Plastic surgeons today condemned a radio phone-in offering a boob job as a prize. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) criticised Liverpool`s Juice FM for giving Nadine Pude, 27, the chance to increase her A-cup bosom to a double D – which she has plumped for.

Nadine, who plans to buy “loads of new underwear and a bikini that really shows off my assets”, won the Bra Wars competition after viewers voted for her on the radio`s online Juice Tube site.

But Adam Searle, former Baaps president, said: “The giving of a surgical procedure as a prize is an unbelievable, dangerous and highly unethical practice.

“The decision to perform any surgical procedure must be based on common sense, case selection, good surgical decision making and patient safety.

“The offer of a cosmetic surgery procedure as a prize is an awful manifestation of the trivialisation of medical care in general, and aesthetic surgery in particular.”
 

Raleigh, NC — (SBWIRE) — 08/07/2007 –

Breast implants for cosmetic augmentation first became available in the 1960’s and rapidly gained popularity in the 1970’s. By the 1980’s breast augmentation was the second most popular plastic surgery (after liposuction), and the motto seemed to be “the bigger the better�. The oversized implants seen everywhere in the popular media in the 80’s and 90’s clearly served to alter the public’s perception of what breasts are supposed to look like: large, taut and high. The kind of breasts that formerly appeared only in cartoons.

Today, breast augmentation is more popular than ever. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons 329,000 breast augmentation surgeries were performed in 2006. This is an almost 30 percent increase from 2003. But reason is beginning to prevail again, and patients and the public are ‘rediscovering’ the fact that the aesthetic ideal for the female breast is soft, supple, much fuller in the lower than the upper pole, and in proportion to the rest of a woman’s figure.

Patient demographics are changing, too. Women in their 30’s and 40’s (especially moms) are the fastest growing group of patients seeking breast augmentation today. These are women who have lost breast volume following pregnancy and lactation, and who simply seek to restore a natural, more youthful breast contour. They don’t want to look like they’ve had surgery; they instead wish to ‘fill out’ clothing better and feel more comfortable out of clothing. Even women who have not had children are opting for smaller, more realistic appearing breast augmentation. Professional women (including physicians!) want to look their best, but they don’t want to look “done�.

“It is very common in my practice to perform an enhancement that changes the breast profile from and ‘A’ cup to a ‘B’ cup,� says Dr. Michael Law, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Raleigh, NC, formerly of Beverly Hills. “I rarely have patients requesting large implants anymore, although there are still a few who express a desire for that busty, ‘done’ look. I counsel those patients that it is certainly possible to achieve that look, if it is truly what they want, but that I simply won’t perform any aesthetic surgery that doesn’t look natural. A woman with very large breast implants that doesn’t match her frame looks like a cartoon character, and that is not my aesthetic ideal. And these patients never have any problem finding someone who will give them the look that they want.

“Potential breast augmentation patients should also give serious thought to the following consideration: one great advantage of a conservative breast enhancement is that small implants are much more likely to feel natural. It is possible to provide an enhancement that is soft, supple and even undetectable (by touching) with a small implant, something that is never achieved with very large breast implants.
more:  http://www.sbwire.com/news/view/13207

By Lesley Thomas DAILY TELEGRAPH
9:14am BST 01/08/2007
 
Frank Sinatra advised in the song Wives and Lovers: “Don’t send him off, with your hair still in curlers. You may not see him again.”

However, it seems that British women couldn’t care less after a survey showed they are the least likely to put effort into their appearance for the sake of men.

They have the lowest levels of concern in the world for what husbands, boyfriends and other male observers might think, with only 51 per cent caring whether men liked their appearance, the study said.

Japanese women were second bottom with 53 per cent followed by Americans at 56 per cent.

advertisementIndian, Spanish and Korean women were far more worried about having a man’s seal of approval, but it was Russia which topped the poll of 10,000 women, with 77 per cent saying that they cared what their men thought.

Janet Saunders, of Clinique, the cosmetics company which commissioned the study, said: “British women like to feel confident and beautiful for their own pleasure and take pride in their outward appearance.” Susan Quilliam, a relationship psychologist said: “It’s a delicate balance. It’s a positive thing in an equal relationship to reference the other person’s tastes and preferences sometimes.”

The survey also showed that Britons are among the keenest on cosmetic surgery. Thirty five per cent of British women said they have gone, or are willing to go, under the knife for beauty.

Only Korean women were more likely to consider surgical enhancement, while just three per cent of Indian women condone it.

The survey also asked which of the 12 countries polled had the most beautiful women. Although most found their country’s own women the best looking, Britons rated Italian and Indian women more beautiful than themselves.
 

