February 3rd, 2012
Last week Jean-Claude Mas, the founder of now-defunct breast implant manufacturer PIP, was arrested by French authorities. His company, Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), was closed in March 2010 amid controversy. He is accused of manslaughter and involuntary injuries caused by ruptured silicone PIP implants, which were made from industrial-grade silicone (designed for use in mattresses), rather than medical grade silicone.
PIP silicone gel implants have been used in over 300,000 breast augmentations worldwide since 1999, and there are currently investigations pending in France, England, Venezuela, and Brazil. French authorities are recommending and paying for removal of PIP silicone gel implants in French women due to the very high rate of rupture and unknown risks of exposure to industrial-grade silicone.
How is this relevant to us in America? I was listening to a report about PIP implants on National Public Radio last week, and the commentator assured the radio audience that no PIP implants were ever placed in the United States. This is simply FALSE. The reality is that although PIP silicone gel implants were never used, lots of PIP saline implants have been used in the U.S.–over 35,000 by some estimates.
PIP began selling saline implants in the US in 1996. In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected the devices due to high deflation rates, manufacturing process violations, and a failure to demonstrate device safety. Despite the FDA ban, PIP continued to sell their saline implants through its distributors, MediCor/Heritage Worldwide, until late 2002 or early 2003. The FDA has received over 1,800 reports of problems with the PIP saline implants. Most of the complaints concern an abnormally high product failure (deflation) rate.
While the PIP saline implants are not nearly as worrisome as the PIP silicone gel implants, this should serve as a cautionary tale for plastic surgeons, patients, and U.S. regulators. How did PIP “slip through the cracks” for years after it was banned?
The only saline and silicone gel breast implants approved by the FDA for use in the US are manufactured by Allergan and Mentor. In the nearly 2500 breast augmentations that I have performed in the past 16 years, I have ALWAYS used implants made by Allergan or Mentor. And yes, there are still unapproved manufacturers marketing breast implants in the United States. Before you undergo breast augmentation, always know exactly what you are putting in your body.
For more information about procedures performed, please visit www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants, Home, Plastic Surgery | No Comments »
January 23rd, 2012
There are three possible reasons for the abdomen to protrude:
1. Excessive abdominal wall fat
This is best addressed by dieting, exercise, and weight loss and/ or abdominal liposuction.
2. Excessive laxity of the abdominal wall
Pregnancy, significant weight loss, and aging loosen the abdominal wall. Full tummy tuck entails permanent sutures used to tighten the weak, protruding abdominal wall in the midline from the rib cage to the pubic region. If a hernia (hole in the abdominal wall) is present, it may also be repaired.
3. Excessive intra-abdominal fat
This is best addressed by dieting, exercise, and weight loss. Plastic surgery will not help.
How can I tell which one is causing my protrusion?
It is best to be evaluated by a board-certified plastic surgeon, although you can certainly get an idea of what is causing your protrusion by answering a few questions and looking carefully at your abdomen.
- Have you lost a significant amount of weight? If so, you probably have excessive laxity of the abdominal wall and may benefit from tummy tuck.
- How many children (if any) do you have? In general, women with more children have more laxity of the abdominal wall. In the absence of children and weight loss, you probably do not have major abdominal wall laxity.
- Can you “pinch more than an inch?” If you can pinch more than an inch of abdominal fat, you may have excessive abdominal wall fat. If you are unable to get rid of this with diet and exercise, then liposuction may be helpful.
- Do you have a hard, round abdomen (“beer gut”)? If so, you probably have excessive intra-abdominal fat. Since the fat is inside the abdominal cavity, plastic surgery will not help.
There are many surgical options for excessive abdominal protrusion. These include liposuction, mini-tummy tuck, extended mini-tummy tuck, and full tummy tuck. Remember that you should be within 5 to 10 pounds of your desired weight before considering cosmetic surgery of the abdomen. If diet and exercise aren’t helping, liposuction or tummy tuck may be worthwhile considerations.
Side view of abdominal wall layers(fat inside tummy, abdominal wall muscle and fat)
Lipo:
Liposuction of abdomen, hips and flanks. Breast augmentation.
