Dow Corning Cases = Bogus?! I think not! http://www.scragged.com/articles/i-wuz-robbed.aspx

Read on.. It’s often turned out that the case was bogus from the start: silicone breast-implants are once again available now that the science has proven that they are harmless and that they always were harmless, but that is no consolation to the shareholders and employees of Dow Corning who lost everything when it was driven into bankruptcy by the avalanche of lawsuits.  The settlement with Big Tobacco was supposed to fund programs to help smokers quit smoking; the states have spent the money on everything except curing smokers while the lawyers shop for Learjets.  When was the last time you heard of a big corporate lawsuit with thousands of victims where the victims actually received anything much?  Never.

This article is saying that the people of DOW CORNING were robbed because the implants were always harmless. Wow, people are really clueless to the dangers that are there. How about us women who were robbed and will never be compensated for our loses due to implant illness? Not fair! 

Cosmetic Surgery Today posted a blog today entitled “Safety of Breast Implants Spark Fiery Debate“.  They mentioned a Beauty and the Breast post, which acknowledged that women are often “sold” on the idea of breast implants after visiting a plastic surgeon.  Although I’m thrilled that they are giving attention to the negative side of breast augmentation and asking women to thoroughly research the procedure, I’m not pleased with the site that they linked for research. 

I thought that everyone deserves  to know that there is an independent informational site that is dedicated to truly informing consumers.  It’s not sponsored by plastic surgeons or manufacturers, rather it is a product of a non-profit think tank that is dedicated to analyzing existing research.  If a person wants to know science-based information regarding breast augmentation, then www.breastimplantinfo.org is the place to visit.  If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s a must read for women, doctors, and the media.

~Kacey

I recently read this blog from Hilary Magazine regarding Karolina Kurkova being too fat!  I really looked at this picture and thought if she was any thinner, she would look anorexic. 

I’m reading words describing her body as ‘fat’, ‘chubby’, ‘love handles’ ‘cellulite’. 

Well, I looked and looked and I sure don’t see anything but a beautiful healthy looking woman.  Our society puts so much pressure on women in particular to look like sticks with big boobs.  Ewww, but that to me is just not attractive. 

Shame on you Brazil for putting so much pressure on women! 

Beth

I found this blog along with a You Tube video today that I thought everyone might find interesting. It is from a board certified plastic surgeon in Orange County by the name of John Di Saia. Dr. Di Saia explains why he does not prefer Silicone Breast Implants. He says

“I do not believe that silicone gel is dangerous per se, but local tissue reactions to silicone gel implants are not the same as with their saline counterparts. I have produced a few short videos to show what happens inside some patients with silicone gel implants over time. We just do not know to what extent this may happen with newer generation silicone gel implants. It has not in my experience happened to the same extent with saline-filled implants. Patients need to make a choice when they choose breast implants. The choice is really deciding on a level of comfort with silicone gel. It is the reason that in my practice many patients still choose saline.”

Here is one of the You Tube videos he is speaking of.

While I find it admirable that Dr. Di Saia is pointing out and admitting to one of the many many problems with silicone breast implants, I don’t believe he is correct in saying that these types of problems won’t happen with the saline implants. When my saline breast implants were removed, I had extensive scar tissue that had formed around my implant. My explanting surgeon had to scrape away the scar tissue which included my own natural breast tissue. Women need to understand that these problems do not just happen with the silicone breast implants, they happen universally with ALL breast implants. This is because the body is trying to protect itself from the foreign object that has invaded it. Saline breast implants are NO DIFFERENT then the silicone implants because the envelope of a saline breast implant is made from the the same materials as a silicone implant.

This article reported in the New York Times states that Plastic Surgeons are holding parties for women interested in any type of cosmetic surgery they desire. 

As quoted in the article:

‘The goal was to create “a fun night, an educational night” that “demystifies” cosmetic surgery, Dr. Greenberg said. In front of the audience, he asked a 28-year-old patient named Jennifer, who later identified herself as his front desk manager and would not disclose her last name, what had bothered her about her breasts and whether the procedure she had undergone to enlarge them had been painful. Meanwhile, Leeana Karlson, co-host of Dr. Greenberg’s show on KJOY radio, 98.3 FM, showed the crowd silicone gel implants like those the surgeon had used”.

