Archive for the ‘Breast Surgery’ Category

International Plastic Surgery Statistics Reveal 2009 Trends

Thursday, August 12th, 2010 by editor2

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery recently released statistical data collected from surveys sent to more than 30,000 plastic surgeons in 25 countries that reveals global plastic surgery trends.

According to the ISAPS data, plastic surgeons in the U.S. performed more plastic surgery procedures in 2009 than surgeons from any other country, for a grand total of more than 3 million procedures.

Of these 3 million procedures, approximately 1.3 million were surgical procedures, while the other 1.7 million were non-surgical procedures.  Brazil was the only other country wherein plastic surgeons performed more non-surgical cosmetic procedures than surgical cosmetic procedures last year.

Injectable wrinkle-relaxing treatments, including Botox and Dysport, were among the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures in both the U.S. and the world in 2009 with more than 2.7 million procedures performed.  More than 1 million hyaluronic acid filler injections and laser hair removal treatments were also performed last year.

Non-surgical procedures were so popular in the U.S. last year that unlike plastic surgeons in nearly every other country included in the ISAPS statistical, U.S. plastic surgeons actually performed more non-surgical procedures than surgical procedures in 2009.

Although ISAPS statistics suggest that plastic surgeons most frequently perform non-surgical cosmetic treatments, their primary areas of expertise are generally breast surgery, body contouring, facial plastic surgery and revision surgery.

In fact, liposuction and breast augmentation were the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed worldwide in 2009, with more than 1 million of each performed by plastic surgeons.  Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, and breast reduction were also performed on more than half a million times.

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, was the third most popular surgical procedure internationally, also breaking the one million mark according to survey results, while rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, was the second most popular facial plastic surgery procedure and accounted for more than half a million of total plastic surgeries performed worldwide last year.

Because body issues like overly large or small breasts, stubborn fat deposits, excess or sagging skin and nasal deformities are common problems associated with the natural aging process that affects men and women worldwide, it comes as no surprise that procedures designed to correct these issues were among the world’s most popular cosmetic procedures in 2009.

If you’re considering plastic surgery in 2010, remember to seek an experienced, board-certified Seattle plastic surgeon for your body contouring or breast enhancement procedure.

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Botched Plastic Surgery Tales Illustrate Breast Implant Lessons

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 by editor2
Sheyla Hershey 38KKK breast implants

Sheyla Hershey with 38KKK breast implants

Although many would argue that indulging in tales of botched plastic surgery is a waste of time, there are lessons to be learned from the often outlandish and bizarre stories, especially as it pertains to breast implant disasters.

An article in the Orange County Register pointed out that some of pop culture’s most recent breast implant catastrophes offer women considering breast augmentation three valuable lessons, if not outright warnings, regarding what NOT to do to achieve successful surgical outcomes.

Lesson One: For plastic surgery, you need a REAL plastic surgeon

When mother of four Kenyatta Brown sought breast augmentation in February 2010, she nearly bled to death during this relatively routine procedure because she chose to have the surgery done by an Atlanta eye doctor.  Enticed by the low price, Brown’s attempt to save cash by having breast augmentation done by an ophthalmologist nearly cost her life.

You wouldn’t go to a plastic surgeon for an eye exam, so don’t go to an eye doctor or any other physician practicing outside his or her specialty for breast surgery.

Breast augmentation is a plastic surgery procedure and should be performed by a surgeon certified in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Dr. Richard Rand is a board certified Seattle plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience performing breast augmentation with FDA-approved saline and silicone breast implants.

Lesson Two: Be prepared for revision surgery costs and travel for follow up

British Extreme Makeover winner Nicola Stratton flew to Los Angeles for over 30 hours of plastic surgery on the hit TV show, but when she experienced common breast implant complications after surgery, she was unprepared for the required travel and expense of her breast revision surgery.

It is important that you have access to your original breast augmentation surgeon for follow up should complications or the need for revision surgery arise.  Otherwise, you may place yourself at risk for health problems if conditions like infection or hematoma go unchecked, as well as compromised aesthetic results caused by deflated or encapsulated implants.

Lesson Three: Bigger is not always better with breast implants

Sheyla Hershey, owner of the world’s biggest breast implants, has recently been making headlines again after traveling to Brazil to have her bust size increased to 38KKK using an implant size that is illegal in the U.S.

After surgery, Hershey developed a potentially fatal staph infection, and in order to combat it, the gigantic implants had to be removed.  Hershey may also lose all or part of her natural breasts as a result of the infection and will likely have to undergo additional breast revision surgery in the future.

The moral of the story here is to keep your breast augmentation goals reasonable and seek a breast implant size that fits your frame and lifestyle.

Additionally, Hershey’s story illustrates that seeking plastic surgery abroad can be risky in large part due to the fact that many countries outside the U.S. and Canada do not have laws regulating plastic surgery safety protocols, such as limits on the size of breast implants that can be used.

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Revision Surgery Recommended For Faulty French Breast Implants

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 by editor2

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons issued a guidance advising the estimated 50,000 British women with Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP) breast implants to have their implants checked for rupture and removed if rupture in one or both implants is discovered. 

The warning was issued after an inquiry by the French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons revealed the breast implants lack an essential protective barrier, making them more susceptible to rupture, and are filled with unapproved silicone gel that has not undergone safety tests.

When ruptures or leaks are found in breast implants, a breast augmentation revision may be recommended to replace breast implants; however, it may not always be necessary.

Some women choose not to have revision surgery if their ruptured implants do not cause problems with breast appearance or health, while others choose to have breast explant surgery, or breast implant removal, but do not have their ruptured implants replaced.  When breast implants are removed and a breast augmentation revision is not performed, a breast lift may be performed to remove skin stretched by the breast implants.

Unlike the faulty French PIP breast implants, silicone breast implants used for breast augmentation surgery in the U.S. are filled with safe, FDA-approved silicone gel, but they may rupture due to age, implant malfunction or trauma.  Ruptures are easy to detect in saline breast implants, as the implants deflate and noticeably lose volume, while an MRI is necessary in order to detect a rupture in silicone breast implants.

If you discover one or both of your breast implants have ruptured, don’t panic, as there is no immediate health risk.  Consult an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who can show you before and after photos of satisfied patients and help you decide whether breast augmentation revision or breast explant surgery, with or without a breast lift, is right for you.

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Breastfeeding Habits of Plastic Surgery Patients

Monday, June 14th, 2010 by copywriter

A study recently published online in the Jornal de Pediatria discusses the breastfeeding patterns of women who undergo breast augmentation and breast reduction surgery.

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, meaning breast milk without additional food or water.  Given this recommendation and the various documented benefits of breastfeeding, the authors sought to first examine the habits of women who underwent cosmetic breast procedures and then compare it to women who had no surgery.

Of the 74 patients who were studied at a single hospital in Brazil, “the probability of an infant being on exclusive breastfeeding at the end of the first month of life was 29% in women with reduction surgery, 54% in those with augmentation surgery, and 80% in women who had no surgery.”

Responding to these statistics, the authors recommend that women undergoing cosmetic breast surgery be cared for by qualified professionals who are aware of potential lactation difficulties.  “These women should be encouraged to breastfeed, as many of them do not believe this is possible,” writes the author.

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