The Cosmetic Surgery Blog

In what could well be the next miracle for women in the field of plastic surgery, hymen surgery is coming out into the open and leaving incredible new possibilities for women. Hymenoplasty, a controversial procedure in which the hymen is reattached, has been around since at least the 1970's, but has not been talked about as a general rule. However, with the rise of acceptance in modern society, the procedure may become popular for those who want to be "revirginized".

The social implications of this procedure are huge. There is the simple happy pleasure of it: the idea of being a virgin again. Many women want to re-experience their first time, or let their husbands have the sensation of being with a virgin again. There is also the idea of unbelievable hope for some women, such as those born into cultures where women are valued for their virginity, and are married according to purity. Hymenoplasty may be the repair for an innocent mistake, saving a family from humiliation.

While the procedure may still be a somewhat touchy subject, it has a lot of questions that can only be answered by talking about the procedure openly and taking the matter seriously. This could be a sacrilege to former customs, but it could also be a new chance or a re-kindled spark in an old relationship.

Modern breast augmentation began in the early 1960's with the introduction of silicone gel breast implants. The silicone gel breast implants were constructed of one type of silicone making an outer shell and an inner formulation of silicone for the filler. This type of implant was very popular through 1992 for cosmetic breast augmentation due to its natural look and feel.

In 1991, news stories emerged attributing myriad connective tissue disease problems to silicone gel breast implants. As a result, the head of the FDA, David Kessler, banned silicone gel breast implants for use in cosmetic breast augmentation. Since that ban, silicone gel breast implants have been in constant use for breast reconstruction in women with breast cancer in the United States and have been in continual use for cosmetic augmentation around the world.

Cosmetic breast augmentation has become an ever more popular procedure for women using an implant made from a firm silicone shell filled with saline. Over 264,000 cosmetic breast augmentations were performed in 2004.

A significant body of research has been accumulated since the ban in 1992, without any direct evidence that silicone gel breast implants cause connective tissue disorders. The two manufacturers of implants in the United States have sought approval to reintroduce silicone gel breast implants back into the market in the United States.

After several years of hearings held by the FDA, an "approval with conditions" for the sale of silicone gel breast implants was issued by the FDA in the second half of 2005. Many people are anticipating the final approval and reintroduction of silicone gel breast implants in early 2006.

For more information regarding breast augmentation, contact Eric Desman, M.D., a Northern Virgina cosmetic surgeon specializing in breast surgery and breast augmentation.

Some useful links regarding silicone gel breast implants:

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=599135
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news_room/Silicone-Breast-Implants-Press-Kit-Index.cfm
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/
http://books.nap.edu/catalog/9618.html
http://books.nap.edu/catalog/9602.html
http://www.breastimplantinfo.org/

While the FDA's desicion to maintain the ban on silicone gel breast implants, doctors are coming up with new, potentially better alternatives for those seeking bustier profiles. Their newest development are "gummies"- breast implants with the consistencies of gummy bears. They have all the positive attributes of the silicone gel implants, but lack the problem of gel migration that has proved such a hazard for some unfortunate silicone implant recipients. The new kind of implant shell coating may be less likely to cause inflammation and scarring. Most importantly, if that shell should wear off the gel will not go into the breast; it will simply float in place. The implant has also been said to feel like a natural breast as opposed to the water balloon feel that so many other implants are notorious for.

The only potential downside of the gummies is that they may prove too dense for the tastes of some women, but as a whole they seem to be a beacon of hope for those crest-(or should I say, chest)-fallen from the FDA ban.

If you're looking for great cosmetic surgeons specializing in breast enlargement, try Eric Desman, M.D. of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., Dr. Douglas Hendricks of Newport Beach, California, or Dr. Vasdev Rai of Dallas, Texas.

When people get older, they develop a less defined chin and jaw line due to fat deposits, loose skin and weakening muscles, creating the look of unsightly loose skin under the chin where it meets the neck. This is referred to as a "wattle". It has always been thought that the best procedure for ridding the wattle was a facelift, but this might not be true for some people. Liposuction might be a better alternative to the more youthful victims of wattles, who develop the section simply because of excess fatty deposits. For the more middle-aged and less unfortunate patients, a more simple procedure involving the incision and removal of fat deposits and tightening of the muscles proves a better alternative to a facelift. While facelifts may be unavoidable for those patients over 75 who wish to rid the wattle, these prospects still bring hope to a wider range of fearful wattle wearers.


Want a facial rejuvenation? Try contacting Douglas Hendricks, M.D. in Newport Beach, CA, Jeffrey Hartog, M.D, in Orlando, Florida, or Joseph Serota, M.D. in the Denver, Colorado area.

Although the rest of the world is still stuck at studying stem cells, and while the U.S. government is still not funding Stem Cell Research, dozens of Russian clinics and beauty salons are prideful of their advancement - they are using adult and embryonic stem cells to treat a wide range of diseases and disfigurements. While inserting injections of stem cells from aborted fetuses may sound a bit over the top, women in Russia are mad for it to get rid of cellulite and preserve their youthful beauty. Who's to say if they can be blamed for wanting eternal beauty?

Besides cosmetic purposes, some are desperate for the procedure for health reasons. Svetlana Galiyeva paid $20,000 for stem cell injections to try to regain control of her muscles, left crippled after multiple sclerosis. She has seen some improvement since the expensive treatments, and can now stand for breif periods, unaided.

While the moral rationale behind all of this might be in question, I think the cosmetic expeditions in Moscow reveal the mysterious yet promising future of stem cell therapy.