New Sientra Teardrop Implants - Your Thoughts?

Photo: Sientra.com

Hi Readers!

Here's an opportunity to let a breast augmentation implant manufacturer know what YOU think. Sientra has asked me to post the below info and questions about their brand new anatomical (also known as "teardrop") implant offering in the USA.

Please answer the questions in bold below in the comments section to have this brand take your thoughts and questions into consideration as they work on creating breast augmentation products that better serve the public's needs.

xo
Grace

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Sientra, makers of the newly FDA-approved, round and anatomically shaped, silicone gel breast implants, is looking to gather feedback from the online breast augmentation community. Disclaimer: I’ll be paid $200 by WEGO Health and Sientra to conduct this activity. They will also be making a $200 donation to a non-profit of my choice for gathering your thoughts and feedback.

Sientra’s exciting new line of form-stable, anatomically shaped breast implants makes Sientra the first and only company in the United States to offer both round and anatomically shaped breast implants. Shaped like teardrops, and designed to look and feel like a natural breast, anatomically shaped implants have been popular in Europe and Brazil for nearly two decades. Now, for the first time, women in the U.S. also have a choice when it comes to implant shape. Whether you prefer the more natural appearance of anatomically shaped implants or want more fullness in the upper portion of the breast that round implants provide, Sientra can help you achieve the look you want.

What makes these implants special is the silicone gel they are filled with—High-Strength cohesive silicone gel. This unique silicone gel is designed to hold together, allowing the implants to maintain their teardrop shape. The best way to illustrate the qualities of High-Strength cohesive silicone gel is to cut one of Sientra’s shaped implants in half as shown here. [http://www.youtube.com/sientra]

To ensure that women who receive Sientra implants are implanted by the most highly trained surgeons, Sientra has made a commitment to sell its breast implants exclusively to Plastic Surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Sientra is the only manufacturer of breast implants to make this commitment.

For more detailed safety information about Sientra breast implants, please visit www.sientra.com/resources or call Sientra at (888) 708-0808.

Sientra would like your feedback on some key questions:

1. Is this the first time that you’re hearing about Sientra’s new anatomically shaped silicone gel breast implants?  What are your initial thoughts about these implants.

2. What do you think about these new anatomically shaped implant options? How do you think they compare to breast implant options that are on the market or currently being reviewed for approval by the FDA?

3. Which piece of information in this posting, in conjunction with the safety information at www.sientra.com/resources, do you consider most important when deciding which breast implant is best for you?

A History Of Breast Augmentation

Have you ever wondered how breast augmentation evolved?

Read on below to find out, in this insightful guest post contributed by The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in the UK.

Breast Implants - A History

Breast augmentation is not only about getting implants - patients undergo breast reductions as well as enlargements, with common reasons ranging from backache to fears about breast cancer, to purely cosmetic concerns.

Modern-day techniques are minimally invasive, allowing implants to be put in place safely, while reductions are also carried out with the aim of leaving minimal scarring behind, even in complicated procedures where large amounts of tissue are removed and the nipple repositioned.

Whether you are having an enlargement or a reduction, centuries of progress are behind the approach taken by your surgeon - and breast augmentation has made rapid progress in the past 50 years alone.

The 1960s 

While forms of plastic surgery have been around for centuries, and breast implants made of sponge and other materials had already been attempted, it wasn't until 1962 that the first silicone implants were devised by Texan doctors Frank Gerow and Thomas Cronin.

Timmie Jean Lindsey became the first human recipient - and made headlines again 50 years later when, at the age of 80, she appeared in newspapers around the world to comment on the 50th anniversary of silicone implants.

Lindsey was pictured within weeks of her operation and, while the images are low-resolution, they demonstrate that her healing process had seemingly taken about two months to complete.

The 1970s

In the 1970s, mass-production of breast implants gathered speed, and new alternatives were introduced - including attempts at creating inflatable implants.

