Plastic Surgery Blog

New Study Shows 98 Percent Breast Augmentation Satisfaction Rate

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Dr. Fouad Samaha

According to a study in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 98 percent of women say the results of their breast augmentations met or exceeded their expectations.

The study was done by ASPS member surgeon Dr. Eric Swanson, and the participants in the study also reported improvements in their self-esteem and quality of life after the augmentation.

“This study is valuable in providing information from the patient’s perspective, not the surgeon’s,” said Dr. Swanson. “Patient satisfaction is the most important measure of surgical success.”

How the Study Found the High Breast Augmentation Satisfaction Rate

Over a five year period, the study interviewed 225 women who returned at least a month after their procedure. The women were asked about their recovery, results, complications, and psychological effects they may have experienced.

The majority of the women in the study had saline implants placed under the chest muscle and had an average implant volume of 390 cc. The average age for the participants was 34 years old.

The satisfaction in the aesthetics of their breasts after the surgery was also high. 85 percent said that their new breast size was just right. In addition, 75 percent of the women rated the firmness of their breasts to be just right.

Psychological Benefits of Breast Augmentation

Aside from the aesthetic benefits, the study’s participants also reported psychological benefits from their breast augmentations. 92 percent of the women surveyed said that their self-esteem improved and 64 percent reported an improvement in the quality of their life after the breast augmentation.

The women’s self-consciousness about their breasts dramatically decreased as well. 86 percent of the women stated they were self-conscious about their breasts before the augmentation; after the surgery only 13 percent said they were.

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New Study Looks Into Social Media and Plastic Surgery

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Dr. Fouad Samaha

Social media platforms have completely changed the way people interact with each other and the world around them. A new study published in the May 2013 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery shows that plastic surgeons are not any different.

The study looked for patterns in how plastic surgeons used social media, their motivations behind implementing it into their practice, and what kind of impact the surgeons thought social media had on their practice.

How plastic surgeons use social media

Over a three month period for the study, 500 plastic surgeons responded to the questionnaire sent by the researchers-a 9.7% response rate. The results showed that half of the respondents use social media regularly.

The social media platforms most often used by the study’s respondents were Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Youtube, and Blogs.

Of the study’s respondents, 38.5 percent post messages to social media accounts weekly, 26.5 percent monthly, and only 12 percent post messages daily. 54 percent of the plastic surgeons said that they have designated member of their staff who handles the practice’s social media activities.

Reasons for using social media

There were three primary reasons for the inclusion of social media platforms into the plastic surgery practices:

56.7 percent stated that the “incorporation of social media into medical practice was inevitable
52.1 percent said it was an “effective marketing/advertising tool”
49 percent cited that social media “provides a platform for patient education.”

For the respondents who said that social media has had a positive impact on their practice they stated that it directly effected their patient referrals and was a way to get positive feedback from their patients.

A smaller amount of respondents said that it has allowed them to be more efficient communicators and educators with their patients.

The researchers concluded: “There is a definite interest among those surveyed in developing best practice standards and oversight to ensure ethical use of social media platforms throughout the plastic surgery community.”

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3 Reasons for Breast Implant Revision

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Dr. Fouad Samaha

implants replaced boston ma The hard part is over: You did your research, planning, and consultation – then finally had the breast augmentation you were considering for so long. If you’re like most women who get implants, (roughly 300,000 American women each year) then you’re happy with the results.

Over time, changes can occur that may lead you to consider breast implant revision surgery. Sometimes the changes are implant related, while other times they are natural changes in your body, such as those caused by weight loss.

Below are three common reasons why women choose to undergo a revision breast augmentation.

1. A desire to change the implant or breast size

Over time there are many factors that affect the appearance of your breasts and these can lead to a desire to either increase or downsize your breast implants. Changing the implant size and shape to better match your frame is one reason to undergo a breast implant revision. Especially after childbirth and changes in weight, the desired shape and size of your breasts can differ from the initial goals you had for your breast augmentation.

2. Switch from Saline to Silicone

Since the FDA lifted the moratorium on silicone implants in 2006, more women are electing to use them for breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, or implant revision.

Today’s implants come with a high strength cohesive silicone gel that is unlikely to ripple. While saline implants are very liquid-like, silicone implants are more stable. Switching implants is a relatively simple procedure, and the recovery time may even be shorter than your original augmentation.

3. Address changes in the breast tissue or shape

Natural body changes, due to childbirth, breast feeding, aging, or weight loss, will usually affect the results of breast augmentation. A breast lift can be done at the same time as the implant revision, to also provide a more youthful appearance.

