An unfortunate reality is that many patients don’t undergo breast reconstruction because they’re not aware that the procedure has universal health insurance.  Doctors pushed for the new law so that a discussion of breast reconstruction options would be required, thus increasing the number of patients undergoing the surgery.

There seems to be a stark contrast in resources between breast reconstruction patients of different backgrounds.  Evidently, some are making decisions about treatment with a relative lack of information, while others are independently seeking out advanced microsurgical procedures.   According to a recent study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, a growing number of breast cancer patients are using the Internet to find a reconstructive surgeon on their own, and many are choosing advanced microsurgical breast reconstruction procedures.

• Read more about the law via the New York Times
• Read more about breast reconstruction in San Antonio

Liposuction was the single most popular cosmetic surgery, followed by breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and tummy tuck.  Although procedures varied among different countries, the U.S., Brazil, China, Mexico, India and Japan represented the bulk of the top five surgical procedures.  The total estimated number of cosmetic procedures performed by board-certified (or equivalent) plastic surgeons was 17,295,557.

Interestingly, plastic surgeons reported more non-surgical procedures than surgical procedures, with the most common treatment being botulinum toxin injections (Botox or Dysport).

The survey data was released in time for the 20^th Biennial Congress of ISAPS, which is taking place right now in San Francisco.  Read more on isaps.org or prnewswire.com

In one study, the authors surveyed 170 participants and found that those who favored reality television shows about cosmetic surgery were more likely to show interest in pursuing their own procedure.  In a second study, 189 participants were split into two groups, with one viewing a television program about a surgical makeover, while the other half was exposed to a neutral message.  Participants viewing the surgical makeover program indicated greater interest in cosmetic surgery than the participants exposed to the neutral message.

Several networks have introduced programs with a significant focus on cosmetic surgery, especially on programs such as Real Housewives of Orange County, Extreme Makeover, The Doctors or The Biggest Loser.   But are these programs necessarily giving us a realistic picture of cosmetic surgery?  If viewers are as impressionable as the study indicates, there’s surely a need to keep these programs more about reality and less about sensationalism.

Read the study mentioned here, “A correlational and experimental examination of reality television viewing and interest in cosmetic surgery” on PubMed.

A related company press release said,  “XEOMIN does not require refrigeration prior to reconstitution,” a difference they say could “simplify product distribution and storage, and help ensure product integrity at the time of injection.”

In January, Merz announced the acquisition of California based Bioform Medical, maker of the popular Radiesse dermal filler.  They say it’s a transaction that “advances Merz’s strategy of becoming a leading player in aesthetic medicine.”

Once the transaction is complete, Bioform will be renamed Merz Aesthetics and two new dermal fillers, Belotero® and Novabel®, will be introduced.

While many of us believe that we judge people purely on their personality, character, or competence in the workplace, there may be other biases at work, the report suggests. “Looking good is no longer something we can ignore or dismiss as frivolous or vain,” argues reporter Jessica Bennet.

If society were not biased in favor of attractive people, would these statistics be true?

• “A good-looking man will make some $250,000 more than his least-attractive counterpart, according to economist Daniel Hamermesh.”
• “Fifty-seven percent of hiring managers told Newsweek that qualified but unattractive candidates are likely to have a harder time landing a job.”
• “More than half of those hiring managers advised spending as much time and money on “making sure they look attractive” as on perfecting a résumé.”

There are plenty more unsettling statistics cited throughout the report.  What’s more interesting though are the biological and psychological explanations (call them theories if you wish) for our bias.  Is it our appreciation of the “ideal form” as Plato suggested?  Are we unconsciously surrounding ourselves with attractive people in order to produce healthy offspring?  It’s unlikely that a single answer can satisfy our curiosity on this topic.

For many people in our generation, it comes down to an individual choice: how far will you go in your pursuit of beauty?  In the continuum of choices you can make to change your appearance, it’s not always clear where to draw the line.  Many people are quite satisfied with little more than a stylish wardrobe or haircut, but not every person begins their pursuit with the same beauty advantage.

Dr. Ortegon and San Antonio Cosmetic Surgery are running a small advertisement in the June issue of Cosmopolitan. If you found our website through the magazine, thanks for looking and we hope you find the information you’re looking for. If not, be sure to call or email us for more information.

You may remember last year’s campaign led by Brooke Shields. This year, the campaign is led by lifestyle designer Kathy Ireland, professional ballroom dancer Chelsie Hightower and style guide Bobbie Thomas.

“With approximately 1.5 million bottles sold since launching the product a little more than a year ago, LATISSE is giving back by helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant the wishes of children. Through the campaign, we will double each individual’s donation, with a maximum donation of $250,000, through October 31,” said Robert Grant, President of Allergan Medical, a division of Allergan, Inc.

Another promotion currently running for Latisse is the Latisse Lashperks program.  Call our office in San Antonio for more information on this special offer.

However, a recent study by the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses argues that information provided about post-operative events of breast surgery is “fragmented, incomplete, or lacking.”   By analyzing interviews with 48 patients, the authors of this article sought to uncover what is missing and report on the informational needs of women who undergo breast reconstruction, breast reduction, and breast augmentation.

They found 2 predominant themes among breast surgery patients: unexpected outcomes and helpful/unhelpful information.  Both themes have some clinical implication for plastic surgeons performing breast surgery – namely, “the need for more comprehensive education to better prepare women undergoing breast surgery and to help create more realistic expectations.”

Most patients in the study reported a positive outcome and high satisfaction with their surgeries, but most of them also experienced an unexpected event. Swelling, numbness, discomfort, sensations in the skin, and a “just plain weird feeling and uncomfortableness” were reported by patients in the study group.

Had these patients received more complete information before surgery, they would have been psychologically prepared for these events, the authors suggest.

Patients in the study also named the most useful information sources that prepared them for breast surgery:

• Before and After Photos
• Online forums
• Stories from other patients

These sources are readily available online, but you should still seek a plastic surgeon who is willing to provide comprehensive information about breast surgery and what to expect during your recovery.  You can read the article “Not What I Expected: Informational Needs of Women Undergoing Breast Surgery” through PubMed.gov or the journal, Plastic Surgical Nursing.

A recent study published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal compares the outcomes of both breast implants and studies the processes that could improve breast augmentation with the new prosthetics.

The authors evaluated data such as:

• Breast characteristics
• Patient’s quality of life
• Patient and surgeon satisfaction with outcome
• Adverse events

After breast augmentation with highly cohesive silicone gel implants, doctors followed up on patients 16 to 77 months later. “The outcome data indicate that these devices produce natural-appearing breasts with extremely low aggregate reoperation rate (4.2%), writes study author Mark Jewell M.D.  Between the two breast implant manufacturers, the study showed measurable differences in the incidence of visible implant rippling.

To learn more, read the abstract of “A comparison of outcomes involving highly cohesive, form-stable breast implants from two manufacturers in patients undergoing primary breast augmentation” on PubMed.gov

Plastic surgeons in Lithuania recently studied the success rate of different suture types used in Otoplasty.  A 3-year study was conducted with 100 patients.  They were divided into these groups based on the suture materials chosen:

• PDS
• Monocryl
• Mersilene

Patients (48 men and 52 women) had a median age of 20 years.  After analyzing the data for each group, the doctors found that 3 patients in the PDS group and 3 patients in the Monocryl group had unsatisfactory aesthetic outcomes requiring revision surgery.  Patients in the Mersilene suture group had the lowest rate of recurrence.

Read more about this study online on PubMed: “Comparison of otoplasty outcomes using different types of suture materials”