I believe the goal of the night is to pull in more women to have cosmetic surgery and to convince them this was all very safe.  I wonder if these women while drinking and eating and socializing have time to even ask what the risks are to such procedures like lipo and breast augmentation? 

Dr. Alan Gold, a Great Neck-based PS and President of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, stated in the article that such events “have moved plastic surgery from an art and science to entertainment.”  Entertainment???  Are these Surgeon’s that hard up for money???  I know our economy is bad so I suppose this is how they are trying to pull more women into getting cosmetic surgery.  Sure, get them drunk and then they will feel like what they are doing is a safe thing to do to their body!

One doctor stated that after years of promotion and advertising, he had “more patients than I could ever want to operate on.” Still, he said, the event would lure new patients that he “may not have had otherwise.”

Point made I suppose after that last statement.  It seems to be all about ‘luring’ women into a false sense of security by have these types of parties.  I’m not against plastic surgery but I am against not informing women of all the risks involved in such procedures that are mentioned in the article. 

Buyer beware!

Beth

Toni Braxton has cancelled all remaining shows in Vegas due to on-going health problems.  These shows were scheduled through the end of August. 

 Photo by Joe Kohen / WireImage

In April, Toni was hospitalized for chest pains and was diagnosed with hypertension and pericarditis, a viral inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart. 

Interestingly enough, Braxton also had to have her implants removed several years ago.  She was reported to have ‘excessive scar tissue’.  Whether her latest health problems are related to the breast implants has been undetermined. 

After helping women for the last 3+ years, I’ve heard many times about similiar problems.  Many women complain of chest pains and heart palpitations following breast augmentation.  Some of these women’s symptoms become so severe, they have to have explant under local anesthesia.  All these women have reported that they did not suffer any of these problems prior to having breast augmentation. 

I hope that Toni can recover quickly and get ‘on with the show’.

Beth

I read about a ‘new’ and I use that term loosely, breast implant called the Ideal Implant.  These implants are currently under clinical trials.   They are described as having an inner core or lumen similar to the double lumen implants that were essentially a silicone gel implant surround by a saline implant.   

The companies mission statement made me laugh a bit as I just thought this was another way of making women think they are doing something ’safe’.  Just like I was told when I had my saline implants 10 years ago.  The mission statement reads:

To offer women a breast implant that combines a natural, tissue-like feel with the safety of saline as the filler, for Peace of Mind.

Okay, for Peace of Mind?  I think not.  The company claims that they have used all the same materials for these implants that are in other implants.  If you remember from other posts those materials are TOXIC.  Really the only difference is a saline implant within a saline implant.  They also state that the implant is inserted empty and filled once placed inside the body with saline.  So I must ask myself what is so different other than having 4 saline implants in your body? 

Let me show you some pictures to show you just how UNSAFE saline implants are.  I had my implants for 8 years and was completely disabled just after 5 years.  Take a look at some of these so called safe saline implants.  No, these aren’t the ‘Ideal Implants’ but in my opinion there is no difference since the company claims that they used the same materials as in other saline implants. 

This first set almost killed the woman they were removed from.  She is still fighting to regain her health and yes, that is saline that you see in there.  Saline and a very toxic mix.

This set was removed from a lady that is also struggling with her health.  These implants made her very ill.  Yes, another set of saline implants.

Lastly, my implant, at least the worst one.  Keep in mind it looks not nearly as bad as the implants shown above.  However, after having them analyzed, my chemist said that there were chunks, yes chunks of bacteria and white mold growing inside.  These implants that are so commonly referred to as being safe changed my life forever.  Disabled at age 40 and explanted three years later because my doctors continued to mis-diagnose me.  Once I had the implants removed, my health started to improve and yes, these implants also came very close to taking my life.

I want to make it perfectly clear that saline implants are not safe.  Also, all these women used board certified Plastic surgeons.  

Anything having to do with saline breast implants do not give me ‘Peace of Mind’. 

I was listening to the radio this morning as I was getting ready for work and I was shocked to hear my favorite radio DJ’s talking about this story!! A man in Florida was arrested for holding “buttocks pumping parties” in various hotels around Florida. Anthony Solomon of Miami who is without any type of medical license was pumping women’s asses full of straight silicone!

