Posts Tagged ‘Children’
Public opinion and recent scientific studies have once again swung the pendulum in favor of breast implants in the United States. After the FDA restricted the use of silicone implants in 1992, plastic surgeons experienced a precipitous drop in the number of breast augmentations they performed. The government’s concern at the time were reports that silicone implants were causing generalized symptoms in some women (Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other auto immune diseases).
In the years that followed multiple large studies were performed at leading medical centers yielding consistently favorable data. In 1997, the Institute of Medicine independently reviewed this data for the US Congress and found conclusively that there was no evidence that silicone implants were responsible for any major diseases of the body and that these devices did not increase the risk of primary or recurrent breast cancer. Since then, many other studies have solidified these conclusions reassuring the public that silicone and saline implants are indeed safe.
With this increased confidence in implant technology, more women chose to have breast enhancement in the year 2004 than ever before. In fact, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 254,140 American women underwent the procedure in 2003 compared to 32,607 in 1992. This number continues to rise steadily and Charlotte is no exception. Breast Augmentation has become one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures in the US.
Improving breast contours and unevenness may seem trivial and vain at the surface, but the emotional implications are far reaching. The boost in self-confidence that we witness in our patients makes this procedure extremely rewarding. A significant number feel a lack of femininity and have an altered body image similar to our mastectomy patients before their reconstruction. Those that are severely underdeveloped avoid bathing suits and instead wear bulky t-shirts to obscure their flat chests.
Their gratitude after the surgery is unparalleled and they invariably become an important source of referrals to our growing practice. These days, once women have decided to undergo augmentation they are faced with a plethora of options: silicone vs. saline, round shape vs. contoured, smooth surface vs. textured, pre-filled vs. inflatable, under the chest muscle vs. over, in the hospital vs. the office, sedation vs. general anesthesia; not to mention the different size implants and manufacturers available, as well as which incision to use and whether or not other procedures are required. It can become overwhelming?
First, the issue of silicone vs. saline implants. Although the Institute of Medicine unequivocally ruled out the association between silicone gel implants and systemic diseases, local problems with the breasts such as silicone leaking and hardening, while not life-threatening, were concerning to this committee. My personal preference is to use saline implants. These can and do eventually deflate but the salt water used to fill them is completely harmless to the body and gets reabsorbed, making them safer than silicone implants.
Furthermore, unlike saline deflations where the patient soon notices a decrease in size and seeks attention, the ruptured silicone implant can go undetected for years until the breast starts hardening and becomes painful.
The next choice to be considered is smooth vs. textured (rough) surface. My bias has changed in the last decade from mostly textured to mostly smooth implants. Research in the early 90′s indicated that textured silicone implants hardened less frequently than smooth ones. It may not be the case for saline implants however. Some studies show a small difference, others no difference.
When it comes to choosing pre-filled (fixed volume set by the manufacturer) or inflatable implants (inserted empty into the breast and then inflated in-situ), I prefer the latter. Using an inflatable prosthesis allows fur a much smaller incision to be made and more flexibility in choosing the final size, especially when the breasts are uneven to begin with.
Placing the implant behind the chest muscle (pectoralis major) or in front is another intensely debated issue. More surgeons, as I do, feel strongly that behind the muscle is better. The major advantages is a lower rate of hardening, better preservation of nipple sensation, improved breast contour (the edges of the implant are obscured by the muscle) and improved visualization on mammogram.
The disadvantages are that there is more pain after the surgery, the breasts look fuller at the top the first month and the implants occasionally “bounce” when the chest muscle is contracted forcefully (as in some body builders). Despite these inconveniences, behind the muscle is definitely the way to go.
Which incision to use for placing the implant, by contrast, is much less important. Excellent results can be obtained with all four approaches: under the fold, in a crease of the armpit, through the areola (nipple) or the belly button. I generally prefer the armpit crease incision as it is a more direct route behind the muscle and leaves no scar on the breast itself Nipple sensation and breast feeding potential remains intact.
The two dominant manufacturers of implants in the US, McGhan and Mentor, are equivalent in most respects. As to the size of the implant, the majority of our patients are conservative: wanting simply to restore fullness after having children or slightly enhancing underdeveloped breasts. The width of the chest, how much breast tissue exists, and what the target cup size is desired, are the major factors in choosing the volume in “cc’s” of the implant.
The aesthetic “norm” in the US appears to be a full “c” cup unlike Europe and South America where B/small C is more common. Although not an exact science, the majority of patients are content with their final volume. In our one year post-op survey that patients fill out, 91% of women are happy with their size. 6% would have liked to have gone bigger, and 3% smaller.
Be knowledgeable about the complications that can arise. No surgery is without risks. but these should be minimal.
Finally, take your time to do the research. Don’t rush into the surgery. Know that it is safe and ever-more popular, but do it for the right reasons: mainly to feel better about yourself.
