Breast Implants on the Rise Despite Risks

[Guest guest]

Breast Implants on the Rise Despite Risks JoAnn Guest Aug 20, 2005 15:20 PDT

 

 

" More women are getting breast implants than ever before. In 2000, a

total of 203,310 women underwent breast implant surgery for

augmentation, and 82,975 women underwent breast implant surgery for

reconstruction after mastectomy in 1999 (the most recent statistics

available). The number of women and teenage girls who chose implants to

augment their breast size more than doubled between 1997 and 2000. "

 

These statistics are from a commentary written by Diana Zuckerman,

president of the National Center for Policy Research for Women &

Families and a longtime critic of the breast implant industry.

 

Who manufactures implants in the US?

 

Two main implant manufacturers in the United States:

 

Inamed Aesthetics: Officials at Inamed Corp., have said they are

finishing clinical studies of silicone gel implants and hope to apply

for an FDA review later this year.

 

 

Mentor Corp, Inc.: Mentor Corp. of Santa Barbara, Calif. is going

through a criminal investigation focused on Mentor's research procedures

and allegations of document destruction and faulty manufacturing.

 

The company has also been criticized for the limited contact the FDA has

been able to create with women in a follow-up study.

 

 

What are the known risks of implants?

 

These are known risks, as maintained by the FDA:

 

Surgical Risks:

 

Possible complications of general anesthesia, as well as nausea,

vomiting and fever

 

Infection

 

Hematoma (collection of blood that may cause swelling, pain and

bruising, perhaps requiring surgical draining)

 

Hemorrhage (abnormal bleeding)

 

Thrombosis (abnormal clotting)

 

Skin necrosis -- skin tissue death resulting from insufficient blood

flow to the skin.

 

The chance of skin necrosis may be increased by radiation treatments,

cortisone-like drugs, an implant too large for the available space, or

smoking.

 

Implant Risks:

 

Autoimmune diseases

Capsular contracture (hardening of the breast due to scar tissue)

Leak or rupture -- silicone implants may leak or rupture slowly,

releasing silicone gel into surrounding tissue; saline implants may

rupture suddenly and deflate, usually requiring immediate removal or

replacement

 

Temporary or permanent change or loss of sensation in the nipple or

breast tissue

 

Formation of calcium deposits in surrounding tissue, possibly causing

pain and hardening

 

Shifting from the original placement, giving the breast an unnatural

look

Interference with mammography readings, possibly delaying breast cancer

detection by " hiding " a suspicious lesion. "

 

Are women choosing saline-filled or silicone implants?

 

Many American women have turned to the saltwater-filled alternative

implants with the current restriction on saline implants.

 

Public health advocates and physicians remain alarmed about implants of

all types.

 

The research confirms that planting a device in a woman's breast can

cause serious, predictable and often costly complications.

 

The same public health advocates maintain that the FDA is not providing

American women the information and protection they need.

 

What is the most common breast implant problem?

 

Pain and hardening from the scar tissue around the implants are common,

but the biggest medical issues involve implant deflations, as saltwater

leakage can contribute to infections.

 

 

Why is fueling this breast implant phenomenon?

 

Recent research shows that the willingness of many women to undergo

breast augmentation is closely linked to their body image. The research

shows that women are getting implants in their twenties through their

forties. More than 5,000 procedures in the past two years are for women

under 18 years of age.

Research has postulated that many American women desire cosmetic surgery

due to the highly idealized body image presented by the Western media.

 

What does this mean for the modern woman?

 

The implications of this trend are serious, not only for a woman's

health, but also for her financial security or overall well-being. The

money that a woman spends on breast augmentation doesn't go into her

401(k), investments, vacations or down payments on a home.

 

Plast Reconstr Surg 2002 Jan;109(1):363-9; discussion 370-1

 

Plast Surg Nurs 2002 Summer;22(2):66-71.

 

 

--

 

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

I had no idea that over 200,000 women were still obtaining breast

implants.

 

This is particularly sad, as the implants will in no way shape or form

treat the underlying distorted body image that motivates the vast

majority of women to have the surgery in the first place.

Fortunately there are highly effective approaches that are able to

permanently and, in many cases, nearly instantly, help a woman repair

this distortion.

 

My current favorites are psychological acupressure techniques like EFT.

I have a free report to help you learn how to do this or you can view

the practitioner page to help you identify a trained clinician in this

area.

 

If you would like to read more about this topic, I would encourage you

to review Ilena Rosenthal's excellent review on this topic (see the link

below).

_______________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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