breast augmentation

Because the term “plastic surgery” comes from a Greek word meaning “to give form,” it is inherently a 3-dimensional concept.  All too often though the way we communicate about plastic surgery flattens it to a 2 dimensions. “Before and after” photos are useful but tell only part of the story. They may not adequately show, for example, the volume changes that are so important in facial rejuvenation, and in the case of breast surgery they are even more limiting.

This week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released updated information on the safety of breast implants, and it represents a big step in the right direction by confirming their safety and a woman’s right to make her own informed decisions. Given the controversial history that has defined the regulatory process and public discussion on breast implants, this new guidance should be reassuring.

   Few things seem to attract as much attention in plastic surgery these days as stem cells and fat grafts for breast enlargement. I’m just back from the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a group of board-certified plastic surgeons who do primarily cosmetic (aesthetic) surgery and medicine.

Despite improvements in techniques and technologies over the years, yielding better and more consistent results with breast augmentation, the problem of capsular contracture – a hardening of the natural scar envelope that forms around implants – hasn’t gone completely away. One thing we do know is that using a “no touch” technique for implant placement is important in minimizing the odds of developing a contracture.