Before After
Full tummy:
Full tummy-tuck and breast augmentation
Before After
Full tummy-tuck and breast augmentation
Before After
For more information, including before / after photos, please click here.
To schedule an appointment, please call us at 469-467-0100 or email us at drfriedman@plasticsurgerydallas.com
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants, Home, Plastic Surgery | No Comments »
August 25th, 2011
Breast augmentation with simultaneous breastlift is a technically challenging procedure. This is due to the fact that we are simultaneously expanding the breast size with a saline or silicone gel implant while contracting the amount of skin via mastopexy (breast lift). Despite these challenges, in a woman who desires larger and perkier breasts, this combination of procedures achieves what neither procedure can do alone.
The best way to evaluate a surgeon is to view his surgical results. As a specialist in breast and body contouring, I strive to achieve natural and proportionate breast enlargement and mastopexy results.
As you view the photos below, look for
- Increased breast size proportionate to the patient.
- Improved nipple-areolar position.
- Improved fullness of the upper and inner breasts.
- Improvement or resolution of “sagging.”
1. Breast Augmentation with lift, Saline Implants (Patient also had Full-Tummy tuck):
Implant size: 300 cc implants; Incision: Vertical Mastopexy
Estimated size change: 38D to 38 Full D; Height and Weight: 5’4″, 175 lbs
2. Breast Augmentation with lift, Saline Implants:
Implant size: 420 cc implants; Incision: Vertical Mastopexy
Estimated size change: 36C to 36D; Height and Weight: 5’6″, 136 lbs
3. Breast Augmentation with lift, Saline Implants:
Implant size: 330 cc implants; Incision: Periareolar mastopexy
Estimated size change: 34A to Full C; Height and Weight: 5’4″, 125 lbs
4. Breast Augmentation with lift, Silicone gel Implants (Patient also had Full-Tummy tuck):
Implant size: 421 cc implants; Incision: Vertical mastopexy
Estimated size change: 34 small C to 34 Full C; Height and Weight: 5’3″, 106 lbs
5. Breast Augmentation with Silicone gel implants
Implant size: 360 cc implants; Incision: Vertical mastopexy
Estimated size change: 34B to 34 Full C; Height and Weight: 5’4″, 135 lbs
Our breast augmentation with lift patients come from all over Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Denton, Wichita Falls, Austin), Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
For blogs that I have written on specific breast enlargement topics, please see:
- Determining breast implant size
- Saline vs. silicone gel
- Safety of silicone gel
- Low, moderate, and high profile implants
- Smooth vs. textured implants
- Implant placement above vs. below muscle
- Capsular contracture
For articles that I have written on specific breast enlargement topics, please see:
- Cost of breast augmentation
- Breast augmentation with vs. without breast lift
For more information about breast augmentation–including more photos, please visit www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants, Home | No Comments »
July 7th, 2011
The average plastic surgeon performs about 30 to 35 breast augmentations annually. I performed 70 breast enlargements—in the first 6 months of 2011. The best way to evaluate a surgeon is to look at his surgical results. As a specialist in breast and body contouring, I strive to achieve natural and proportionate breast enlargement results.
Remember that the single greatest factor determining the appearance of your breasts after augmentation is the appearance of your breasts before augmentation. As you view the photos below, notice that a woman’s breast shape changes very little with augmentation. The primary changes are increased breast size and increased fullness of the upper breasts.
1. Breast Augmentation with Saline Implants:
Implant size: 330 cc implants; Incision: Inframammary fold
Estimated size change: 34B to 34C; Height and Weight: 5’7″, 119 lbs
Before (Front view) After (Front view) Before (Side view) After (Side view)
2. Breast Augmentation with Saline Implants:
Implants: 420 cc implants ; Incision: Inframammary fold
Estimated size change: 36B to 36D Height and Weight: 5’9″, 140 lbs
Before (Front view) After (Front view) Before (Side view) After (Side view)
3. Breast Augmentation with Saline Implants:
Implant size: 330 cc implants; Incision: Inframammary fold
Estimated size change: 34c to 34D; Height and Weight: 5’4″, 122 lbs
Before (Front view) After (Front view) Before (Side view) After (Side view)
4. Breast Augmentation with Saline Implants
Implant size: 360 cc implants; Incision: Inframammary fold
Estimated size change: 34 small B to Full C; Height and Weight: 5’4″, 130 lbs
Before (Front view) After (Front view) Before (Side view) After (Side view)
5. Breast Augmentation with Saline Implants
Implant size: 360 cc implants; Incision: Inframammary fold
Estimated size change: 34B to 34 Full C; Height and Weight: 5’0″, 95 lbs
Before (Front view) After (Front view) Before (Side view) After (Side view)
6. Breast Augmentation with Silicone gel implants
Implant size: 421 cc implants; Incision: Inframammary fold
Estimated size change: 32B to 32C; Height and Weight: 5’5″, 120 lbs
Before (Front view) After (Front view) Before (Side view) After (Side view)
Our breast augmentation patients come from all over Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Denton, Wichita Falls, Austin), Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
For blogs that I have written on specific breast enlargement topics, please see:
- Determining breast implant size
- Saline vs. silicone gel
- Safety of silicone gel
- Low, moderate, and high profile implants
- Smooth vs. textured implants
- Implant placement above vs. below muscle
- Capsular contracture
For articles that I have written on specific breast enlargement topics, please see:
- Cost of breast augmentation
- Breast augmentation with vs. without breast lift
For more information about breast augmentation–including more photos, please visit www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants, Home, Plastic Surgery | No Comments »
June 8th, 2011
Although television shows such as The Swan and Extreme Makeovers make cosmetic plastic surgery look exciting and glamorous, this so-called “reality” couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Cosmetic surgery remains popular because it makes people look and feel better. But make no mistake: it is real surgery with real risks and downsides. In my 15 years operating on patients from Dallas, Plano, Frisco, Richardson, McKinney, Carrollton, Irving, Southlake, and Lewisville, I have learned the realities of cosmetic surgery firsthand.
Virtually every surgical procedure is associated with the following negative factors:
1. Scars: Like it or not, any time you cut the skin, your body generates a scar. Part of my job is to make the scar look as inconspicuous as possible—but there’s still a scar. This is a necessary trade-off for the desired improvement in contour.
2. Pain: Surgery hurts. There is no such thing as a painless surgical procedure. You will require pain medicine (from anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks), and you may wonder what you were thinking the first couple days after surgery. Fortunately, pain is temporary and generally well-controlled by medication. But it is unavoidable.
3. Time off work: You may be tough, but the combination of surgery, anesthesia, and pain medication will result in some time lost from work. If you have a desk job, you will likely be back to work very soon. If your job requires significant lifting, you may have to modify your work activities for several weeks.
4. Time off athletic activities: For most breast and body contouring procedures, you will require 4 to 6 weeks off heavy lifting, pushing, and pulling. (This includes strenuous workouts and lifting your children.) It’s inconvenient but very necessary.
5. Risks: Infection, bleeding, need for further surgery, unsatisfactory cosmetic results (to name a few). The good news: 90 to 95% of patients are happy with their surgical results. The bad news: 5 to 10% are not.
I feel privileged to be able to make a living doing something I really enjoy. But cosmetic surgery is more fun for me than it is for you. Make sure that your plastic surgeon takes the time to thoroughly educate you before you undergo any procedure.
Our cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery patients come from Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Richardson, Garland, Sherman, Denison, Prosper, Celina, Wichita Falls, Parker, Highland Village, Denton, Arlington, Irving, Southlake, Carrollton, Lewisville, Colleyville, and Trophy Club. For cosmetic surgery before and after photos, please visit www.plasticsurgerydallas.com .
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants, Earlobe, Face, Home, Nipple Procedures, Plastic Surgery | No Comments »
November 5th, 2010
Implantes de seno de silicones se sienten mas naturale s y se ondean menos que los implantes salinos. Pero son seguros ?
