Friday, January 29, 2010

Thigh Fat = Perky New Breasts?

Photo: Linda Barlett for National Cancer Institute

A pretty sensational press release crossed my desk today, claiming that the first "stem cell breast augmentation" had been performed in Florida, with an injection of regenerative cells that should increase the patient's bust by one cup size.

Fat was taken from the woman's thighs and hips via lipo, and then processed to extract natural regenerative cells - which were then injected into her breasts.

Now THAT'S my idea of recycling!

But remember that anytime you re-inject your own fat into your body, some absorption can happen. The release claims that this procedure retains 80% of the injected fat.

This all seemed a little too good to be true, so I consulted board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Parham Ganchi of Wayne, NJ to ask what he thought.

"This is basically fat injection to the breast which has been around since at least the early 90's. When fat is harvested, there are stem cells there. What these stem cells do or don't do is not known. What we do know is that by taking the fat and stem cells and whatever else is mixed in there and putting it in the breast, you can achieve a very modest breast augmentation. The problem is that there have been some concerns about the injected cells increasing the chance of breast cancer and interfering with our ability to detect breast cancer on a mammogram," says Dr. Ganchi.

If longer term studies show that the procedure is safe, Dr. Ganchi does think this could become a more popular option.

But because we're dealing with a possible connection to breast cancer, studies will take years - maybe even a lifetime.

So for now, silicone and saline are still your best friends.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Victoria Silvstedt: Victim Of Breast Implant Rippling



Not surprisingly, this less-than-flattering photo of Swedish model, actress and Playboy Playmate Victoria Silvstedt has been making the internet rounds.

The blonde bombshell was vacationing in St. Barths when this shot was snapped, clearly showing rippling in the inner side of her left breast.

Rippling is a breast augmentation complication that can happen to anyone and is very difficult for plastic surgeons to predict, though decisions like choosing large implants and going over the muscle increase your chances of ending up with the issue.

It's not painful, nor does it cause any further problems - it can just look unsightly.

And just like Victoria's pose in this photo, patients who get rippling tend to see it when they bend over and gravity pulls at the implant at a strange angle.

The best way to prevent rippling? Stick with a moderate size and go under the muscle.

Some plastic surgeons say that rippling is a bit more common with saline than it is with silicone too.




Writer Fired For Showing Off Breast Augmentation


Photo: okvi.com

There has been some hot gossip making the rounds of the New York media world lately, and it involves a pair of breast implants.

Apparently, a writer at Brides magazine - which is owned by media giant Conde Nast - called a couple of long-time friends into her office, closed the door, lifted her shirt and revealed her sparkling new breast augmentation - which was neatly wrapped up in a post-surgery sports bra.

Mouths flapped, and word of the incident traveled like wild fire through the office.

And then HR came knocking on the door.

They said they would investigate the matter, and investigate they did: two days later, the editor found a pink slip on her desk.

The axed editor is livid, and has since sued Conde Nast for wrongful termination.

"It was within the confines of my office, behind closed doors. There was no nudity involved. They were personal friends who I had known for years," she told the New York Post.

Lesson: Resist the urge to talk about or show the girls off at work. You might just end up walking the plank.

A Definite Way To Tell If Boobs Are Fake


Photo: wm.edu

Someone has finally figured out a way to definitely tell if boobs are fake.

That someone is Shauvon from The Real World; the one who burst her implant doing a stunt for the show.

This little science experiment involves a flash light and a dark room.

Apparently, if you put a flashlight right up under a breast in a dark room, a fake implant will glow Halloween orange.

So of course I HAD to immediately try this to see if it's true.

A dark room, a flash light and 15 seconds later - my boob was lit up like a Jack-o-Lantern.

Unbelievable.

Heidi Montag Before And After Pictures

Photo: HuffingtonPost.com

Unless you've been living under a rock recently, you've most likely heard the brouhaha over Heidi Montag's before and after photos in People magazine this week.

The controversy? The 23 year-old Hills star got a jaw-dropping TEN cosmetic surgery procedures done in one day.
Here's the grand total list:

-Mini Brow Lift (who lifts a 23 year old's brows?)

-Botox in Forehead and Frown Area

-Nose Job Revision

-Fat Injections In Cheeks, Nasolabial Folds and Lips
-Chin Reduction
-Neck Liposuction (Now I've heard everything)

-Ears Pinned Back

-Breast Augmentation Revision

-Liposuction on Waist, Hips and Inner and Outer Thighs
-Buttock Augmentation

Wow. Can you imagine what that recovery must have felt like?

Most good, board-certified plastic surgeons would refuse to stack that many surgeries into one day; the additional time spent under anaesthesia increases your risk of a serious complication like blood clotting, and it's difficult to heal properly from so many fresh surgeries at one time.

And another reality check: the "after" photo is an achievement of Photoshop flawlessness; in real life, anytime you cut into the skin - you'll leave some type of scar. Heidi no doubt has scarring going on here that we're not seeing.

All that said, I think I'm the only person on the planet who thinks she looks amazing in the "after" shot - except for the cartoonish breast augmentation. I'm willing to bet that Heidi is going to see some complications down the road for choosing such an exaggerated size for her naturally petite frame. She's asking her skin and tissue to do some pretty impossible things there.

But the funny thing is - I find myself looking at the before and after of her hair style the most out of anything. That sleek blowout looks gorgeous. And you know it only took 20 minutes, a big round brush and a hair dryer to achieve..something anyone can do for free in the privacy of their own bathroom.



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Breast Implants For Terrorists?


Photo: LifeHack.org

Terrorist plot: Check.

Explosive PETN: Check.

Breast Implants: Check.

What?

Believe it.

Now that the TSA is considering a switch to full-body scanners that leave nothing to the imagination, it's possible that would-be terrorists could conceal explosive materials in unscannable areas like breast implants, says Elan Singer in his Forbes.com article.

According to Singer, all a terrorist would need to set off bomb material implanted in breasts - or any other fleshy body part like thighs for that matter - is a liquid accelerant that could be injected with a pen.

The point of this hypothetical situation? Sanger is suggesting that new full-body scanner searches will just push terrorists to start implanting explosive materials within the body - making all of us even less safe with nothing to show for it other than a longer wait in security check point lines.

Who would have ever thought..?