Plastic Surgery Articles

Fat Grafting For Breast Augmentation Not Recommended

February 27, 2007 -

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery are cautioning patients against fat grafting for breast augmentation because of the lack of safety information and its potential to interfere with accurate breast cancer detection.

Fat grafting-or lipoinjection-is a procedure in which fat cells from one part of the body are transferred to another to enhance or augment that area. While consumer interest in fat grafting for breast augmentation continues to increase, there remains little clinical evidence of the safety or efficacy of such procedures over silicone or saline implants.

Long Term Complications

Furthermore, fat grafting for breast enhancement may lead to a series of long-term complications such as calcification and tissue scarring, which can hide or mimic breast cancer during a screening, self exam, ultrasound, mammography, or MRI.

“Fat grafting has been around for more than twenty years, but many plastic surgeons have been skeptical of using it for breast augmentation because of safety issues such as distinguishing calcifications caused by fat grafting as opposed to those associated with breast cancer,” said Foad Nahai, MD, President Elect of ASAPS. “We advise caution to women seeking fat grafting for this purpose and strongly support the ongoing research efforts that will establish the safety and efficacy of the procedure.”

Considering Breast Augmentation? Please click here to set up a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon near you.

Doctor: Liposuction Boosts Breast Size

February 21, 2007 -

Imagine going to get liposuction and walking away with bigger breasts-sounds too good to be true, right? Maybe not, says Dr. Eric Finzi, who recently published a study that found a natural increase in breast size among women who had liposuction.

“We saw that it’s almost half of the women who I had done liposuction of their stomach and waist had an increase in breast size,” Dr. Finzi said.

The study involved 60 liposuction patients, 43 percent of which experienced a significant increase in breast size-between one and two cup sizes on average.

Skepticism

However, not all doctors would recommend liposuction just for the sake of augmenting one’s breasts. Plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Hand said he suspects that breasts benefits are actually much less common than suggested by Finzi’s study.

“From my clinical impression, if it happens, then it probably happens ten percent or less, said Dr. Hand.

Liposuction is used to remove fat cells from certain areas of the body like the stomach and thighs. According to Dr. Hand, if a person gains weight after liposuction, the fat is more likely to accumulate in other areas, and in some cases, that might mean the breasts.

“I would not recommend doing liposuction on your body with the idea that you are doing for the purpose of making your breasts bigger. It may in fact happen, but I doubt that it happens consistently,” he said.

For a more tried and true method of breast enhancement, most plastic surgeons recommend breast implants. To learn more about your options from a board certified plastic surgeon near you, please contact us today.

Liposuction Offers African American Women Scarless Breast Reduction Alternative

February 12, 2007 -

Because of their darker skin, African American women are often prone to unsightly scarring after surgerya fact that prevents many from undergoing breast reduction to alleviate the physical symptoms associated with excessively large or heavy breasts.

A new study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery suggests that liposuction may provide darker-skinned women a scarless alternative to traditional breast reduction surgery.

Through this less invasive procedure, patients experienced no scarring, a decrease or elimination of physical symptoms, and an increase in self-esteem and quality-of-life, said Dr. Sherwood Baxt, author of the study.

The Study

The study involved 17 African American women who underwent liposuction breast reduction to relieve some of their breast-related ailments. All patients tried non-surgical alternativesincluding physical therapy, chiropractic care, and strengthening exercisesto alleviate their symptoms prior to the procedure.

After the surgery, the women reported feeling significant relief in neck, back, and shoulder pain as well as improved quality of life, self-esteem, and overall well-being. No scarring or complications were reported.

Not for Everyone

Dr. Baxt noted, however, that this procedure is not appropriate for women whose primary concern is to lift overly large, sagging breasts.

According to Dr. Walter Erhardt of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, women considering the procedure should know that while physical ailments and scarring can be improved, their breasts will not be exceptionally smaller or lifted.

Traditional breast reduction is still the gold standardoffering patients the trifecta of volume reduction, relief of physical symptoms, and lift, Dr. Erhardt said.

Patients are urged to discuss their options and expectations thoroughly with their plastic surgeon.

To learn more about your options for breast reduction from a board certified plastic surgeon near you, please contact us today.