Implantes de silicon fueron introducidos en 1962 y fueron muy populares en los Estados Unidos por tres decadas. Sin embargo, en 1992, el FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) puso restricciones al uso de los implantes de silicon debido a varios reportes de enfermedades autoinmunes (como arthritis, fibromyalgia y lupus) vinculados al gel de silicon. Como resultado, cuando hice mi residencia en cirugia plastica en el Hospital de Parkland en Dallas de 1992 a 1994, sacabamos mas implantes de los que poniamos. Por supuesto, habia tambien demandas de $3 billones en contra de los fabricantes de los implantes de gel de silicon.
Durante los siguientes 14 anos, el gel de silicon fue la substancia mas estudiada en la tierra. A pesar de múltiples intentos para inducir la reacción de gel de silicon en animales de laboratorio, no se logro ninguna reacción inflamatoria. Los estudios en humanos fallaron en demostrar los anticuerpos de silicon. El America College of Rheumatology ( el colegio de Reumatologia) (reumatólogos tratan enfermedades del sistema inmune) llego a la conclusión que no había ningún vinculo que relacionara los implantes de seno de silicon con alguna enfermedad del sistema inmune.
En noviembre del 2006, el FDA retracto su decisión de 1992 y aprobó Allergan(antes Inamed) y Mentor implantes de seno de silicon para uso en los Estados. Unidos. Sin embargo, ha puesto algunas condiciones para el uso de silicon. Mientras que para los implantes salinos no hay restricciones de edad, los implantes de seno de silicon solo se pueden usar en mujeres mayores de 22 anos de edad. Ademas, el FDA ha estipulado que mientras que los implantes de siicon son seguros, la seguridad de los implantes de silicon que se han reventado no se ha establecido. Por lo tanto, el FDA recomienda un estudio de resonancia magnetica (MRI) de los senos a los 3 anos de la operación y cada 2 anos después. Estos estudios son caros (por lo menos $1500) y no los cubre el seguro medico. Como resultado, muchas mujeres no se hacen los estudios de MRI después de la operación.
Dado que los fabricantes ofrecen una garantía de 10 anos , que cubre todos los gastos de cirugía si se llega a reventar un implante de silicon, es buena idea hacerse un MRI antes de los 10 anos de la expiración de garantía. Es mejor que el fabricante pague el costo de reemplazar el implante reventado que usted.
Entonces, son seguros los implantes de silicon? Si los implantes están intactos, el FDA dice que si. Si se revientan, el FDA dice que “no estamos completamente seguros” . Yo personalmente no pienso que el gel de silicon sea una substancia mala. Siempre y cuando usted entienda que la controversia del uso de silicon sigue vigente, pienso que es muy razonable usarlos. Si los implantes de silicon la espantan , entonces los implantes de seno salinos siguen siendo una excelente alternativa para la mayoría de las mujeres.
Para mayor información acerca de implantes de senos, por favor visite: http://www.plasticsurgerydallas.com/procedures-breast-augmentation.php
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants, Home | No Comments »
October 4th, 2010
What is a capsular contracture?
Capsular contracture refers to formation of a tight scar surrounding a breast implant following breast augmentation, causing the implant to look or feel hard. The implant itself does not actually become hard; it just feels like it because it is being squeezed by the scar tissue.
Mechanism of capsular contracture formation
When a breast implant is placed, your body recognizes it as foreign and builds a wall of scar tissue (capsule) around the implant to seal it off from the rest of your body. This is normal, and it’s a good thing. On a long-term basis, this capsule provides support to your implants, so they don’t drop down to your belly button later in life.
The problem is that sometimes the scar tissue contracts or tightens around the implants. This may be due to a postoperative infection or bleeding problem, either of which can increase internal scarring. Most of the time there is no obvious cause—it just happens.
Risk factors for capsular contracture
1. Capsular contractures are more common in implants placed above the pectoralis muscle (subglandular implants) than those placed below the muscle (submuscular implants). It is theorized that the constant motion of the pectoralis muscle over the subpectoral implants keeps the capsule from tightening excessively.
2. Capsular contractures are more common with silicone gel breast implants than with saline breast implants. This is likely related to the foreign—and therefore more reactive–nature of silicone gel compared to salt water.
3. Among women with subglandular implants (above muscle), capsular contractures are more common with smooth breast implants (smooth implant surface) than with textured breast implants. Surface texturing (smooth vs. textured) does not appear to make a significant difference if implants are placed in subpectoral position.
4. Significant trauma to the breast can cause a small amount of bleeding around the implant, precipitating the formation of a capsular contracture.
5. Immediate postoperative infection, bleeding, or implant exposure significantly increases the risk of capsular contracture formation.
6. Silicone gel breast implant rupture can cause an inflammatory reaction with silicone granuloma (small nodules adjacent to the implant) formation and/or capsular contracture.
7. Saline breast implant deflation will not cause an inflammatory reaction. However, if the implant is not replaced quickly (within a few weeks), the capsule contracts in an attempt to eliminate the empty space left behind by the deflated implant.
We’ll discuss grading and treatment of capsular contractures in the next blog. Stay tuned…
For more information about breast augmentation, please visit www.plasticsurgerydallas.com.
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Home | No Comments »
July 23rd, 2010
Determining the “right” breast implant size can be a major challenge. Let me explain the most frequent methods and their pitfalls:
1. Going by bra cup size: “I’m an A cup, and I want to be a full C cup.”
The problem: There is no standardization of cup size among bra manufacturers. A Playtex C is frequently a Victoria’s Secret D. A woman who fits a 34 D cup may also fit a 36 C. So cup size is imprecise—at best—and sometimes closer to just a guess.
2. Relying on a surgeon’s determination of the “correct” size based solely on breast measurements.
It has become popular among breast implant surgeons to measure the width of the base of the breast, find an implant with the same diameter (based on a chart provided the implant manufacturers), and then tell the patient that this is the magical “right size.” Although this seems reasonable anatomically, it seems to me that your wishes regarding size are much more important than the surgeon’s. While a surgeon can and should provide guidance regarding implant size, the ultimate choice should be yours. If your “right” size is different from his, your surgeon should be flexible (rather than mindlessly following his breast diameter chart).
3. Stuffing your bra with different sizes of implants until you find the right one.
This is great for marketing purposes. You get to “try on” different implants until you find the right size. The problem is that the actual implants go under the breast tissues, not over them. Superimposing the implants on top of your breasts creates a snowman effect (one sphere stacked on top of the other), which exaggerates the projection of the breasts relative to what will actually happen in the operating room. Women commonly choose implants that are smaller than they actually wanted.
What do I do in my breast augmentation practice?
I think in terms of implant volumes: 330 cc, 360 cc, 390 cc, etc. You think in terms of cup sizes. Neither of these allows us to communicate effectively. So I use the one thing we can both see: photos.
You can choose among the before and after photos of breast augmentations on our website, among the hundreds of photos in our office photo albums, or among any photos from any magazine or internet site. (There’s obviously no shortage of available breast implant photos.) Although you might not know the cup size of the women you choose or the number of cc’s, it really doesn’t matter. You simply look through breast photos and categorize them as “too big,” “too small,” or “about right.” I will analyze the photos with you. As long as your choices look reasonable for your frame, the choice of size is yours. I believe that there is a right range of sizes rather than a specific right size. Photos of desired breast size don’t work perfectly, but they seem to work better than anything else I’ve tried.
Click here to watch a video about breast augmentation and a patient’s experience with the procedure.
For more information about breast implants, please visit http://www.plasticsurgerydallas.com/procedures-breast-augmentation.php
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Home | No Comments »
June 25th, 2010
If a woman has not undergone prior breast surgery, I place the vast majority of implants below the pec major (pectoralis major) muscle. Why? Submuscular breast implants have the following advantages:
1. Reduced risk of capsular contracture.
The scar tissue around the breast implants is less likely to become excessively tight if it is being stretched constantly by the motion of the overlying muscle.
2. Reduced risk of interference with mammograms.
Although any breast implant may interfere with mammograms, the muscle can be used as a divider to separate the overlying breast tissue from the underlying submuscular implant.