However, it was progress in silicone implants that led the industry throughout the decade, with much softer outer casings better mimicking real breast tissue.

A landmark event in the UK occurred in 1979, with the first meeting of the British Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, which became BAAPS (the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) in 1982.

The 1980s

Safety became a key concern in the 1980s amidst claims that silicone implants could cause health problems. Leakage of the silicone gel through the thin walls of the implants used at the time was linked with cancer in animals, but no equivalent risk was found in humans, and by the end of the decade new implants with thicker walls were being introduced.

The 1990s 

Regulations in the US dominated the decade, as the FDA announced a voluntary moratorium on the use of silicone implants in January 1992, until further safety investigations had been carried out.

From July 1992, silicone implants were approved for reconstruction work, while June 1998 saw approval given for limited augmentation work with silicone implants.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), 101,176 breast augmentations were carried out in 1997 - remember that figure, as we'll be coming back to it later.

The 2000s 

By the end of the decade, breast augmentation was by far the most popular form of cosmetic surgery, but ASAPS figures show that it has its rivals.

From 101,176 breast augmentations carried out in the US in 1997, the figure rose to 316,848 in 2011 - but for the first time in three years, liposuction ranked as the top US cosmetic surgical procedure, with 325,332 individual procedures carried out.

In the UK, breast augmentation also rose at the end of the decade, by 10% in 2010 alone, with 9,418 procedures carried out according to the BAAPS annual audit - and breast reductions ranked as the second-most popular male plastic surgery procedure.

Present Day

Today there are all sorts of breast augmentation procedures carried out on a daily basis - from simple implants or reductions, to mastopexy (breast uplift surgery) which restores a more youthful appearance, and male reductions to tackle gynaecomastia.

Professional organisations such as BAAPS exist to ensure standards are upheld - and are as likely to be seen campaigning against unsafe procedures as they are to be championing the latest innovation.

While there is no set price for breast implants or augmentation surgery - which is decided on a case-by-case basis - the NHS will rarely fund such treatments without clear health reasons, and private surgery costs around $6,000 in the USA and £4,000 in the UK.

Breast augmentation is here to stay, whether carried out on the NHS for purely health-related reasons, or privately for cosmetic purposes - and in both instances, there is a real commitment to patient care and to providing implants that can remain in place for many years to come.

Breast Augmentation Improves Sex Life, Says Survey

Getting a new pair of girls significantly improves your sex life, says a new survey conducted by RealSelf.com.

Click here for full survey from RealSelf.com

Survey highlights to note:

• Women paid an average of $6,600 for breast augmentation and $10,000 for breast lift.
• 61 percent of respondents said they had more sex after undergoing breast augmentation, compared with just seven percent who said they have less sex since getting the procedure.
• 70 percent said their sex life satisfaction improved after getting breast implants.
• On a scale of one to 10, 28 percent of women with breast implants said their sex life improved by more than four points.
• 85 percent of women said their breast augmentation was worth it - meaning 8.5 out of 10 patients would do it again if they could. For breast lift, 82 percent of women said it was worth it.

World Boob Map Shows Average Breast Size By Country

Well, there you have it - a map put out by German newspaper Bild that purports to show the average breast cup size by country.

So where will you find the largest breasts in the world? Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway all weigh in at an average "greater than D cup" - though the United States, Venezuela and Columbia all factor close behind, with average D cups.

Meanwhile, the most petite bustlines can be found in Africa and Eastern Asia.

While this likely isn't the most scientific map (we don't know if they factored breast augmentations into the average size, though by the looks of it, my guess is they did), it does help give you an idea of which cultures may influence the desire to have a certain breast cup size.

The Best And Worst Celebrity Boob Jobs

Gwen Stefani

Hello My Beautiful Readers!