Stay In Touch with Your Plastic Surgeon

February 9, 2007 -

Breast implants, like most medical devices, are not intended to last a lifetime. Various factors influence how long breast implants will last, including the woman’s lifestyle and the type of implant.

Because implants can last anywhere from 6 months to 60 years, it is important for women to have periodic check-ups with their plastic surgeon. Women with breast implants are encouraged to follow these check-up guidelines:

• During the first year, continue to massage your breasts as instructed by your surgeon, conduct a self breast exam monthly, maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, avoid excessive sun exposure, and don’t smoke. Also, if your breasts begin to harden or if thick, raised scars appear, contact your surgeon as soon as possible.

• After the first year, you should schedule an annual exam with your surgeon to assess the condition of your implants.

• Contact your plastic surgeon immediately if you suspect that one of your implants has ruptured or leaked.

• Locate a local plastic surgeon who can conduct follow-up exams if you have moved or live a long distance from the surgeon who performed your original procedure.

Also, remember that your body-including your breasts-will undergo changes as you age. Replacement or revision surgery may at some point be necessary to help you maintain the appearance of your breasts as these changes take place.

If you would like to learn more about breast implants from a board certified plastic surgeon near you, please contact us today.

Lipotourism: Is it worth the risk?

February 5, 2007 -

Approximately 800,000 Americans opt for cosmetic surgery every year. To save money, some have taken to traveling overseas where cosmetic procedures can cost as much as 75 percent less than in the United States-a fact that makes so-called lipotourism a rapidly growing trend in plastic surgery.

Costa Rica is just one of many countries that has seen a recent boom lipotourism. Americans are flocking to the country by the thousands, and not just for its lush rain forests and beautiful beaches; they’re also going for breast augmentations, facelifts, and other cosmetic procedures.

In the U.S., a breast augmentation procedure can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000, compared with $3,000 in Costa Rica. Similar savings are seen with other popular procedures like gastric bypass and facelifts.

But why is plastic surgery in paradise so much more affordable abroad than it is in America? Less liability and overhead, said Rudy Rupak of Planet Hospital, a Los Angeles-based medical tourism company.

“An American doctor and a foreign doctor will get the same salaries, same cost per surgery. The difference is in the hospital costs,” Rupak said.

Still, cost isn’t the only consideration when it comes to surgical procedures. More important than cost is quality.

“Can we control the quality over our borders? No, we can’t,” said Dr. Ted Mazer of the California Medical Association.

Mazer said that patients considering going abroad for plastic surgery must be willing to accept the potential risks.

“How do you determine the quality of a program you’re going to do? How much risk are you willing to take to save a dollar?”

Considering breast augmentation? To schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon near you, please click here .

Proposed Breast Implant Idea Holds Promise

February 1, 2007 -

Breast implant surgery is the leading cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States. In 2005, nearly 350,000 women underwent breast augmentation procedures. At some point, however, many of these women will require revision and/or replacement surgeries.

Over the past two years, approximately 91,000 women have had their breast implants removed. Side effects such as scar tissue formation, ruptures, deformities, and leaks are among the primary reasons for implant removal.

The Promise of Biorubber

Judit Puskas, a professor of polymer science at the University of Akron, believes that developing a new type of breast implant-one made of a biorubber substance–could prevent many of these side effects.

According to Puskas, the biorubber material would be lighter, less permeable, and less likely to rupture than silicone, which is the substance currently used for breast implants. She also said that biorubber implants could potentially inhibit the formation of scar tissue around the implant, a problem that results in a condition known as capsular contracture.

Awaiting Funding

At this point, Puskas is awaiting a decision from the National Science Foundation on whether they will fund an 11-year, $10 million dollar proposal to develop and test the biorubber implants.

“My real awakening and motivation for this project is that the (National Institutes of Health) does not support any project-zero-for alternative materials for breast implants. It’s silicone and silicone only. There is nothing else,” she said.

If the funding gains approval, researchers would spend the first year creating a prototype and testing its chemical and mechanical properties to determine if the biorubber is more compatible with the human body than silicone.

“There’s good reason to suggest it would be,” said Stephen Schmidt, director of surgical research at Summa Health System.

The second year would be spent testing the implant in the lab and in animals to prepare the device for clinical trials.

Considering breast augmentation? For more information about your options or to schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon near you, please contact us today.