3. Reduced risk of excessive implant descent or “bottoming out.”
Breast implants placed below muscle are supported by the overlying muscle. In contrast, implants placed above muscle (subglandular breast implants) are supported only by the overlying skin and breast tissues.
4. Reduced risk of visible implant rippling.
All breast implants ripple along their edges. Saline breast implants ripple more than silicone gel breast implants. When implants are placed below muscle, the upper inner two-thirds of the implants are covered by the pec major muscle, significantly reducing the extent of rippling.
5. Reduced risk of unnatural bulging of the upper breasts.
The pectoralis major muscle blunts the junction of the upper implant edge and the chest wall, generally yielding a more natural breast appearance.
On the downside, placing implants below muscle requires greater surgical time, effort, and skill and often causes more immediate postoperative discomfort. In athletes, implants below muscle may sometimes weaken the pectoralis major muscle, and the implants may “jump” with forceful muscle contraction. In my 15 years of private practice, however, the advantages of subpectoral implant placement have far outweighed the disadvantages in the vast majority of women.
Click here to watch a video about my breast augmentation technique and results.
For more information about breast implants, please visit http://www.plasticsurgerydallas.com/procedures-breast-augmentation.php
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Home | No Comments »
May 24th, 2010
Silicone gel breast implants feel more natural and ripple less than saline implants. But are they safe?
Silicone gel implants were introduced in 1962 and were very popular in the U.S. for three decades. However, in 1992, the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) placed restrictions on the use of silicone gel following multiple reports of autoimmune diseases (such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus) reportedly linked to silicone gel. As a result, when I did my plastic surgery residency at Parkland Hospital in Dallas from 1992 to 1994, we took out many more implants than we placed. Of course, there were also $3 billion of lawsuits against the silicone gel implant manufacturers.
For the next 14 years, silicone gel became the most thoroughly studied substance on earth. Despite multiple attempts to induce a reaction to silicone gel in lab animals, no inflammatory response could be incited. Human studies failed to demonstrate silicone antibodies. The American College of Rheumatology (rheumatologists treat autoimmune diseases) subsequently concluded that there is no demonstrable link between silicone gel breast implants and any autoimmune disease process.
In November 2006, the FDA reversed its 1992 decision and approved Allergan (formerly Inamed) and Mentor silicone gel implants for use in the United States. However, the FDA has attached some strings to the use of silicone gel. While there are no age restrictions for saline implants, silicone gel breast implants are only allowed in woman ages 22 and up. In addition, the FDA has stated that while intact silicone gel implants are safe, the safety of ruptured silicone gel implants has not been conclusively established. Therefore, the FDA recommends MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) studies of the breasts at 3 years postoperatively and every 2 years subsequently. These studies are expensive (at least $1500) and are not covered by insurance. As a result, most women are choosing not to undergo regular MRIs postoperatively.
Given the fact that the manufacturers offer a 10-year implant warranty that covers most or all surgical costs if the silicone gel implants rupture, an MRI prior to your 10-year implant anniversary is probably a good idea. Better to have the manufacturer pay the cost of replacing a ruptured implant than pay it on your own.
So is silicone gel safe? If the implants are intact, the FDA says “Yes.” If they’re ruptured, the FDA says “We’re not really sure.” I personally do not think that silicone gel is an evil substance. As long as you understand that there is still some residual controversy surrounding silicone gel, I think it’s very reasonable to use. If silicone gel implants scare you, then saline breast implants remain an excellent alternative in most women.
For more information about breast implants, please visit http://www.plasticsurgerydallas.com/procedures-breast-augmentation.php
Ronald M. Friedman, M.D.
Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center
Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas
www.plasticsurgerydallas.com
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Home | No Comments »
Last week Jean-Claude Mas, the founder of now-defunct breast implant manufacturer PIP, was arrested by French authorities. His company, Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), was closed in March 2010 amid controversy. He is accused of manslaughter and involuntary injuries caused by ruptured silicone PIP implants, which were made from industrial-grade silicone (designed for use in mattresses), rather than medical grade silicone.