Today, I'm happy to share a guest post from Your Guide To Plastic Surgery, who will share some insightful lessons we can glean from the world of celebrity breast augmentations.

xo

Grace

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An actress' appearance can tremendously inflience her career. This is why plastic surgery is so common among women in Hollywood. When an actress reappears looking pretty and refreshed after a long time away from the spotlight, it is likely that she has had a cosmetic procedure performed. An improvement in appearance that is natural and noticeable but not obviously the result of plastic surgery is ideal. For more information on plastic surgery, check out Your Guide to Plastic Surgery.

Breast augmentation is one of the most commonly performed plastic surgeries in Hollywood. Since many actresses are slim or petite in physique, many of them do not naturally have large breasts. They often look to cosmetic surgery to add some womanly curves. And as an often welcome side effect, making the breasts bigger can make the waist appear smaller in comparison. A natural-looking set of breast implants should provide a moderate upgrade to what the woman already possesses. It only takes going up more than one or two cup sizes to make the implants look obvious and unnatural.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively has the best breast implants in Hollywood! She benefits from having an already stunning figure that is lean and healthy, so subtly increasing her bust size has only made her more attractive. Her implants can be seen in this photo. Her breasts were already big enough to sufficiently conceal the implants, which are likely made out of silicone. They look large and full but do not sag when Blake is not wearing a bra. Like many actresses, one of her reasons for having plastic surgery was wanting to look better in clothes. Blake now fills out her tops more so than she did before the surgery.

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani is another blonde who has had great results from breast augmentation. Her implants are probably saline, which may not feel as natural as silicone ones do, but are the better choice for incredibly thin women who do not want the outlines of their implants to be visible underneath their skin. Gwen went from an A cup to a large B cup, keeping her bust in proportion with her slender figure.

Blake and Gwen are also stellar examples of tasteful rhinoplasty. They both started out with rather large, indelicate noses that have since been smoothed and refined. They exercised good judgment in leaving their noses big rather than having them reduced down to entirely different shapes. They modified their looks without disrupting the natural, graceful geometry of their faces.

Kate Beckinsale

Kate Beckinsale's implants are poorly placed and too big for her frame. They are obviously silicone because they create a defined valley down her rib cage in between their sharp edges. They are too high up on her chest and are too unnaturally perky, especially in a top like the one Kate is wearing in the photograph. They are so oversized that they actually caused her skin to develop stretch marks over them. Breast plants this obvious have been inserted over the muscle rather than underneath it. Placing implants under the muscle is more painful and necessitates a longer recovery period, but it results in more natural-looking breast augmentations. It is rumored that Kate's contract forbids screenwriters from writing any scenes in which she has to bend over because her implants will slide up to her collarbone due to their improper placement.

Tara Reid

Tara Reid has some of the worst celebrity plastic surgery results of all time. Her breast implants are too big and yet they still sag. This happens when a large silicone implant is inserted on top of the muscle and is only supported by the surrounding skin. When her top came down at a red carpet event, the world became privy to Tara's unsightly surgical scarring. Her surgeon did not direct her toward better implant and placement options, nor did he perform the operation correctly. Tara also has a lumpy, disfigured torso due to a botched liposuction procedure during which her doctor tried to remove more fat than a thin woman like Tara should reasonably have extracted.

The Takeaway

So how can women avoid these problems with botched plastic surgery? It all really comes down who they select as their plastic surgeon. Skilled plastic surgeons know how to make the procedures look more natural, but it also comes to what the woman requests. If a woman like Tara Reid asks for liposuction on her 110 pound frame, it’s kind of hard to make that look natural. If a woman asks for breast implants that are too big or too perky, the plastic surgeon should advise against this. But if the patient demands it, again, there is only so much the surgeon can do. It is best to keep realistic expectations and actually listen to the advice of a board-certified, skilled doctor, as they know what’s best – after all, they are the one performing the surgery!

The Difference Between Natural and Augmented Breasts

Hilary Heath with her sportswear creations, courtesy of SturdyGirlSports.com

Hi All!

