The Price of Becoming Barbie

For her recent post for The Big Money, writer Lauren Sandler recently went on a quest to see how much it might cost to surgically turn oneself into Barbie. Luckily, there were several surgeons and plastic surgery associations who advised her against surgically undergoing such a feat, including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Sadly, however, others suggested she come in for a consultation.

Though Sandler's quest was merely for the sake of curiosity, others have actually spent the money and undergone the procedures needed to resemble the plastic doll as closely as possible. In the mid-1990s, at the age of 31, a woman named Cindy Jackson began her surgical transformation, undergoing 31 surgeries in 14 years, including four facelift surgeries, eyelid surgery, cheek implants, two rhinoplasties and a procedure to shorten the span between her nose and mouth. She also had "permanent Barbie make-up" applied to her eyes, eyebrows and lips. The bill ultimately added up to $100,000, though Sandler said it would have been higher if it hadn't been for the numerous discounts she received. This figure also doesn't include upkeep, such as routine lip injections to keep them full and plump.

Jackson isn't the only woman to undergo such a transformation. Calling herself the "Real Life Barbie", Britain's Sarah Burge reportedly spent more than $700,000 on over 150 surgeries to mimic the doll's look, including calf implants, butt implants and injections in her armpits to stop her from sweating.

Of course, most people who seek out plastic surgery don't push things to such extremes, but merely want to create change or two to improve on what they have, not to become a living doll. If you are considering making a cosmetic change, either through a tummy tuck, facial procedure or breast augmentation, Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Orringer offers great information about what to expect from various procedures, including the risks involved, the recovery and results on his website.

Breast Augmentation Incision Placement Options

When considering breast augmentation, incision placement is an important aspect to discuss with your surgeon. Though plastic surgeons use their skill to make incision scars as inconspicuous as possible, their placement can play a important role in a patient's satisfaction with her results.

The three most common incision options are:
*Inframammary (crease beneath the breast)
*Periareolar (following the line of the areola)
*Axillary (within the folds of the armpit)

Each of these incision options offer their own advantages and disadvantages to consider. The Inframammary option, for instance, allows the best surgical access to the breast, therefore the most control over how the implant will look in a patient after surgery, as well as access to correct issues of breast shape and sagging. This option is best in women with enough breast volume to cover the incision, concealing it from view.

The Periareolar option creates a smaller scar than the inframammary, so it is appealing to many breast augmentation patients. With this option, a tunnel is created through the breast tissue for implant placement. The size of implant that can be used with this incision option depends upon the patient's areolar size. With this option, the risk of loss of nipple sensation is slightly higher than with other options. There is also evidence that the risk of capsular contracture (the hardening of tissue around the implant) is also greater with the periareolar incision.

The Axillary incision option offers the advantage of no scarring on the breast at all. The incision is concealed within the folds of the armpit and a tunnel is created to the breast area. This option offers a lower risk of sensation loss and capsular contracture than a periareolar incision. This is a good option for women seeking enlargement, but no extensive lifting or reshaping of the breast. It can accommodate implants of up to two cup sizes.

For women considering breast augmentation, San Jose plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Lowen suggests choosing an incision option based on desired breast shape rather than scar placement.

"Wherever the incision is placed, favorable healing usually results in scar that is thin and barely detectable after the usual six to 12 months required for scars to mature. This means that if the ultimate goal is optimal breast shape, and if that shape may be best achieved by one or two but not all three of your incision location choices, the trade-off is usually well worth it."

Dr. Lowen does warn, however, that predicting which patients will heal with less optimal scars can not be predicted. "Healing is affected by genetic factors over which we have insufficient knowledge and control to predict final appearance in any given individual. However, we do know how to create and suture incisions to accommodate the breast implants, and how to place them to make the scar as favorable as possible."

What Do Gummy Bears Have To Do With Breasts!?

