Breast Implants and other Cosmetic Procedures

Consumer group questions review of breast implants

Consumer safety advocates are questioning the Food and Drug Administration about incomplete and seemingly erroneous data used to support the safety of silicone breast implants in an agency review last year. The FDA concluded last summer that silicone-gel implants are basically safe as long as women understand they come with complications. | more

Women’s health advocates question FDA about missing safety data on silicone breast implants

AP News story on NRC's letter to Dr. Margaret Hamburg, FDA Commissioner, on the missing data for breast implants. | more

FDA Needs to Provide Breast Implant Patients and Physicians with Unreported Industry Data about Quality of Life, Connective Tissue Symptoms, Rupture Rates per Patient, and Other Complications

January 5, 2012 Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, Director Center for Devices and Radiological Health Food and Drug Administration Silver Spring, MD 20993 RE: FDA Needs to Provide Breast Implant Patients and Physicians with Unreported Industry Data about Quality of Life, Connective Tissue Symptoms, Rupture Rates per Patient, and Other Complications Dear Dr. Shuren: At the FDA Advisory Panel meetings in 2003 [...] | more

UPDATE 2011: Are Silicone Breast Implants Safe?

Women who consider breast implants often think of them as a one-time investment in their appearance. Unfortunately, the latest research shows that if they get silicone gel implants, they are likely to have many complications and will need numerous additional surgeries. | more

2011 FDA Update on Silicone Gel Breast Implant Safety: Many Unanswered Questions

The FDA released a new report on June 22, 2011 showing that breast implants cause many complications and often need to be removed, but that if “used as directed” (including regular MRIs) implants are “reasonably safe.” However, the FDA admits that we don’t have as much safety information as we need, and that the implant companies haven’t done a very good job of doing safety studies. | more

The Wrinkle in Facial Injections and Implants: Safety Questions

In the eternal search for eternal youth, some new technique or product is always being touted as the next best thing. Women and men seek out long-lasting non-surgical procedures that will reduce wrinkles and make them look younger or better. There are many different types of facial injections (some permanent and some temporary) and implants, each having a variety of brand names. We will discuss five of the most popular of these treatments, and in terms of safety concerns, the news is not especially good. | more

What You Need to Know About Breast Implants

In 2008, more than 300,000 women and teenagers underwent surgery to have their breasts enlarged with silicone or saline implants. Here are the facts about what is known and not known about the risks of breast implants. | more

Q and A for Breast Cancer Patients about Keeping or Reconstructing Their Breasts

FAQs about keeping or restructuring your breasts after breast cancer treatment. | more

Breast Implants: A Research and Regulatory Summary

In the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in breast implant surgery, yet this does not necessarily mirrored by a similar increase in the number of women with breast implants. Many women are replacing old implants that have broken or caused problems. This summary examines the role of the FDA in safety research, the types of breast implants, the frequency of local complications, increased risk of autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, cancer, lung disease, and suicide, impact on general health and quality of life, and the hidden costs associated with breast implants. | more

Nips, Tucks, and…Designer Vaginas?

Variations in the natural female form used to be accepted, even celebrated. Increasingly, however, these variations are seen not as assets, but as problems to be taken care of by plastic surgeons. Amongst many cosmetic surgeries, "genital rejuvenation" is growing in popularity. Does this procedure work, and what does the future hold for such genital plastic surgeries? | more