Extract from: Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 118(1):207-212, July 2006.
Stevens, W Grant M.D.; Cohen, Robert M.D.; Vath, Steven D. M.D.; Stoker, David A. M.D.; Hirsch, Elliot M. B.A.
Abstract:
Background: This study was designed to evaluate and compare the complication rates of patients having abdominoplasty without breast surgery with the rates of those having abdominoplasty with various types of elective breast surgery, including breast augmentation, breast reduction, mastopexy, and mastopexy combined with simultaneous augmentation.
…………
Conclusion: The results of this retrospective review indicate that combining elective breast surgery with abdominoplasty does not appear to significantly increase the number of major or minor complications.
Full abstract can be read at
http://www.plasreconsurg.com/pt/re/prs/abstract.00006534-200607000-00035.htm;jsessionid=GqDBSB9hyv5rqnddYNLVw2y78BT0H61GBrZ6yd5RTjcmp2zFpnJz!1683421839!181195628!8091!-1
 

23rd July 2007
 

NHS doctors are increasingly under pressure to perform cosmetic surgery for women unhappy with their looks.

New research reveals that surgeons are being cajoled into offering patients thousands of pounds worth of treatment they do not need. It exposes the lengths to which some women go to persuade surgeons to operate on them for nothing – using ploys such as unflattering make-up and clothing.

The study, to be published in the British Journal of Plastic Surgery, finds that surgeons are turning a blind eye to health authority guidelines, justifying the use of treatments only in ” justified cases” because of pressure from patients.

The research team, led by Professor Peter Salmon of the University of Liverpool, found that some surgeons agreed to operate – despite knowing there were no medical grounds – because they could not face the time and misery involved in turning patients down.

The report describes a case in which a 37-year-old woman who demanded breast implants was referred to a psychologist and a psychiatrist, who both concluded she did not need them. Despite this, the surgeon went ahead. Another 27-year-old woman who demanded breast enhancement became so distressed when told a psychologist thought it was inappropriate that the surgeon caved in.

The Department of Health says it is up to health authorities to enforce their own guidelines to prevent overspends.

The top 10 most requested cosmetic surgical procedures on the NHS are
1: Tummy tucks
2: Mole removal
3: Breast enhancement
4: Scar removal
5: Nose job
6: Breast reduction
7: Acne scar removal
8: Correcting breast asymmetry
9: Ear pinned back
10: Removal of bags under eyes

The report states: “Surgeons described feeling pressurised by some patients’ emotional and insistent presentations, and believed some patients contrived their presentation in the attempt to elicit a surgical decision.”

Sunday Times – 17 June 2007-07-02

Breast jobs are more popular than ever, but it’s the middle classes who are the new candidates. Businesswomen, mums, marrieds and over-40s are all getting in on the act, but you wouldn’t know it. Our correspondent reports on the subtle new teardrop shape that gives you back your twentysomething figure

Breast enhancement is now the most common cosmetic-surgery operation in the western world. In Britain, boob jobs have been steadily gaining popularity since the 1960s, but last year the number of operations rose by 30%. The official statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) say that 6,156 breast augmentations were carried out in 2006, but, since many practitioners are not members of BAAPS, experts agree that trebling that figure would give a more accurate picture.
Talk to any surgeon, and they’ll tell you that the reason for the sudden increase is that intelligent, middle-class, thoroughly un-Barbie-ish women want to improve their cleavage – subtly. The women looking for juicier jugs are not dolly birds. They are businesswomen, mums, marrieds, divorcées and well over 30. They don’t want Playboy-bunny, look-at-me tits – they just don’t want pity-me ones. These are women whose beauty icons are Cate Blanchett and Nigella Lawson. They don’t even want new boobs, really; they just want the old ones back. And, these days, they can get them. Changes in the operation have helped: the old-style missiles occurred because the silicone sac (saline was always the other option, but, frankly, not as good) was placed on top of the pectoral muscle. For the latest “teardrop�, Liz Hurley-style shape, you can elect to have the sac placed under the muscle. You can also choose a slightly pendulous silicone sac, to avoid the lap-dancer look.
Rest of article at: http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/beauty/article1913119.ece

Date Released: 06/18/2007    

MyCosmeticSurgeryBlog.com, an authoritative, informative and open forum for those looking for frank, straightforward answers on the risks and benefits of cosmetic plastic surgery is now available to everyone

NewImage.com, the ultimate online destination for personal image enhancement solutions, launches MyCosmeticSurgeryBlog.com in a joint effort with cosmetic surgery and patient education advocate, Marianne Guarena. Reliable information, emotional support, commitment, and education are the “invisible� arms that prepare consumers for a successful “aesthetic journey.� Undergoing cosmetic surgery is not a decision that people take lightly. Various reasons go into the consideration of any cosmetic or elective surgery, and the process is one that isn’t necessarily consumer-friendly. MyCosmeticSurgeryBlog.com is here to provide consumer-friendly, informative and emotional support within a forum that will open the lines of communication with the public through real-life experience, honest answers, and advice.
“Having plastic surgery is exciting, scary, and fulfilling all at the same time. It not only can change how other people see you … but how you see yourself—inside and out,� says Marianne Guarena. Cosmetic surgery information is available through many sources, but finding someone with the personal experience and honesty to be frank about the experience, including its risks and benefits, is very difficult to find. By sharing her plastic surgery before-and-after experiences, the medical knowledge she gained, her passion about plastic surgery, and the latest cosmetic surgery procedures and news, Marianne is looking forward to providing those interested with friendly and emotional support and honest advice throughout the entire “aesthetic journey.�
The goal of MyCosmeticSurgeryBlog.com is for everyone to walk away as informed as they can be, and to get an honest idea of what may be in store for them should they choose to undergo a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure. It’s like getting advice from a knowledgeable friend……………………………………………….. Read more at:
http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/pressrelease.cfm?PRID=11806

