Public Health Officials Notice Rise in Illegal Body Contouring Injections

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Briana

Body ContouringSilicone butt injections performed illegally by unlicensed practitioners with no medical training have become a frightening new trend spreading across the country. Alarmed public health officials and prominent physicians within the plastic surgery community are now speaking up about the dangers associated with injectable silicone.

Recent arrests in Washington, Miami and New York City have shown that not only are these body contouring procedures being performed by untrained, unlicensed practitioners, but materials commonly found at local home improvement stores such as caulk or tire repair adhesives are being injected into these paying customers.

Dr. Michele Shermak, a Lutherville plastic surgeon and spokesperson for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has recently launched a new campaign aimed to further educate the public about the dangers of illegal cosmetic surgery performed by unlicensed practitioners.

“It’s horrible on so many levels,” Shermak was recently quoted in the Chicago Tribune. “You’re going to have a toxic reaction.”

Though injectable silicone is only approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of detached retinas, Shermock and other physicians state that have been hearing more and more about illegal silicone buttock injections lately.

Years of medical research has proven silicone to be a dangerous substance for the body, except when encased in buttock of breast implants. Injectable silicone often causes inflammatory reactions in the affected tissue areas, ultimately resulting in pain, redness and an increased risk of wounds and infections. Injected silicone can also travel through blood vessels to invade other organs within the body.

To some women, the risk of illegal body contouring may be worth it – legal buttock lifts and silicone implants are some of the most popular cosmetic procedures on the market. Buttock lifts and implants typically cost upwards of $4,500.

Health officials hope to see a decrease in injuries and hospitalizations due to illegal injectable silicone by increasing awareness and spreading education on the dangers of this growing trend.

Source: Chicago Tribune

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Neck Liposuction Sees Increase in Demand

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Briana

liposuctionLiposuction has been a high demand cosmetic procedures for years and is often utilized to remove excess fat in the hip or thigh areas. Recent technological advances have made it possible for other forms of liposuction, particularly neck liposuction, to gain momentum in the sphere of high demand cosmetic procedures.

Whether it’s the result of genetics, environmental factors or simply due to aging, the neckline area is particularly vulnerable to extraneous fatty deposits and loose skin, resulting in a heavier, less youthful physical appearance.

“In someone that has a fatty neck, the angle is what we like to have a right angle, is obscured,” according to San Francisco surgeon Randall Weil.

Lipo-sculpture, a half-hour outpatient procedure, is one of the latest cosmetic techniques used to re-contour and restore the jawline. Patients remain conscious for the entire procedure, eliminating many of the worrisome risks often associated with general anesthesia, making it a much less invasive form of liposuction.

The session first involves a physician applying a local anesthetic to the neck area and then a series of cannulas, of varying sizes, are utilized to draw out and remove excess fat concentrated in the neck area, saving the narrower tips for refinement and contouring of the delicate jawline area.

According to Weil, the most common side effects of lipo-sculpture may include a temporary bumpiness underneath the outer layer of the skin.

This procedures often costs upwards of $3,500 and like most cosmetic procedures, it’s typically not covered under most insurance policies.

Learn more about neck liposuction in Bellevue, WA area.

Source: ABC News

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New Study: Liposuction May Reduce Tummy Tuck Complications

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Briana

Tummy TuckA new study published in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), suggests that patients who elect to have liposuction in conjunction with their abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) may experience a reduced risk of postoperative complications.

This new technique which was pioneered by ASPS Surgeon Carl W. Lentz II, MD of Florida State University and colleagues appears to reduce the chance of patients developing seroma, a common postoperative complication. Seromas are pockets of clear fluid that may develop within a few weeks of surgery and often require repeated doctor visits in order to effectively drain all of the fluid.

To reduce the occurrence of seromas, surgeons typically elect to place a drain in the affected area after surgery, which remains with the patient for at least a week following their procedure. Often patients experience significant discomfort and their risk of infection increases as a result of the drain, without completely eliminating the risk of seroma.

Dr. Lentz’s method involves creating an extended incision in patients, which allows surgeons to perform a gentle liposuction underneath the skin. Once complete, the incision is closed using progressive tension sutures, which reduces the amount of “dead space” underneath where fluid retention can build up.

This technique was utilized in 113 abdominoplasty patients over a six-year period. Only 10 patients (8.8 percent) developed seromas following surgery and most of the seromas were small and only required noninvasive treatment methods. Four patients did develop larger seromas that required a drain placement.

The results of their six-year long study have made Dr. Lentz and colleagues optimistic that this new method will be an effective tool in reducing the risk of complication following an abdominoplasty, while also potentially improving the abdominal wall and overall waist contour of patients.

Learn more about liposuction and tummy tucks in Bellevue, Washington.

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Early Breast Reconstruction Rates Increase, Disparities Still Exist

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Briana

early breast reconstructive surgeryThe American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society recently compiled data from 396,434 post mastectomy patients which showed that more women than ever are opting for immediate or early breast reconstructive surgery.

Twenty-three percent of women in 2007 elected to have immediate or early reconstructive surgery, nearly doubling from just twelve percent in 1998. While these results suggest that more women have access to breast reconstruction surgery, data also indicates that access barriers still persist for women who are post mastectomy.

Racial, Socioeconomic and Geographic Differences Hinder Access to Breast Reconstructive Surgery

While research did show that the rate of immediate or early reconstructive surgery has been growing, growth trends were not equal across all subgroups of women. According to the data, the most likely recipients of immediate or early breast reconstruction from 1998 to 2007 were non-African American women under the age of 50 who either lived in a large metropolitan area, were cared for by an academic affiliated medical institution or earned a higher than average household income.

The disparity measured among differing racial, socioeconomic and geographic groups was statistically significant and the gap did not appear to be narrowing over time.

Breast reconstruction surgery has become available to more women than ever before, but despite this overall increase in utilization, the fact still remains that the medical industry is not doing enough to increase awareness, education and accessibility for immediate or early breast reconstruction for women across all socioeconomic, racial and geographic groups. Continued efforts by medical professionals are essential to progress.

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