Actress Suzanne Somers Undergoes Experimental Breast Reconstruction

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Briana

Suzanne Somers Breast Reconstruction

Rob Rich via Flickr

Discouraged by limited options following a lumpectomy 12 years ago, actress and author Suzanne Somers decided to seek out an experimental breast reconstruction surgery.

In 2001 Somers was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her right breast. The surgery that followed removed a large portion of her breast, leaving her with significant asymmetry. Somers also elected to undergo several weeks of radiation therapy, which has become the standard of care for breast cancer patients in the U.S.

Over a month of radiation “left what breast I had flatter and flatter. I had a Double D on one side and on the other side I could hardly fill a B,” Somers recently told People Magazine.

When researching the breast reconstruction options, Somers turned to an experimental surgery not yet approved in the U.S. for breast reconstruction.

“I am so ensconced in what’s cutting edge. I get my thrill out of passing on information to women so they can have a better quality of life. “

During the procedure, fat and stem cells are removed via liposuction from the patient’s abdomen. This mixture is then injected into the affected breast area to increase size and reduce asymmetry.

For those looking for an alternative to breast implants or a TRAM flap procedure, this new surgery may serve as a beacon of hope.

“This whole thing is a win-win,” according to Somers. “You lose fat and get a new breast.”

The procedure, which takes around 2 ½ hours, is still in clinical trial testing. So far, 10 patients in addition to Somers have been accepted to participate in this research study.

Learn more about breast reconstruction in Bellevue, WA.

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More and More Patients Opting for Butt Augmentation Instead of Liposuction

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Briana

butt augmentationRound, ample backsides have quickly become hot new trend in the plastic surgery industry.

Curvaceous beauties such as Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé have graced the covers of countless magazines in the past couple years, so it should be no surprise that the plastic surgery industry has witnessed an influx of butt augmentations.

According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgery (APAS), more than $31 million was spent in the U.S. alone on buttock augmentation surgeries in 2010, a whopping 40 percent increase from 2009.

Dr. Jeffrey Roth, a Las Vegas based board certified plastic surgeon, says the increase in curvy role models has affected his practice. Requests for liposuction are down, while buttock augmentations are up.

Unfortunately for those seeking an ample backside, the criteria for an ideal patient is more stringent than it is for those seeking liposuction. First and foremost, patients must be nonsmoking and in good health. Secondly, maximum results can only be achieved if a patient possesses a very small backside to begin with.

“Some of them have a big enough butt already,” Roth says. “They just want a really big butt.”

Even if you are an ideal candidate for butt augmentation, it’s extremely important to weight the risks with the benefits according California based plastic surgeon Dr. Marcel Daniels.

“Be careful what you wish for,” he says. “People need to be educated and understand these are not perfect procedures.”

There are currently two accepted ways to perform butt augmentations. Patients can either elect to use an implant or they can choose to have fat deposits from other parts of their body injected into their backside. Both procedures can be unpredictable, but if performed correctly, they do not pose higher risks compared with other plastic surgeries.

Society’s obsession with large backsides doesn’t appear to be fading anytime soon. If you’re considering surgery, make sure you’re well educated on the topic and that you choose a board certified plastic surgeon for the procedure.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal

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New Study: Fat Grafting Technique May Offer Alternative Breast Reconstruction After Radiation Therapy

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Briana

Breast ReconstructionRecently published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, researchers may have discovered a new technique that will offer breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy an effective breast reconstruction alternative.

Typically, breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy are not ideal candidates for implant-based breast reconstruction. Radiation therapy significantly damages underlying tissues at a microscopic level. As a result, radiation therapy treatments can negatively affect the outcome of reconstruction and increase the risk of long-term complications following surgery. For years this has left radiation therapy recipients with very limited reconstruction options.

The study, led by researcher Dr. Salgarello Marzja and colleagues of University Hospital in Rome followed 16 breast cancer patients who underwent both breast surgery and radiation therapy over the course of three years. Of the 16 patients, 11 had mastectomies, while the remaining five underwent lumpectomies or other breast conserving surgical techniques.

The reconstruction technique utilized combined fat grafting and breast implants. The fat grafts were obtained via liposuction from another part of the patient’s body.  The fat was then injected into the breast area to provide a ‘bed’ of healthy tissue for implant placement.

Treatment did not begin until three to six months following radiation therapy. Patients received two or three fat graft injections prior to undergoing implant reconstruction. The final surgical reconstruction was performed only after the affected area presented no further signs of radiation toxicity.

Following surgery, 94 percent of patients were very satisfied with the overall aesthetic appearance of their reconstructed breasts. Researchers also noted that there were no complications and all patients experienced good healing of the tissues surrounding the implant.

Radiation therapy is quickly becoming the standard of care for high-risk breast cancer patients and researchers anticipate a much greater need for reconstructive alternatives in the near future. Thus, larger follow-up studies are needed confirm the positive results of this study.

Learn more about breast reconstruction in Bellevue, WA.

Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)

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Nose Reshaping Can Create More Youthful Appearance

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Briana

Nose Reshaping

Nose reshaping may do more than just improve the appearance of your nose according to a new study published in the most recent edition of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.  The study, which examined pictures of rhinoplasty recipients found that patients on average, looked 1.5 years younger post-surgery.

The Toronto-based study collected “before” and “after” pictures of a total of 53 patients who had undergone rhinoplasty procedures at a private clinic. 50 research volunteers were then recruited to independently estimate the patient ages, which ranged from 15 to 61.

The study was designed so that half of the research subjects were shown the “before” pictures first, while the other half were shown the “after” pictures first. A month later the volunteers were brought back in to rate the corresponding other half of the pictures.

On average, patients appeared to be 1.5 years younger following surgery. The results also suggested that the older a patient was prior to surgery, the young they appeared post-surgery. However, researchers did point out that the difference between age groups was not statistically significant.

Additionally, the degree of rhinoplasty also seemed to have an impact on age estimates. Patients who received a reduction in their dorsal hump (the convex shape to the bridge of the nose) and patients with a greater degree of nasal tip rotation appeared younger in their after pictures than other patients.

While the overall impact nose reshaping may have on creating a youthful appearance may not be as dramatic as a face lift of neck lift, it does appear to be a surprising added advantage.

“This is the first study to demonstrate a statistically significant decrease in apparent age after rhinoplasty,” the doctors concluded. “This decrease in apparent age is an extra positive benefit of rhinoplasty, in addition to an increase in the harmony of facial features and the improvement of overall facial aesthetics.”

Learn more about nose reshaping in Bellevue, WA.

Source: LA Times

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