Dr. Seth Thaller, chief of plastic surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine, said he often sees patients seeking relief for pain and infection and outright removal of silicone and other substances from such injections.

“Sometimes the silicone is industrial grade, from lubricants. Lord knows how much they put in or what they put in. It must be a good-sized needle.  Then it leaches. It spreads all over. It’s hard to get out.  In a few cases, such injections have spread through the bloodstream to the lungs, creating pulmonary embolisms and causing death. How can anybody let people without credentials inject something in them?” he said.

Okay ladies, you know these comments are coming next. What in the world are these women thinking?!!!  Is “beauty” and “vanity” THAT important that you would let a strange man, without a medical license inject “whatever” into your ass in a hotel room! I am just beside myself on this!

On top of that…..if the medical community is acknoweding that pumping the ass full of straight silicone poses a serious health risk, then why do they refuse to admit that breast implants do the same? Saline breast implants are encased in a silicone shell, we all know full well that saline implants rupture…I know mine did (after only 3 years!) Doesn’t that silicone from the shell go straight into the body just like if you were injecting it into the body?! Silicone implants are even worse! Plastic surgeons and implant manufacturers would have you believe that the silicone stays within the implant, but it is simply not true. The body attacks the silicone implant, chipping off small pieces of silicone that are then taken all over the body! Breast implants are man-made! We all know that nothing man-made is perfect, these devices have serious flaws.  The rupture rate is astronomical and platic surgeons don’t think that is a big deal! How can it not be a big deal when silicone is seriously harmful to the human body!?

I was absolutely delighted to see this blog published in the OC Register today. The blog was written by Colin Stewart and is called “Breast Implants are like cell phones – much loved, but a problem.” Colin starts off his blog by pointing another interesting blog, which was written in the Freakonomics section of the NY Times on June 18th. He points out that it wasn’t so much the blog itself that was interesting, but the barrage of comments that came after the blog was published that struck everyone’s interest! Women were coming out of the “woodworks” to share their thoughts about breast implants, including their major life-altering health problems stemming from breast implants. I’m sure that the NY Times and Dr. Zenn (the plastic surgeon that was interviewed for the NY Times blog) had no idea what was to come after this blog was published. Women attacked Dr.Zenn’s comment on the safety level of breast implants. The author of the NY Times blog asked Dr. Zenn which implant is safer, silicone or saline, and if all of the concerns surrounding breast implants were all hoopla. Dr. Zenn answered that silicone and saline implant have the same level of safety, and that yes the concerns are all hoopla. Women who have actually had/have breast implants implanted into their bodies had quite the difference in opinion!

Colin then goes on to wittily point out the similarity in cell phones and breast implants. He points out that both are embraced by enthusiastic consumers who are willing to overlook the problems they cause. Colin says “With cell phones, the problems tend to be dropped calls and inaudible conversations. With breast implants, the problems range from minor flaws in breast appearance to major health crises that require medical intervention.”

Last year alone, 30,000 women removed their Breast Implants. To me, THAT alone is reason to be concerned over a “medical device.” There is a reason that these women removed their implants. I’d like to know when the medical community (independent from plastic surgeons and implant manufacturers) is going to start studying WHY so many women are removing their implants. I’d also like to see some long-term, independent studies on what the true health concerns are with breast implants. There are too many women who are having problems and serious health concerns. This issue simply cannot be over-looked, pushed aside and ignored any longer. Women deserve to know the truth. We deserve to know exactly what we are getting ourselves into when we choose to enlarge our breasts with silicone. 

Beauty and The Breast would like to thank Colin Stewart for giving both sides to this very controversial issue. All too many times, publications, websites and articles only share the opinions and beliefs of the plastic surgery community, and never bother sharing the opinions of the women who have been harmed by breast implants.

I loved this article I read this morning by Pamela Merrit, called We Must, We Must, We Must Learn to Love Our Bodies
She is playing on the old song in Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume - which was a book I loved when I was little.  We were taught to chant “I must, I must, I must increase my bust!” and we all learned a young age that we were supposed to covet a certain body type as we got older.  I hope more girls learn to love their bodies at an early age & just learn to be happy with what they have!