Category: Top » Beauty »

Author: foreignhaus | Total views: 9 Comments: 0
Word Count: 778 Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 7:49 AM

Choosing Your Breast Augmentation Requries The Right Questions

One good way to start thinking about breast augmentation is to ask yourself some very basic, important questions. Is the procedure medically safe? Are there specific issues in my medical history that I should consider before proceeding? Am I just being vain?

Can I achieve the changes I want any other way? If the answers to this first series of questions are positive, then it's time to ask yourself, "Am I? Can I?" types of questions. Am I willing to do my homework and make my own decisions? Am I willing to realistically accept the trade-offs and risks?

Can I handle the costs or the financial burden? Am I willing to use common sense when making my decisions? Am I willing to remove my implants if necessary? Answering these questions is the first step. If you can't take the first step successfully, you probably shouldn't try to climb the stairs.

To judge whether something is safe medically, you need to know a little about medical science. Medicine is not an exact science. The answers to most medical questions are rarely black and white. Instead, most answers are usually shades of gray. Good decisions in medicine are based on weighing evidence scientifically and clinical experience.

Part science and part art, plastic surgery relies on scientific evidence and experience. No procedure in plastic surgery is perfect. Perfection isn't an option. Improvement is the only option. What is best and what is right are always shades of gray. Don't expect many black and white answers. No procedure is without trade-offs and risks (the grays).

Whether something is reasonable depends on whether the potential benefits outweigh the potential trade-offs and risks. Whether something is safe is relative. The best decisions are based on scientific evidence and your comfort level with the trade-offs and risks.

Somewhere, someone can always tell you a personal horror story about almost any experience in life, even having a baby. Does that stop us from having babies? No. We weigh the pros and cons and make a personal decision. Most potential gains involve some risks. For most pros, some cons usually exist. Breast augmentation is no exception.

Sound medical decisions are usually based on scientifically tested and proven evidence that is reinforced by substantial clinical experience treating patients. What is scientifically tested and proven evidence? First, a well-designed scientific study is performed, and then the evidence is reviewed by professional peers.

If the study is scientifically sound after review, it is usually published in well-respected medical journals. That process takes time. When you hear, read, or see something in the media about breast implants or augmentation, it may or may not be true, especially when a technique or device is new.

The questions to ask are, How long has it been tested? Do we really know yet? It takes time to treat and follow enough patients to know if something is good. Good scientific studies that answer the important questions are very time consuming.

Compiling meaningful clinical experience takes years. When we try to answer the following important questions, our answers are based on the best scientific evidence available and on twenty-four years of clinical experience treating and following breast augmentation patients.

To date, one of the most conclusive, compelling, and reassuring sources of information is the report of the National Science Panel over the class action breast implant litigation. This panel was appointed to evaluate all existing scientific evidence and determine whether silicone gel breast implants cause any type of autoimmune diseases, connective tissue diseases, or immune-system dysfunctions.

Four disciplines were represented on the panel by world-recognized experts in each discipline immunology, epidemiology, toxicology, and rheumatology. What were their conclusions?

Immunology-The main conclusion that can be drawn from existing studies is that women with silicone breast implants do not display a silicone-induced systemic abnormality in the types or functions of cells of the immune system.

Epidemiology-No association was evident between breast implants and any of the individual connective tissue diseases, all definite connective tissue diseases combined, or the other autoimmune/rheumatic conditions.

Toxicology-In conclusion, the preponderance of evidence from animal studies indicates little probability the silicone exposure induces or exacerbates systemic disease in humans.

Rheumatology-Furthermore, many of the rheumatologic complaints reported are common in the general population as presenting complaints in physician's offices. No distinctive features relating to silicone breast implants could be identified.

This panel of unbiased experts unequivocally concluded that breast implants do not cause any of these diseases.

About the Author

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in Dallas, Texas and cosmetic surgery procedures such as dallas breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, facelift, liposuction, and arm lift.