The Different Types of Breast Implants

A lot of people these days are well aware of the popularity of Breast Augmentation surgery. What most do not realize is that there are different types of breast implants, and each type has its own use and application, depending on the preferences of the patient, her surgeon and lastly, the technique used for the placement of the implants also has some bearing over the choice of implant used.

The saline breast implant has an exterior shell made of solid silicone, which is filled with a sterile saline solution much like the salt-water solution that is administered for intravenous fluids during and after a surgical procedure. One of the advantages of this saline solution is its safety. Should a saline implant leak, the saline solution is absorbed by your body, just as the intravenous fluids would. Another notable advantage of saline breast implants is a very low infection rate, which has been reported to be less than two percent.

The silicone implants are filled with a silicone gel surrounded by a solid silicone shell. More than one million women in America currently have silicone breast implants. Some feel that the silicone implant results in a more natural appearing breast.

Cohesive gel implants (commonly referred to as the "gummy bear" implant) are silicone implants that are filled with a thicker silicone gel that will hold its shape and form much like a "gummy bear" candy. If you were to cut open a standard gel implant, the liquid silicone gel leaks out of the implant shell. However, when you cut into a cohesive gel implant, the implant itself maintains its shape and integrity and the thicker silicone gel does not leak out. These shaped implants were designed with a focus upon a natural look, rather than for the sole purpose of breast enlargement. "Gummy bear" implants maintain their shape in an upright position, which decreases the incidence of the implants shell folding or rippling. If a cohesive gel implant ruptures, it maintains both its shape and integrity.

When electing to have breast implant surgery, one should always consult with a plastic surgeon prior to the surgical procedure. This is an important step and one that should not be taken lightly. As with any surgical procedure, there is some level of risk, and it is important that anyone considering Breast Augmentation surgery become informed of the risks involved, and that person fully understand the procedure, and be realistic about her results.

What is a MicroLaserPeel?

The Microlaser peel is an intra-skin laser peel that 'melts away' the outermost layers of the skin. The Microlaser peel procedure is customized for each individual to the nature of the skin condition needing correction. Skin conditions such as wrinkles, scars, acne scars, keratoses, or pigmentary problems have been successfully treated with a MicroLaserPeel procedure. MicroLaserPeel was designed for those people looking for more than microdermabrasion or light chemical peel procedure, and have do not have the time for a prolonged healing process. Now you too can have younger looking, healthier feeling skin with a Microlaser Peel. This "weekend" skin peel, treats the skin conditions associated with aging and active lifestyle. You can see real improvements in your skin within only a few days.

Bigger, Easier, Better - LookingYourBest.com Reaches for the Next Level

LookingYourBest.com, the nationwide reference guide to a Who's Who of America's Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeons, offers more than just a bold new look with its comprehensive re-tooling. It offers an enhanced experience.

The first aspect of the new LookingYourBest.com that will surely catch the eye is the new layout and color scheme. The old, sterile layout with its pastel colors blending out to the window's edge has been supplanted by a sharp, clean page set against a rich chocolate tone, with deep rose accents and a commanding presence. In all the site wears a more focused, sophisticated feel that visitors are sure to appreciate.

The visual changes, however, belie the underlying metamorphosis that now makes it even easier to seek out doctors and procedures by multiple criteria. A simplified menu and site structure are two of the keys to the improved ease of use, despite the addition of even more data than before. LookingYourBest has long been an excellent source for finding and comparing professionals in aesthetic medicine, both locally and nationally. Now, the search function in both the gallery and surgeon areas has been simplified and visitors are treated to informative videos and 3D procedure animations to further enhance their search.

There's an important difference in the underpinnings as well, though a casual visitor may not even notice. Nevertheless, by streamlining the site's code, the programmers at LookingYourBest have sought to improve what is often the most important aspect of a web site; browsing speed. The new LookingYourBest.com loads faster and is more intuitive than ever.

Reshaping the Chin and Upper Neck

The chin, jaw line and upper neck play a vital role in your facial appearance
When we think about what makes an attractive face, we often consider the beauty of the eyes, the curve of the brows, the size and angle of the nose, or the shape of the lips. We may not focus as specifically on the chin and the jaw line, yet these features are, in fact, an important part of the skeletal framework that defines our facial appearance.

For a woman, a well-defined jaw line that is slightly curved contributes to attractive facial proportions. A delicate but adequately projecting chin generally is the ideal of feminine beauty. For a man, somewhat greater chin projection combined with a more angular jaw line is perceived as conveying a strong, masculine appearance.

