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FDA Approves new Wrinkle Treatment
Beware of Aesthetic Injections by Unlicensed Practitioners
Eliminating Frown Lines Boosts Confidence
Filler Injection Reduces Depression

The Food and Drug Administration approved the silicone-gel implants made by Inamed Corp., now part of Allergan Inc., and Mentor Corp. The action opens the implants to much wider use by women seeking to reconstruct or augment their breasts. Since 1992, the silicone implants had been available only as part of research studies.

MemoryGel™ Silicone Breast Implants

These MemoryGel™ implants you've been hearing about have actually been trusted and in use for almost 20 years. In fact, a million women all over the world have them. MemoryGel™ implants feel more like natural breast tissue. After almost two decades of research with surgeons and patients, MemoryGel™ breast implants, exclusively from Mentor, are now available in the U.S. MemoryGel™ breast implants are filled with Mentor ’s proprietary silicone gel that holds together uniformly while retaining the natural give that resembles breast tissue. A variety of profiles (which refers to the amount of forward projection off the chest wall, in relation to the base width of the implant), allows your doctor to achieve a better match between desired breast projection and your individual body frame.

What is in a MemoryGel™Implant?

MemoryGel™ implants feature a unique cohesive silicone, not a liquid or semi-liquid. It holds together uniformly while retaining the natural give that resembles breast tissue.

Where are the incisions located?

There are three common incision sites: under the arm (axillary), around the nipple (periareolar), or within the breast fold (inframmary). The incision size with MemoryGel™ implants will be larger than for saline implants. Dr. Schantz will discuss the pros and cons of each of these options for you.

The breast implant can be placed either partially under the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular) or on top of the muscle and under the breast glands (subglandular).

Are there different types of MemoryGel™ implants I can get?

MemoryGel™ silicone implants feature a wide range of styles that are designed to meet a woman's individual needs and wants. Dr. Schantz will discuss in greater detail the implant that is right for you.

What can I expect after the surgery?

Patients will probably feel sore for several days following the operation, and your breasts may remain swollen and sensitive to physical contact for a month or longer. You may also experience a feeling of tightness in the breast area as your skin adjusts to your new breast size. The feeling in the breasts and nipple area also may be diminished during this time of swelling and immediate post surgery recovery.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reports that consumers are still unaware of the risks associated with aesthetic procedures performed by unlicensed practitioners. Recent reports from Illinois, California, and Georgia document patients who have suffered from pain and disfigurement—and in one case, death—when a woman was injected with cooking oil.

According to the ASAPS, unsuspecting patients have been injected with silicone, baby oil, and other substances that have no safety or efficacy record. Communities where patients have limited resources or do not speak English as a first language are especially susceptible to false advertising and promotion of potentially dangerous procedures.

“We hear very sad and frustrating stories of patients being taken advantage of by phony doctors and illegal procedures,” says James M. Stuzin, MD, ASAPS president. “Patients are being scammed and exposed to great harm. We need to let them know that they should do their homework—find out more information about the procedure, location, and practitioner before going for any kind of cosmetic enhancements.”

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More and more business professionals are turning to aesthetic procedures that have no downtime to get an edge over their competition by looking younger and gaining confidence. According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, since 1997, the number of aesthetic procedures performed in the US has increased by 222%, and one in four of these procedures is requested by men.

“Americans put a lot of value on appearance,” says Deborah Sherman, MD, an ophthalmic plastic surgeon and a clinical professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. “Our face becomes our calling card in competitive interviews.”

Sherman says that the reason people might be perceived as overly tired or angry is due to the lines that form on the forehead between the eyebrows that are caused by the dominant frown muscles on the face.

Sherman says that plastic surgeons should give to their patients the following tips to stay alert and healthy, and have a good “face day” every day:

• Never rub the eyes. The skin under the eye stretches and just like an elastic waistband, it can only take so much stretching before the elasticity wears out.

• Avoid tanning beds.

• Wear SPF 25 or higher sunscreen.

Sherman says that before performing any treatment, physicians should have a candid discussion with their patients about whether they are a good candidate for the procedure and should discuss the pros and cons, the side effects, and the patients’ expectations.

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A pilot trial, published in the May 15 issue of Dermatologic Surgery, found that botulinum toxin Type A injected into frown lines around the mouth or in the forehead furrows of 10 women eliminated depression symptoms in nine of them and reduced symptoms in the 10th.

According to Eric Finzi, MD, an  aesthetic surgeon in Chevy Chase, Md, and lead author of the study, the facial muscles feed information to the emotion centers of the brain, which in turn responds with chemicals that produce happy or sad feelings. The loop is complete when the brain reinforces the expressions in the face.

Kathleen Delano, 45, of Glenn Dale, Md, was one of the 10 volunteers in the study. Before the injections into five spots on the frown muscles in the face, she scored high on a scale of depression symptoms. Depression was confirmed in an interview by a psychologist.

Two months after the injections, her score and interview showed no symptoms of depression. Over several weeks, Delano found herself talking to people more, getting out more, and smiling more.

But the flaws in this study are numerous, according to Marilynn Hammond, a Mobile, Ala, psychiatrist.

“This should not suggest that this is in any way a proven treatment for depression,”  says Hammond. She maintains that future studies should follow patients longer, have a control group of similar people who get a placebo treatment, and use a more thorough psychiatric evaluation.

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