Ithaca Plastic Surgery

October 19, 2016 is Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day.

Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day USA advocates for the rights of patients to be made aware of their options at the time of diagnosis and to be provided access to a plastic surgeon to further discuss those options. A plastic surgeon’s role is to ensure that the patient knows all of her reconstructive options before her cancer is treated and removed, and to give the patient the best options for a fulfilling life beyond breast cancer.

1 in 8 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime (Source: American Cancer Society). Only about 5% of women undergo immediate breast reconstruction. Please consider helping in spreading the word about Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day!

I receive many questions about breast implants and breast augmentation surgery. In the next few posts, I will answer several common questions.

Q: What are the differences between silicone gel and saline implants?

A: Most women seeking breast augmentation are candidates for either silicone or saline implants, but there are some advantages and disadvantages to each type of implant.

Both saline and silicone gel implants have been deemed safe and effective by the FDA. Independent scientific and review groups have also concluded that there is no evidence to support an association between breast implants and connective tissue diseases, such as lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Silicone gel and saline implants each have strong safety records and I have used both with good success in many cases over the past 2 decades. Ultimately it is the patient’s choice as to which type of implant they want. It is my job to advise and guide them to the best decision based on their goals and physical characteristics.

The table below briefly summarizes some of the differences. For more information please visit ithacaplasticsurgery.com.

Plastic Surgery Tourism: Proceed With Caution Good plastic surgery happens not only in the USA, but also around the world. However, if you are an American citizen planning to travel out of the country for a short period of time to have an elective cosmetic procedure, caveat emptor.