For both women and men, the transition from the jaw line to the upper neck should be a "clean," smooth line without excess fat or sagging skin. Unfortunately, the jaw line is one of the first areas to show early signs of aging, losing its youthful angles and definition. Heredity, as well as age, often plays a role in aesthetic problems of the lower face. Younger patients may be dissatisfied with a recessive, or "weak," chin, a chin that is too long relative to their other facial proportions, or excess fatty tissue underneath the chin. Plastic surgery can help solve all these problems, either by restoring lost facial contours or creating new contours in better harmony with your other facial features.

Breast Feeding And Elongated Nipples

Elongated nipples are usually the result of prolonged breast-feeding, but may be an anatomical variant in some women. The elongated nipple (or papule, in medical terms) can be a source of embarrassment to some women. The nipples show through bras, even with padding. A simple procedure to reduce the length or projection of the nipple is available. This procedure involves removing a strip of outer nipple skin. The inner breast ducts are allowed to telescope in, and when the skin edges are then sewn together, the nipple protrudes far less.

The procedure can be done under a local anesthetic with or without intravenous sedation, and is often done at the same time as a breast augmentation. The scar that results is located at the base of the nipple and is hardly noticeable. Sutures are self-absorbing, making post-operative care simple and relatively painless. Incisions heal in a week or so, but the nipples may be a bit sensitive for several weeks. Long term sensation of the nipple is rarely affected. Patients are usually very satisfied with the results of this simple procedure.

It is recommended that anyone considering a plastic surgery procedure so their research prior to having the chosen procedure. Plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures, carry with them some level of risk, the same as any surgery. Consult with a skilled, experienced and qualified plastic surgeon and learn about your chosen procedure through research. There are many great website on the internet, my personal favorite is Lookingyourbest.com -a free site that offers up an in depth and accurate library of plastic surgery information, and the website even as a free service to help you locate the right surgeon in your area.

Breast Reconstruction Options

It is important to be informed about each of the reconstruction options in order to determine the best possible treatment plan for each individual patient.

The unique circumstances of each patient help to determine the best option for the method of reconstruction that can be used. The goals of breast reconstruction surgery are to re-create a breast which matches the opposite breast, or in bilateral cases, to reconstruct two breasts of a patients’s desired size. The nipple and areola (the pigmented area surrounding the nipple) are also reconstructed. It is ideal to consult with a plastic surgeon prior to mastectomy. This allows the surgical teams to plan the treatment that is best suited for the patient, even if the patient decides to wait to have reconstructive surgery at a later date.

Immediate breast reconstruction occurs when reconstruction is performed at the time of mastectomy. Immediate reconstruction has the advantage of usually saving the patient at least one subsequent operation, and has been shown to have a significant psychological benefit, as the patient never has to experience the total loss of a breast. All of the reconstruction options listed below can be performed at the time of mastectomy.

Delayed breast reconstruction is done at a later time. For some women, this may be advised, especially if radiation to the chest area is needed after the mastectomy. Delayed reconstruction is appropriate for these women because radiation therapy following breast reconstruction can increase complications after reconstructive surgery.

Los Angeles Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Time is not the only thing which marches relentlessly on. The miracles of modern medicine are marching to a drum that's beating faster than many would have thought possible even a few short decades ago. Take, for example, silicone breast implants. I remember in the '90s, when if the words "silicone" and "implant" were used together in the same sentence, they instantly conjured the word "leak." Not so anymore, and the next step in silicone is already available on a limited basis in the U.S. and waiting for FDA approval. These cohesive gel silicone (gummy bear) implants hold a lot of exciting potential.

Popular in Europe already, because of their natural looking and feeling results, cohesive gel silicone breast implants have a consistency that allows them to maintain the commonly requested teardrop shape. Additionally, clinical studies have shown that cohesive gel implants have the lowest rate of capsular contracture (hardening of the breasts) and leakage of any implant ever studied.

Dr. Steven Teitelbaum is an enthusiastic supporter of this new technology, and is developing the educational material that one implant manufacturer will use to credential surgeons who will use them following FDA approval. He has been using cohesive gel implants since 2000, and was the only surgeon in California invited to participate in the clinical trials of all three cohesive implant manufacturers. If you have thought about gummy bear breast implants in Los Angeles, schedule your consultation with Dr. Teitelbaum today.