Breast Augmentation or enlargement
- Six Decisions to Make Before Breast Augmentation Surgery
- How is a breast augmentation done?
- Breast implant shape: the round and teardrop implant
- What Size Of Implant To Use
- Photographs of Breast Augmentation (A)
- Photographs of breast augmentation (B)
- Mondor's Disease After Breast Augmentation
- Breast milk in women who have breast implants
- Capsular Contracture After Breast Augmentation
- Deciding about the best incision to use for breast augmentation
Media Statement: American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2003
Regarding the Assertion that Cosmetic Breast Implants May Raise Suicide Risk.
As the largest plastic surgery organization in the world and the foremost authority on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and its members are dedicated to the safety and health of their patients.
Recent reports about suicide among Scandinavian women who have breast implants warrant further investigation. It is important to note that these reports do not show a “cause and effect” relationship between breast implants and suicide. Unfortunately, not even psychiatrists know what causes someone to commit suicide. It is a very complicated problem with many contributing factors; biological, genetic, social and cultural.
However, plastic surgeons and the medical community in the United States have studied breast implants, breast augmentation patients and breast reconstruction patients for more than 30 years without an indication of this relationship. Furthermore, there is growing evidence to suggest that surgery such as breast augmentation leads to improvement in at least three areas of psychological functioning – body image, quality of life and depressive symptoms.1
Cosmetic plastic surgery is a very positive experience for those who choose it. Millions of people come to plastic surgeons to enhance or maintain their appearance and are pleased with the results. More than 230,000 women chose to have breast augmentation in 2002, according to the ASPS. A 2002 independent psychological report published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found more than 90 percent of women were satisfied with their breast augmentation surgery and their resulting body image two years post-operatively.2
Cosmetic plastic surgery is serious surgery. It requires a complete medical consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon who will fully inform a potential patient about the risks and benefits of surgery. If during the consultation, a surgeon has concerns about a potential surgical candidate’s motivation for surgery, he or she will decide not to perform the surgery and help the patient get appropriate professional help.
To further equip ASPS members with ways to ensure the health of their patients as well as a positive surgical outcome, the ASPS will host an educational course at its annual scientific meeting in October 2003, entitled ?Identification and Assessment of Psychiatric Disorders in Cosmetic Surgery Patients.? This course will help plastic surgeons learn to better identify patients who may not be appropriate candidates for plastic surgery. The ASPS believes that assessing any and all issues affecting a patient’s well being, including psychological factors, is part of providing total patient care.
1. FDA Testimony of David Sarwer, Ph.D., March 1, 2000. Dr. Sarwer is Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
2. Cash Duel & Perkins, Old Dominion University, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Vol. 109, pages 2112-2121, 2002).