When you think "gummy bear," you probably imagine a little candy snack that squishes in your mouth. Well, there's a new kind of gummy bear, and it's designed for your breasts. Introducing, "gummy bear breast implants."

That's not the technical name, of course. They are called "cohesive gel" implants, and they are a variation on traditional silicone and saline implants. The reason they are called "gummy bears" is because they feel like the popular candy when you squeeze them.

These cohesive gel implants hold lots of promise. Breast implants are quite safe these days, but we all know that a rupture or leakage could cause major problems. Gummy bears are made tougher, so they are less likely to break. Even though they are stronger, they are just as flexible as silicone implants. This means that they give you a natural feel.

Not every plastic surgery clinic offers gummy bears yet. They are still new and in the experimental stages. But, these new implants could one day take the breast augmentation world by storm. Lots of women are now "going gummy" and getting cohesive gel implants as an alternative to silicone and saline.

For more information on breast augmentation, Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Bob Basu can answer your questions.

Breast Implant Options

Women considering breast augmentation have numerous implant options to explore. Your plastic surgeon should help you investigate these options thoroughly and answer any questions you may have. To ensure the best breast augmentation results, it's a good idea to come into your consultation as informed as possible about your options, with some idea of the choices available and how each may affect your surgical results.

Breast implant options to consider include filler, size, shape, texture and profile.

Filler: breast implants consist of a silicone shell filled with either saline or silicone gel. Saline-filled implants offer the advantage of natural absorption into the body if the implant ruptures, a benefit many women want. In fact, from 1992-2006, saline implants were the only option available due to questions about the safety of silicone. In 2006, however, after rigorous clinical study, the FDA approved the use of silicone gel implants in breast augmentation. Though there are women who prefer the look of saline implants over silicone gel, saline implants often ripple causing an unnatural appearance, especially in women without enough natural breast tissue to cover the implant. Many also feel silicone gel mimics the consistency of natural breast tissue better than saline.

Size: breast implant size is measured in cc's rather than cup size. How many cc's it will take to offer your desired level of enhancement depends on numerous issues, such as implant placement, the amount of natural breast tissue you have, and your body frame. Tools such as implant sizing kits (temporary implants worn beneath your bra) and computer imaging can help you communicate the look you are seeking to your surgeon, as well as allow your surgeon to communicate issues of proportion and balance to you.

Shape: implants are available in either round or anatomical shapes. Though some prefer the appearance of anatomical implants, believing they look more natural than round, anatomical implants do run the risk, of shifting inside the chest, creating an unnatural appearance. To avoid this risk, anatomical implants must be textured to properly secure them into place. Round implants are just as they sound-- round. Anatomical implants are oval in shape, with more volume at the bottom creating a "tear-drop" shape. Though some fear round implants will create a less natural look, when held in a vertical position, they generally take on the same "bottom-heavy" shape as anatomical implants.

Texture: breast implants come in either smooth or textured. Implants with smooth surfaces move freely inside the chest and are only available in round. Textured implants, on the other hand, are designed to remain in place and are available in both round and anatomical. Textured implants have thicker shells and a higher rupture rate than smooth. It has been believed by some that textured implants reduce the risk of capsular contracture, though evidence of this is conflicting.

Profile: implant profile refers to how far an implant protrudes from the chest. Women with smaller frames may benefit from moderate to high profile implants for greater projection without the need for a wide implant base. Women with larger frames often choose low profile implants for greater width at the implant base without excessive projection.

The best way to ensure optimal breast augmentation results is through careful consultation with your surgeon. Newport Beach cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Ambe of Newport Beach Plastic Surgery offers this advice when choosing a breast enhancement surgeon on his website:

"My best advice to any prospective patient is to make sure that you feel comfortable with the Plastic Surgeon that will be treating you. They should fully explain to you, without rushing or compromise, every aspect of the procedure. Their attention to detail should be obvious. Do not ever feel that you are rushed into making a decision--if the surgeon makes sense to you and their work demonstrates skill, you will do wonderfully."