I'm excited to share a guest post today by Hilary Heath of Sturdy Girl Sports, who is going to tell us her own breast augmentation story, and explain how sports bra support needs change after having a boob job.

And all of you active women out there - from runners, to yogis to dancers and exercise enthusiasts - you'll want to check out Hilary's line of Sturdy Girl sports bras and athletic wear, which allow you to continue your favorite high-impact work outs after your breast augmentation, without having to think about (or feel!) your new additions.

xo

Grace

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Hilary's Breast Augmentation Story

As your guest host for today, I thought I’d take a moment to explain my background. 

In my early forties I found myself doing that thing where you stare at yourself in mirror after a shower and sort of do a full body assessment. Overall, I felt pretty good. I was fit, strong and had lots of energy. The only part of my body that I wasn’t happy with was my breasts. Having been a runner since college and having breast-fed 3 kids, my boobs looked like they’d been through a war.  I knew all the working out in the world wasn’t going to bring my “fried eggs on a clothesline” back to their former perkiness. It was at the point I decided to get breast augmentation and my husband, god bless him, was fully supportive.

I didn’t really have a size in mind. I just asked my surgeon to “fill up the empty space”. My surgeon started with a moderate size, I think 300 cc’s of saline slightly overfilled, but after propping me up on the table and looking at them before closing me up everyone in the room agreed that my breasts still had plenty of space to fill up (read: still saggy looking). So he went up to 400 cc’s and overfilled again which took them 425cc’s. I guess that did the trick because that is how I left surgery. I am happy with how they came out and think they fit my body structure, but I did end up with DD cup size breasts which is bigger than I initially anticipated.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that the sports bras I used for running and other high impact sports weren’t going to work any longer.  Sports bras sized “medium” now didn’t fit my breasts although they still fit my rib cage.  Hook and closure sports bras in size 34DD fit me, but I hated the way they looked.  To me, they looked like underwear instead of like a sports bra - which meant I wasn’t going to take my shirt off on a hot summer’s day trail run because I didn’t want to be seen running in underwear. Even worse, I hated what they did to me after a long, sweaty run.  I found I regularly got raw spots from the closure area whether it was located in the back or the front of the bras.  It was at that point that I decided I was going to design a better sports bra that fit my new figure.  It took me another couple of years to actually go do it.

My research into how to design a better sports bra for my new body led me to understanding the differences between augmented breasts and natural breasts. And this is what I am here to share today.

The Difference Between Natural and Augmented Breasts

I learned that as women age, their breast tissue and suspensor ligaments that hold them up - known as Cooper’s ligaments – thin out and droop naturally, just as all the tissue on your body loses its elasticity as you age.

However, once you get implants, the thinning ligaments that would normally sustain naturally thinning breast tissue now need to hold up dense, nonchanging implants, which over time can end up sagging even worse than natural breasts if not properly supported. Implants subjected to repeated unsupported high-impact movement can risk sliding out of the breast pocket created by the surgeon. If this happens, reconstructive surgery is required to fix the situation. This alone is reason enough to make sure you wear a high-support sports bra when working out.

Second, numbness or lack of sensation in nipple tissue is a common side effect of augmentation surgery. It doesn’t even matter where the incision was made. This is because the web of nerves in every woman’s breast is different, and avoiding no affect is almost impossible. As a result of this damage and loss of sensation, nipples may seem to have a mind of their own and stand out at embarrassing times. Workouts are no exception. A good support sports bra will help conceal this when you're working out and don't want to be thinking about that!

Third, women commonly get implants that are disproportionately large for their bodies even if their implants are not truly large.  This is because many women with small natural breasts have correspondingly small body frames or low body fat.  So even getting moderate implants on a small or thin body frame can lead to difficultly in finding a sports bra that fits and supports correctly. Often the breast area on a woman of this thin body structure is basically just the round implant itself with very little tissue covering it.