In order to help patients better understand breast augmentation, a Beverly Hills plastic surgery center has developed a clearinghouse of information on the procedure.

The medical director and Los Angeles breast augmentation surgeon has created a Breast Augmentation Information Center. This information clearinghouse compiles a great deal of information all in one place. The information is detailed and comprehensive. Silicone gel implants recently received FDA approval for usage in both reconstructive and cosmetic breast surgery, so much of the information here is especially topical.

Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery, located on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, does a large number of breast augmentation procedures, also known as breast implants and breast enlargement. Dr. Lloyd Krieger, the founder and medical director of Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery, notes that the procedure can be somewhat confusing to patients. “There are different types of implants, different incisions that can be used, and different anatomic locations where the implants can be placed,” notes Dr. Krieger.

At the Breast Augmentation Information Center, people can read about the types of breast implants available, the breast augmentation procedure itself, safety and warranty issues, silicone implant issues including their history and description, places where you can get more information, view before and after Beverly Hills breast augmentation breast augmentation photos, and more. Krieger notes his hope that this information proves useful as people consider breast augmentation in Beverly Hills.
Learn more about Breast Augmentation at:

Breast Augmentation Information Center

The first ever “boob-job” bra designed specifically for women who have gone under the knife to boost their assets has been launched in the UK.

The special bra is designed for breasts that are higher, rounder and stick out more than natural breasts as a result of surgery.

Le Mystère’s No9 range was designed by a plastic surgeon in America, Dr David Brothers, who was inspired after patients complained they could not find bras to fit their bustier shape after having a boob job.

Dr Brothers said that the recent trend for pointier boobs, with a narrow base and more projection, had made it hard for patients to find suitable bras.

He said: “In recent years, the trend in breast augmentation surgery has been to use higher profile breast implants with a narrower base and more projection, which means that traditional bras tend not to fit properly, as the conical shape of the cup doesn’t allow the breast to sit comfortably.

“Also, the usual oval-shaped underwire doesn’t hold the augmented breast in place or offer the right level of support – even normal straps and material aren’t ideal.”

Around 10,000 British women go under the knife each year in their quest for bigger boobs. Breast implants have been carried out since as far back as 1895, when paraffin was injected into the breasts – with disastrous results.

The boob-job bra features a mathematically designed cup with a spherical shape that matches the most widely used implants. The underwire is also a complete semi-circle, as ordinary wires are too wide to support the smaller base of an implant.

And the centre connector on the No9 range also leaves the ideal distance between the cups for women who have had a helping hand from the surgeon.

Patrick Mallucci is a consultant plastic surgeon and co-Founder of the UK’s only nationwide, specialist breast augmentation service.

He said: “Lingerie specifically catering for the unique shape of the augmented breast is great news for women
everywhere who have had, or are thinking of having breast augmentation – we will certainly be telling our patients about it.”

Michael Rabinowitz, chief executive at Le Mystère, added: “Women have gone through the surgery process have a newfound confidence in the way they look, but are often let down by the range of ordinary bras available to them. The No9 range is functional, but very fashionable and definitely ultra chic.”

The range is available at Harrods from £60, and includes a strapless bra, a t-shirt bra, a front closure t-shirt bra, a lace bra and a sheer triangle bra, all available from a C to an E cup

There’s a study in this month’s journal ‘Plastic Surgery Nursing’ from the University of Florida reporting on several indices of patients’ self-image improvements after breast augmentation surgery.

The study included 84 women who were 21 to 57 years old, assessing their perceptions of self-esteem and sexuality before and several months after cosmetic breast augmentation. Responses were recorded with two widely accepted scientific scales to measure self-esteem and sexuality, which assess domains of sexual function, such as sexual arousal, satisfaction, experience and attitudes.

The average self-esteem score increased from 20.7 to 24.9 on a 30-point scale, and their average female sexual function score increased from 27.2 to 31.4 on a 36-point index. Of note, after the procedure, there were substantial increases in ratings of sexual desire (a 78.6 percent increase from initial scores), arousal (81 percent increase) and satisfaction (57 percent increase).

The study’s author is Dr. Cynthia Figueroa-Haas CRNP, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida’s College of Nursing