Sculpted Breast Augmentation for Better Contour

Though breast augmentation offers a high level of patient satisfaction, there's always a little tweaking to be done to create optimal results. Bakersfield breast enhancement surgeon Dr. Marc Lussier noticed a problem with contour in many of his breast augmentation patients and decided to do a little tweaking of his own, developing a sculpted breast augmentation technique.

"I became aware of a difficult area between the breast and the upper arm, including the bra strap fat along the chest wall. Women know this spot hiding underneath the arm. It looks like a roll that extends from the breast, along the chest wall and underneath the arm..."

Dr. Lussier now uses liposuction to remove this area of unwanted fat creating a better contour in many of his breast augmentation patients. By removing this problem area of fat, the liposuction combined with the breast augmentation create a shapelier, more feminine look.

For more information on this or other breast augmentation procedures, contact Bakersfield plastic surgeon Dr. Marc Lussier.

Fat Injections for Breast Augmentation Iffy

At the upcoming conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons a panel will discuss the effectiveness and safety of fat injections in breast tissue.

Studies have shown that fat injections do show promise in breast reconstruction, but their effectiveness and safety in breast augmentation has not shown to be as positive.

According to Dr.Gregory Scott, co-author of a study on fat injections to be presented at the ASPS conference, "My reconstruction patients could not be happier with the improvement fat transfer gives to the appearance of their breasts. The initial implant reconstruction sometimes leaves them with contour deformities or wrinkling, but fat injections can correct these problems and give their breasts a smoother, softer, more natural appearance."

Fat injection used in breast augmentation, on the other hand, is much more controversial. In reconstruction, fat is not injected into breast tissue the breast tissue is removed during mastectomy. In augmentation, fat is injected into breast tissue, which brings issues of safety and effectiveness into question. One reason for the controversy is that fat sometimes calcifies in the breast, which can cause problems during mammograms and be mistaken for cancerous growths. Another problem is that no one knows how just much fat is required to enlarge is breast satisfactorily. So far, breast augmentation using fat transfer has been required a lot of surgical time without a satisfactory level of enhancement.

Fat transfer is being studied for a variety of cosmetic procedures, including lip augmentation, and wrinkle reduction as well as breast reconstruction and augmentation.

For more information on Boston breast augmentation or breast reconstruction, contact board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Moss.

Issues to Consider Before Teen Breast Augmentation

Though plastic surgery procedures performed on teens make up only a fraction of all plastic surgery procedures, teen plastic surgery, including teen breast augmentation, is on the rise, and its safety bears careful consideration.

Breast augmentation can be performed for either cosmetic or reconstructive reasons, and most plastic surgeons will not perform cosmetic breast augmentation on teens under the age of eighteen, even with parental consent. It should also be noted that the Food and Drug Administration considers cosmetic breast augmentation an off label use for women younger than eighteen.

Issues to Consider:

Body Maturity- It's often too early during the teenage years to determine if breast augmentation is needed. Breast size can continue to develop in women into their early twenties. Some women can increase an entire cup-size or more after the age of 18.

Psychological Issues- Teenagers often have heightened body image dissatisfaction based on cultural stereotypes rather than realistic concerns. This dissatisfaction often lessens or disappears as they mature.

Lifetime Financial Commitment- Breast augmentation very often requires subsequent surgeries within five to ten years. An eighteen-year-old who undergoes augmentation will quite possibly need another surgery in her 20s, her 30s and so on. Due to their cosmetic nature, these surgeries will not be covered under health insurance.

Cosmetic Considerations-Teens who decide to have their implants removed at a later time are often displeased with the stretched, saggy look of their breasts without further surgery.

For more information on the safety and benefits of breast augmentation, or any other type of plastic surgery, Murrieta plastic surgeon Dr. Eichenberg can answer your questions.