Soaring Cosmetic Surgery Popularity Contributes to New Conversation Guidelines

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Nat

Cosmetic Surgery Etiquette Changes

An article in Reuters published recently details some of the trends that are accompanying the significant increases in cosmetic surgery, including some excellent conversational guidelines.

According to The Wall Street Journal, more people are undergoing cosmetic surgery than ever before, prompting a number of developments to the industry as well as requisite shifts in conversational etiquette.

Increasing Cosmetic Procedures May Require Guidelines for Comfortable Discussions

Cosmetic surgery procedures have been growing across the board, including breast augmentation, body lifts and especially facial procedures such as chin augmentations, liposuction and facial fillers.

The Reuters article quotes Dr. Mary Lee Peters, a Seattle-based cosmetic surgeon, who said that having these procedures “takes on a polarizing effect like religion or politics. People have very strong opinions about it. There is no getting around it and no denying it. It is foolish to pretend that comfort in one’s body doesn’t matter. The people most likely to deny it are mostly uncomfortable with their own appearance.”

The guidelines discussed in the article include some commonsense advice, such as “don’t ask,” “don’t judge,” and “don’t gossip.” General wisdom advises those who suspect someone has undergone cosmetic surgery to let the potential patient bring it up in their own time.

Once the subject has been broached, it is best to focus on the health side of the discussion, asking the patient how they are feeling, how their recovery has been, and how they personally feel about the results of the procedure. Asking these supportive questions is one of the best ways to be an empathetic and interested listener. If the patient remarks on a dissatisfaction with the procedure, it is best to say something along the lines of, “I see what you mean, but only when you point it out.”

In Dr. Peters’ opinion, “It’s like choosing butter over olive oil, or vice versa. If you want to do it, and you are able to, why would that be any different from using resources to go to Europe or anywhere else?”

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New FDA Approval of Sientra Silicone Breast Implants

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Nat

New Breast Implants - Sientra

In a recent Medscape Education article, it was reported that the third brand of silicone implants has been approved by the FDA. This new brand is produced by Sientra.

The two previously approved silicone breast implants were given approval by the FDA in November, 2006. They are the Natrelle, manufactured by Allergan and MemoryGel, manufactured by Mentor.

Third Type of Silicon Breast Implants Manufactured by Sientra

Almost 300,000 women received breast augmentation in the United States in 2010, a number which has consistently climbed each year. It is estimated that there are 5-10 million women with breast implants worldwide.

Prior to granting approval, the FDA typically insists on rigorous clinical testing. In this case, three years of clinical trials were undertaken with a testing group of 1788 women. It was determined that the potential side effects of these new implants were no more frequent or serious than the other, currently accepted silicone or saline implants.

The final findings of the FDA report stated that: “based on the totality of the evidence, the FDA believes that silicone gel–filled breast implants have a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness when used as labeled.”

The approval of the Sientra silicone implants required a number of post-approval conditions, including:

  • Seven years of follow-up studies on the 1788 female participants of the previous clinical trials
  • Undertaking of five studies that evaluate any links between the new implants and lymphoma, cervical/vulvar cancer, brain cancer, neurological disease and connective tissue disease
  • Monitoring of almost 5000 recipients of the implants for the next ten years, to see if they develop long-term complications

The FDA report also cautioned that it is important for women who undergo breast augmentation to be aware that they may require revision of their implants with time, and that the implants should only be used in women older than 22 years of age.

(The Medscape article linked to in the first paragraph may require a Medscape account to view.)

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First Silicone Implants Still Healthy After 50 Years

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Nat

50th Anniversary of Breast Implants

According to a recent article in Cosmetic Surgery News, the first recipient of silicone breast implants, a woman named Timmie Jean Lindsay, is still healthy and satisfied with her implants following her landmark surgery in 1962.

Over those 50 years, the breast implantation procedure has gone from just one patient to over 1,600,000 procedures annually in the United States alone. It is the second most popular cosmetic procedure in the world, coming in just slightly behind liposuction. And it’s still growing.

First Woman to Receive Silicone Breast Implants in 1962 Still Proud and Healthy

Timmie Jean Lindsay is still “quite proud” of her silicone implants as an 80 year old woman, and says that she has “never once regretted” being the first woman to have silicone breast implants.

When Lindsay had her breast augmentation in 1962, the procedure was in its infancy. Other proposed (and failed) methods of breast augmentation had included paraffin injections, glass balls, ground rubber, ivory, ox cartilage, gutta-percha, and various polyethylene products. Flap techniques had been tried and silicone had been injected into the breast tissue but not placed within a protective sac.

In 1961, Dr. Thomas Cronin and Dr. Frank Gerow developed a thick silicone gel encapsulated in a teardrop-shaped rubber sac. Following successful testing, they asked Timmie Jean Lindsay if she would be willing to be the first recipient of these historical implants.

Lindsay had first come into their offices to have a tattoo removed near her chest, and it was the doctors who approached her with the idea. Hesitant at first, she said that she’d rather have her ears adjusted. Dr. Cronin and Dr. Gerow told her that they would perform both the ear surgery and the breast implantation for free, and she agreed.

Their courage and the success of that first procedure helped shape the future of breast surgeries, including breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, breast reductions and breast lifts. The long-term success of that procedure and its ever-increasing popularity have had a dramatic affect on world since 1962.

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