmentation, of course, happens to be a subject that has only gained in topicality. But even the stale blame-the-parents ...

Making Our Own Choices...

Breast Augmentation: a choice

Breast augmentation affirms the identity of the person undergoing such surgery. It affirms who they are to themselves, and in turn, to those around them. This is because, in general, there are probably few other zones of the body we consider to be more significant than a woman's breasts. Regardless of one's gender or sexual orientation, we all recognize the significance most societies place upon them. For better or for worse, they are part of how we define women, much like how we treat faces as part of how we define people.

However, unlike a new hairstyle, make-up, or overall change in fashion, surgical breast augmentation takes on a deeper meaning. It's surgery. Not something that is easily separated from the person. It becomes a part of the person. This is why it's so important to the person who makes the decision that they do so with a certain degree of comfort, of understanding, of willingness to enter the process, and the support of those close to them.

Implants, for the purpose of breast augmentation, have mainly been used for two reasons: reconstruction and cosmetic. Regardless of the reason, implants have changed since the ones produced in the 1970s. It has primarily been their design, due to our knowledge of their impact on the body. As such, about we know much moreimplants today than when they were used in the 1970s.

Today's implants may still be made of silicone gel, but have apparently have a much lower risk of rupture than the earlier ones. In fact, the two main types: silicon gel and saline solution, both employ a silicone shell. However, the issue of rupture - whether silicone or of the saline solution variety - is a possibility, thereby requiring that implants be checked. One of the main methods used to check them are with mammograms.

The surgical technique used is also a consideration. However, a lot can depend upon the surgeon and the individual themselves. Variables include the following: the surgeon's preference, and the amount of existing breast tissue where the implant is to be placed. The main techniques are: sub-glandular, sub-fascial, and sub-muscular. In addition, there are different types of incision that may be employed by the surgeon: Peri-Areolar, Infra-Mammary, and Axillary. Each technique has its advantages and disadvantages. For this reason, it's recommended that the individual consult their surgeon in advance regarding the different techniques and how they may affect them.

There is also another type known as polypropylene string breast implants. They are less common as they don't involve the use of a prosthetic device. Their use tends to be more documented in the adult video or sex trade industry. Also, regular checkups and procedures are required for such implants.

Finally, depending on the country you live in, there may be regulations regarding the types of implants that may be used. For example, some countries may ban the use of silicone gel-filled implants, or only allow their use on a strict case-by-case basis. Regardless, an initial consultation with a surgeon is always important, as with any elective surgery.

In a Nutshell...

Cosmetic Surgery in a Nutshell

Cosmetic surgery, like other forms of elective surgery, involves a physical change to one's appearance. Also known as plastic surgery, there are two kinds: cosmetic and reconstruction. The latter involves returning an individual's sense of self after some form of injury and/or illness. The former allows the ability to overcome the physical characteristics one was born with. In a way, the former represents the forefront of how changes in technology can allow changes to the human body.

This surgery comes in all types, from the use of prosthetics as in breast augmentation and liposuction to non-invasive forms of surgery like laser hair removal or even laser correction of the eyes to eliminate the need for eye glasses.

None of this comes without a price however. Besides financial concerns, it remains the responsibility of the individual who will undergo such surgery. For this reason, they do need the support of those around them. This is the kind of support that not only affects their decision, but their ability to assimilate the surgical changes to the body.

In the case of surgery for cosmetic - as opposed to reconstruction - purposes is the issue of aesthetics. Those around them need to understand the significance societies place upon appearance. How the appearance of someone can alter how they are perceived not only as a person, but as a human being. Surgery for aesthetic reasons, provides people with the opportunity to overcome stigmas associated with their appearance. However, what remains most important is that it's a choice.

Many - perfectly valid - arguments have been presented to the contrary regarding surgery for cosmetic purposes. However, the fact remains that human beings have been altering their appearance for quite some time now.

Cosmetic surgery is significant, not only for what it can achieve, but because it's a choice made by the person undergoing it. It's a personal decision about one's own body.

Another consideration for the individual, outside of their support system, is that they should do as much of their own personal research as possible into the different kinds of surgery available for each procedure. For example, the current surgical techniques employed and the potential legal restrictions, as is often the case with silicone prosthetics. In addition, weighing the pros and cons of each technique. Finally, the surgeon themselves. An initial consultation is always recommended, as with any form of elective surgery.

News Update on New Technique

Breast surgery technique may yield easier recovery
Indianapolis Star - United States
... Natta, a plastic surgeon with the Perkins Van Natta Center for Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Skin Care, discusses a new method for breast augmentation surgery. ...

About Changing from Jimmy to Jessica...

Satin Skin Laser Center Wages War on Cellulite with State’s Only ...
dBusinessNews Triangle (press release) - Raleigh,NC,USA
... This procedure provides noticeable results before and after liposuction and after aesthetic surgery, such as breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, and others. ...

Profile: Jimmy to Jessica
Newspaper Tree - El Paso,TX,USA
... I had breast augmentation, of course, and that caused a loss of sensation which was disappointing because my nipples had been nice and sensitive before, but ...

New cosmetic surgeons join EMC
Times of Oman - Oman
... hair transplantation, liposuction in men (gynecomastia or large breast), face-lift, liposuction, tummy tuck, nose reshaping and breast augmentation, lift and ...

When you care enough to send the very best
Miami Herald - FL,USA
Searching for the right greeting card for a buddy's new breast augmentation? Lift Me Up Cards offers a way to congratulate the special ...