Adrien Brody is a business writer specializing in health and beauty products and has written authoritative articles on the industry. To learn more about breast enhancement, make sure you visit
Help For Parents Choosing A Dog For Their Children. Top 10 Breeds For Families, 5 Steps To Choosing The Right Dog And More…
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Children And Vitamins: Get Them Off To A Healthy Start
Posted by: admin
March 23rd, 2010 >> Breast Actives
Someday, the children that we know will be running the world. Yes, all the little boys and girls who are now playing with balls and frogs, dolls and blocks will someday be the politicians, business executives, law enforcement officials, teachers, and, most important, parents. That’s why it’s so critical to teach them the right things now. Proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are a couple of those things. A child’s educational lessons about nutrition are the foundation of good health as an adult. Physical growth and mental development are dependent on a child having not only adequate nutrients, but also the proper ones. It is the adult’s role – whether it be a parent or other family member, teacher, or friend – to educate children on proper nutrition. After all, neither the body nor the brain can function adequately without the right nutrients; and when our new leaders make world-changing decisions, it’s imperative that their bodies and minds are as sharp and strong as possible. Discount vitamins can help accomplish this.
Much time and effort is put into nourishing newborn babies with the most nutritious foods available – from formula and breast milk to fortified cereals and baby foods. This concern is justified given the amount of growth a baby is expected to do in his or her first 12 months. (Healthy babies should double their birth weights by 6 months of age and triple them by 12 months of age.) Then they become toddlers and develop minds and tastes of their own. Suddenly, the only foods allowed to enter into their mouths are chicken nuggets and chocolate chip cookies. Forget the four food groups – they’ve just been reduced to two; and a balanced diet on two food groups (and not even good ones) is like a balanced table on two legs – it just doesn’t work. Parents do their best to teach their little ones that peas and applesauce are more important in their diets than crackers and fruit snacks, but it becomes a battle of wills. Eventually, it becomes a compromise (sometimes known as a bribe). “Okay, little Sammy. If you want that piece of chocolate cake, you must eat all of the green beans on your plate.”
Just when parents think they’ve got a handle on the whole diet and nutrition thing with their little ones, the toddlers become students and go off to school for one or two meals a day. This means an introduction to hot lunch and cafeteria food. Sure, school menus are regulated by certain government guidelines, but when ketchup and salsa are classified as vegetables, how much faith can be had in the nutritional value of a school lunch? So, well-intending parents send their kids with sack lunches full of the four main food groups. The saying goes that you can take a kid to the cafeteria, but you can’t keep him from trading his apple for a candy bar.
Then they become teenagers and don’t want their lunches from home or from the school. They’d rather enjoy open campus and venture over to whatever fast food establishment is nearby – if one hasn’t set up operations right on campus. Fast food menus are high in saturated fat and simple carbohydrates and very low in nutritional value. Want to confuse a fast food employee? Ask him how to get a single serving of vegetables off the restaurant’s menu.
While adults cannot necessarily control what the children in their lives eat when not under their direct supervision, they can still have a major influence over the choices that they make and they can provide those children with discount vitamins to fill in the nutritional blanks that their daily diets create. There are many varieties of children’s daily vitamins from which to choose, but all of them offer many of the nutrients that are lacking in our everyday foods.
For infants and toddlers, there are vitamin drops available from a number of sources. These drops provide multiple vitamins, but are concentrated in vitamin D. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium and is critical to the development of strong bones and teeth. As children get older, they are able to graduate to the fun and fruity chewable multi-vitamins. These are available in sugar-free, vitamins-plus-minerals, extra vitamin C, extra calcium, and other versions.
By purchasing discount vitamins online, not only can parents provide their children with the freshest vitamins available (due to the fast turnover of inventory caused by large sales volume), but they can also save money for the many other things that their kids need, like braces and summer camp and college. Additionally, there is much research and information to be found online regarding children’s nutrition, vitamin supplements, and some of the major dietary issues facing kids today.
When researching vitamins and nutrition for children, it is a most convenient time to do the same for oneself. While adults are no longer growing and developing, proper nutrition is still vital for maintaining proper organ function, preventing disease, and for staying energized. Additionally, consuming the right nutrients can also slow the signs of aging and help keep adults feeling like children themselves. Besides, grown-up diets are often more nutritionally void than those of their kids. Hectic schedules and a lack of healthy convenience foods are major contributing factors.
The very most important reason adults should consider their own health and nutrition as much as their children’s is that kids learn by example. The whole “do as I say, not as I do” approach to teaching children values and good habits doesn’t go very far. The best way to teach a child about nutrition and diet is to show him. When children see adults taking their vitamins everyday, chances are that the children will follow suit and want to do the same. Couple this with an explanation of how vitamins help kids grow up big and strong (and help adults stay that way), and children will soon be reminding the parents to take their vitamins.
Solid and complete nutrition is the foundation of a child’s development. Not only does adequate nourishment ensure a healthy body, but it also helps in mental development. Children who receive proper nutrition not only grow up healthy and strong, but they also learn better and develop stronger cognitive thinking skills. Eating balanced meals and taking multivitamins are not things that children learn to do on their own. They are dependent on the adults in their lives to teach them and show them. By example, children learn about healthy lifestyles and how to take care of their bodies. Adults can teach children by establishing their own healthy routines, such as eating right and taking discount vitamins daily. This is a great opportunity to do something for oneself and help the kids at the same time.
By a freelance writer for VitaNet ? Health foods, http://vitanetonline.com/ , who sells quality vitamins and herbs with a wide selection of that are in stock and ready to ship. Please link to this site when using article.