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6 Signs of Successful Breast Enhancement

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Dr. Fouad Samaha

Through clinical studies, plastic surgeons have identified several common benefits of breast surgery, which serve as markers of overall success. These six signs of success have a profound impact on a woman’s satisfaction and quality of life as it relates to breast surgery.

1. Satisfaction With Breast Shape and Appearance

Breast shape and appearance are clearly important factors in any cosmetic breast procedure (as well as breast reconstruction). A youthful breast shape and more clothing options may become available after surgery. “I have really nice voluptuous, rounded, normal-sized perky breasts” said a patient in one study, “and I am sooo happy with them.”

2. Better Physical Well-Being

Through breast reduction, patients are relieved of back and neck pain, which means they can increase their activity level and thereby improve their health.

3. Better Psychological and Social Well-Being

Breast surgery can bring positive changes in self perception and positive experiences in social settings. Patients say they have increased confidence and feel as if they fit the perceived or expected norms of female body shape.

4. Better Sexual Well Being

When breast surgery helps to alleviate negative feelings about one’s appearance, a patient may have a better sex life as a result.

5. Positive Experience in Surgery

When patients have a good relationship and rapport with their plastic surgeon, they are more satisfied with breast surgery. Honesty and clear communication are keys to a good doctor-patient relationship. When this relationship is not a positive one, overall satisfaction drops.

6. General Satisfaction

Would you undergo breast surgery again? When patients are generally satisfied with the outcome, they will answer yes. “There is not one day that goes by that I am not so pleased that I did it,” said one breast augmentation patient.

Source: Satisfaction and quality of life in women who undergo breast surgery: A qualitative study

Photo by Sarah Reid

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When to Get Smaller Breast Implants

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Dr. Fouad Samaha

The popular perception of breast implants tends to revolve around the women who choose a large size. In the 90s, actress Pamela Anderson represented this look, as have many other women working in Hollywood during that time.

While implant size is a very personal choice, the large look may be going out of style. Many of today’s Hollywood ladies have chosen a more modest and manageable breast implant size, including Denise Richards, Victoria Beckham, and Drew Barrymore. Together they represent a trend toward smaller breast implants.

If you’re considering breast augmentation for the first time, know that smaller implants can still provide excellent results. And if you’ve had a previous breast augmentation with large implants, you might consider downsizing through a breast revision surgery.

Why Choose a Smaller Breast Implant Size?

There are many good reasons to choose a more modest implant size, including:

A proportional Shape
A natural appearance
Easier physical activity

When it’s time to choose a size, don’t over-analyze cup sizes or implant volume numbers. Visit a plastic surgeon who can measure you for the right implants, then try them on to find a look you like.

Although breast implant sizers can help, they don’t always match the actual results. New products like the Natrelle Pre Consultation kit can help as well. as they allow you to test out an implant size and find your desired look.

Have a question about breast implant sizing? Contact Boston Plastic Surgery in Quincy, MA. Whether you’d prefer small implants or extra large breast implants, we can help you choose an implant that helps to achieve your desired outcome.

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FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Juvederm Voluma XC for Cheek Augmentations

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Dr. Fouad Samaha

FDA Recommends Juvederm Voluma XC Earlier this week Allergan, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee recommended Juvederm Voluma XC as a safe treatment option for cheek augmentations.

The unanimous vote to recommend it by the Medical Devices Advisory Committee, while not binding, will be taken into account when the FDA makes it’s final approval decision.

Juvederm Voluma XC is an injectable hyaluronic acid dermal filler that would be used to correct volume deficiencies in the mid-face. This distinction would be the first and only of its kind for dermal fillers in the U.S. market, if the FDA approves it.

In a company press release Allergan’s Scott M. Whitcup M.D., the Executive Vice President, Research and Development, and Chief Scientific Officer stated: “ Today’s recommendation is an important step in the FDA review process for Juvederm Voluma XC.”

Whitcup went on to say that Allergan is committed to working with the FDA to provide consumers with “the first treatment option that has been specifically developed” to treat age-related volume deficiencies in the cheek.

If approved by the FDA, Allergan expects to launch Voluma XC later this year.

More About Allergan, the Company Behind Juvederm Voluma XC

Established in 1950, in Los Angeles, CA, Allergan, Inc. started as an eye care company with the first antihistamine eye drop in the United States.

Sixty years later and now a multi-specialty health care company, Allergan focuses on a number of medical specialties including: eye care, medical aesthetics, breast aesthetics, urologics, obesity intervention, neurosciences, and dermatology.

In addition to Juvederm, Allergan also manufactures the injectable treatment Botox and topical treatment Latisse. Their portfolio of products also includes the Natrelle line of breast implants.

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