The Bottom Line

• Augmented breasts need higher support than natural breasts because the dense nonchanging implants put undue strain on the body’s supportive ligaments. The bigger the implants, the bigger the strain, and potential for sagging or slippage from the breast pocket.

• Augmented breasts can have more nipple protrusion than natural breasts, so a sports bra that offers full coverage in the nipple area will likely make you feel most comfortable.

• Augmented breasts are often disproportionate to the rest of a women’s body, making it difficult to wear a bra sized small, medium, large. Your sports bra should securely support your breasts, and snuggly fit the width of your torso.

I hope this info is helpful to keep in mind when you're sports bra shopping, and perhaps even deciding on an implant size.

The PIP Silicone Breast Implant Scare

Photo: Reuters

What Happened:

In January 2012, authorities found that French breast implant manufacturer PIP used industrial grade silicone (illegal) instead of the medical grade silicone that is approved for breast implant use. The findings came after about 1,000 women in France and Europe experienced implant ruptures, placing their implant failure rate several times higher than what is normal. Officials believe that between 30,000 to 50,000 women throughout Europe may have received these PIP silicone breast implants.

Who Is Safe?

Women who received silicone breast implants in the United States do NOT have a chance of having received these implants, as PIP has never distributed implants in the USA. European women who have received silicone implants from manufacturers aside from PIP are also not affected.

What To Do If You Received Or Suspect You Received PIP Implants:

First, confirm what kind of implant you have with your surgeon if you don't already know.

To be on the safe side, several medical agencies in European countries (including France and the U.K.) are recommending that women have PIP silicone implants removed as a precaution, even if you show or feel no symptoms of a rupture. Ruptures are often silent, and are not always detected on imaging software. Please see further below for a special message to U.K. women.

How To Make Sure Something Like This Doesn't Happen To You:

Know exactly what manufacturer your breast implants are coming from before you get a breast augmentation. Ask your surgeon for all implant details - manufacturer, fill type, and cc amount. This information should never be a mystery or surprise to you. Doing your homework helps keep you safe.

Only hire a board-certified plastic surgeon, whose first priority is patient safety, and who will only work with a manufacturer who has passed all testing and safety requirements.

Mentor Corporation and Allergan are two of the most trusted breast implant brands in the industry. If your surgeon recommends a different brand, do your Google research and consult with the aesthetic governing agency of your country if need be to double check that the breast implants are from a reputable company.

A Message For Women In The U.K. Who Have Received PIP Silicone Breast Implants:

"Authoritative new professional and patient guidance for all women who have received a PIP breast implant has been released today (Tuesday, 17 Jan 2012) by the professional bodies representing surgeons. The new guidance provides patients with practical advice on what to expect and their rights, indicates to GPs where to refer different groups of patient and advises surgeons on treatment.

Joint statement from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS):

The guidance goes beyond current government advice aimed at patients with symptoms to give additional practical advice for the majority of patients who do not.

Key points include:

- All patients should be able to have an assessment by a surgeon regardless of whether they have symptoms.

- If a patient requests removal - they should expect to get this, regardless of the presence of any symptoms. If a patient wants time to make up their minds this should be respected - surgery to remove implants must not be a time-limited "take it or leave it" offer.

- Scans should only be used as a tool to assist patients make a decision and only take place after the patient has had a consultation with a surgeon. Scanning alone is not a reliable enough tool for detecting failure rates in breast implants.

- Reaffirms the surgical association's view that all clinics have an ethical and moral duty of care to offer these patients treatment without charge.

- Advice to GPs on where to refer patients with different symptoms to ensure they get most appropriate treatment.

The document, Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP) Breast Implants: Joint surgical statement on Clinical Guidance for Patients, GPs and Surgeons has been jointly endorsed by the Association of Breast Surgery, British Association of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgeons, British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Federation of Surgical Speciality Associations and the Royal College of Surgeons."