September 24th, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Opinion
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I read someone said she had to get her implants re-done 20 or so years later. I thought that getting breast implants was a one-time thing. How long do breast implants last?
Breast implant surgery is definitely not to be considered a “one time thing.” That is one good finding that came out of the breast implant craziness of the 1990′s in the US; the time at which the FDA banned silicone gel implants and demanded studies.
Interestingly, the implants themselves are not always the problem that leads to re-operation. It can be the body’s reaction to them. Silicone gel breast implants in particular can Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
September 9th, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Opinion
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When things are done properly, infection is pretty uncommon in a plastic surgery practice. Surgery and infection are unfortunately related however and will co-exist at least occasionally even when everything is done correctly. This is just a fact of life.
People interestingly enough seem to believe that an infection is evidence of malpractice. Infection can be present when malpractice has occurred but by itself is not evidence of anything.
Minor infections can often can be treated and cause no long term problems. More serious infections can Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
September 3rd, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Opinion
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From Forbes:
But today, a range of dermal fillers can be injected into those crow’s feet, marionette lines, thinning lips and furrows between the brows, taking years off the face–and all can be done during your lunch hour, with no invasive surgery and little recovery time.
Source: forbes.com/2009/05/26/dermal-filler-cosmetic-forbes-woman-well-being-facelift.html
I love how the press tends to make it seem like Dermal Fillers are the solution for which we have all been waiting. They make it an issue of just “choosing the right one.”
The issue here is that dermal fillers Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
August 28th, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Opinion, Research
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The FDA has granted a license to the maker of laViv which is said to improve the appearance of smile lines without freezing the muscles of your face. Have you heard of this new drug? Does it work like it claims? Are there any side effects that are worrisome?
Source: dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2028456/New-biological-wrinkle-cure-touted-alternative-Botox-frozen-face.html
Maybe.
As we have discussed before, FDA approval is not a stamp of approval that a drug is effective. It just means that as far as current studies show, it is not harmful. Some drugs are FDA approved for years until later the FDA reconsiders and removes them from the market. Look at the relatively recent removal of Darvocet from the market after many years of FDA approval.
LaViv is an interesting concept. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
August 14th, 2011 by GarySchwitzer in Opinion
1 Comment »
Monday’s New York Times tweeted a headline – “Never Too Old for Plastic Surgery” – about this story.
While I’m very happy for the 83-year old woman in the piece for her happiness over her “new” $8,000 breasts, the piece was framed like an expensive billboard for plastic surgeons – only it didn’t cost them anything. The Times gave away the advertising space.
The story states:
“There are as many reasons for getting plastic surgery as there are older patients, experts say”…and…”some are simply sick of slackened jowls, jiggly underarms and saggy eyelids.”
There are a few other perspectives in the middle of the piece:
“Some critics question whether the benefits are worth the risks, which may be underestimated.”
But it is often how you END a piece that determines readers’ takeaway messages – and it is often also a sign of the message the journalist really wanted to convey. And this one concludes with a Harvard prof’s comment: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog*