A Journey of Self…

In an article reported this morning in the Cosmetic Surgery Times, it may be possible to double the size of your breast naturally without the use of implants.

Autologous fat transfer has been gaining popularity in the area of breast augmentation for the fact that it uses your own body fat to increase the size of your breasts. In this case, fat transfer is paired up with a presurgery tissue expansion technique that helps to create more room for the addition of fat in the breasts.

How Does It Work

Several weeks before surgery, the patient undergoes treatment with a bra-like device that uses gentle negative pressure to gradually expand the breast. This causes an increase in space in the breast pocket that is then filled with the  liposuctioned fat taken from the patient. According to Dr. Daniel Alexander Del Vecchio, M.D., and Louis Paul Bucky, M.D., the doctors behind the study, “Pre-expansion to the breast allows for mega-volume (over 300 cc) grafting with reproducible, long-lasting results that can be achieved in less than two hours.”

An added benefit of fat transfer for breast augmentation is that the fat has to come from somewhere. In this case, not only does the patient receive larger breasts but also enjoys the benefits of liposuction on parts of her body that is usually trouble areas that women wish to reduce.

This new breast augmentation with fat transfer technique was performed on 25 women who wished to increase their breast size, replace implants or suffered from various types of breast deformities. The follow up evaluations that took place six months after the procedures showed the women had significant improvements in breast size and shape.

About 300 cc of fat was transferred into each breast approximately doubling them in size and resulted in a “soft and natural appearance and feel,” the authors wrote.

You can usually tell how well the economy is doing by looking at the sort of things people are spending their money on. When money is tight, people are less likely to spend frivolously on things they don’t need like a new car, a new addition to the house, go on vacation or even on plastic surgery.

But just like how Wall Street watches for signs of the economy improving with home sales and new car purchases, the number of people going under the knife is quickly becoming a hot factor to watch.

Plastic Surgery On The Rise

Plastic surgery procedures saw an increase of 5%  in 2010 compared to 2009. Around 13 million Americans underwent plastic surgery procedures ranging from non invasive Botox and Juvederm injections up to tummy tuck, facelifts, breast augmentation, butt implants and full body makeovers.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) President Dr. Phillip Haeck explained in a recent interview: ‘The economy is showing signs of improvement and, financially, things are a little better for people this year.”

Considering some plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures can range from $300 up to $30,000 and more, it’s safe to say that if people feel they can afford to spend money on these types of procedures, then they must feel secure enough in their finances and the economy to make this decision.

One of the most recent trends to be sweeping Hollywood & the rest of the country  in the field of plastic surgery is that of butt implants and butt lift surgery. Along with those procedures is  a  slightly more specialized one gaining popularity known as Brazilian butt augmentation.

In a society where the emphasis on beauty is high and the leading procedure for the past few years has been breast augmentation with 296,203 procedures performed in 2010 alone, butt implants are seeing a steady rise.

Butt Augmentation and Hollywood

Without a doubt, the most recognizable name in Hollywood when it comes to rumors of butt implants is that of Kim Kardashian. Whether the rumors of her having butt augmentation are true or not, the speculation has thrown this plastic surgery procedure into the spotlight.

Everywhere you look on the internet, TV or in magazines, people are talking about who in Hollywood has had butt augmentation. Commercials for exercise DVD’s on how to get a butt like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and others are constantly plastered on infomercials on TV and websites. There’s even butt lifting underwear to help give you more curves without the surgery.

About Brazilian Butt Augmentation Surgery

Brazilian butt augmentation is basically using your own body fat to augment your rear end. In a procedure known as fat transfer, your own body fat is sucked out of parts of your body in a liposuction type procedure and then surgically inserted to your butt to fill it out.

As with every plastic surgery procedure doing your research is key. With recent deaths in the news from people getting low grade silicone injections by unlicensed people, you need to be sure to research your surgeon. Dr. Constantino Mendieta, a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in buttock augmentation procedures and is more or less responsible for bringing the procedure to America is a solid resource to learn more about this procedure.

With the trend in Hollywood starting to steer clear of obviously fake breasts and go for the more “natural look”, butt augmentation is on it’s way to being the new surgery of choice in our society.

In a recent interview, Reality TV celebrity Kourtney Kardashian (sister to Khloe & Kim Kardashian)has admitted that she regrets having breast augmentation surgery back when she was in college.

“I had my boobs done but if I could go back, I wouldn’t have done it I was so cute before. I’ve realized that I was made to look a certain way and I’m considering removing them.”

When asked when if she would remove her breast implants anytime soon she said “I’m breast feeding Mason right now but once I’ve finished, I’m going to see what they look like and decide then.”

This admission is a strict contradiction to her article with Life&Style Magazine back in July of 2009 where she was so proud to have had breast augmentation that she even promoted the article on her website here.

Breast Implant Removal

Surprisingly breast implant removal is a fairly common request seen in many plastic surgeons offices across the country. Many women as to have their implants removed due to complications with their procedure but a good number of women feel they went to large when they first got them and now feel that they want a more natural look to their body.

This procedure is usually referred to as breast revision surgery because the damage caused to the breast tissue after implants will leave the breast with much less volume and stretched skin. Smaller breast implants are used to help fill out the breasts and give a more natural look back to her body.

If you are like me, you’ve probably seen the commercials on TV talking about mesothelioma cancer and its connection to Asbestos.

Mostly these commercials are from mesothelimoa lawyers trying to find clients for a class action lawsuit of some type to build a case so they can cash in; much like the lawyers did when they were going after “Big Tobacco”. But what the commercials fail to explain is exactly what mesothelioma is and what’s its connection to asbestos?

What is Mesothelioma

In simple terms, mesothelioma (malignant mesothelioma) is a fairly rare type of cancer.

It’s found on the meothelium, the protective lining covering our internal organs and has been linked to the exposure of asbestos, an insulation material previously used in ship and building construction for its sound absorption, resistance to heat, electrical and chemical damage.

The most common areas of the body to develop this cancer is the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall but it has also been found in the lining of the abdominal cavity as well as the protective sac that surrounds the heart.

Causes and Symptoms of Mesothelioma

In the United States, the major cause of mesothelioma is from working with and inhaling asbestos. From the 1940s, people in the ship building industry, heating and construction industries, asbestos mines and other related fields who have been exposed to asbestos dust is at the most risk. Although OSHA and the EPA started to ban the use of asbestos in the 70’s and 80’s the damage has already been done for millions of Americans.

The tricky part of this cancer is that even with as little as 1 to 3 months of exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma cancer and its symptoms may not develop for 15 years and usually reach their peak at 20 to 50+ years post exposure.

Depending on which part of your body has developed the cancer the symptoms can vary from:

• Weight loss and low blood sugar levels
• Chest wall pain
• Fluid surrounding the lungs
• Shortness of breath, fatigue or anemia
• Coughing up blood and wheezing
• Blood clotting, bowel obstruction, abdominal swelling
• Severe bleeding in many body organs

Mesothelioma Treatment

Unfortunately, cures for mesothelioma are rare and the prognosis for those suffering from this cancer is still rather low. This is due to the fact that the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions coupled with the extreme length of time from exposure to development and the patient’s age (usually 50 to 70 years old) and current health all pose problems for a favorable outcome.

The typical treatments for mesothelioma range from:

• Surgery
• Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy
• and Multimodality Therapy

Boise, Idaho: The Associated Press reports that a woman was recently arrested for impersonating a plastic surgeon and performing at least two examinations on local residents at area nightclubs.

Employees at a plastic surgery office in downtown Boise became suspicious when a pair of women arrived at their office asking to see Dr. Berlyn Aussieahshowna. Obviously Dr. Berlyn Aussieahshowna doesn’t exist and ended up being the name given by Kristina B. Ross who was using the office number of a real plastic surgeon as her own.

Police were able to identify the 37-year-old Ross through interviews with those who were examined by her. During the investigation the police discovered that she was not a licensed physician and arrested her.

While Kristina B. Ross was in jail, the police discovered there was a warrant for her arrest under the name  of Kristoffer Jon Ross. The police then realized that Ross is transgendered and living as a woman.

Ross is currently being held in the female county jail because she now identifies herself as a woman.

There are as many reasons why people choose to have cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery as there are for why people choose to drive a certain type of car or wear certain types of clothing. The most common answer to this is that “it makes me look or feel better about myself“. When people shop for clothing or cars they often list the pros and cons of one over the other. Does this offer the right look for me? Is this too flashy or not flashy enough. Am I too old or too young for this look. Can I afford this? Surprisingly enough when it comes to cosmetic and plastic surgery, pros and cons should be considered just the same.

Pros & Cons of Breast Augmentation

Take for example a woman in her early 20’s who’s considering breast augmentation. This is a very common plastic surgery procedure with over 300,000 breast augmentation surgeries being performed in 2009 alone.

With such a common procedure what would some of the pros and cons be to this?

Well first off is the increase attention to her appearance. Like it or not, larger breast get more attention. Now whether this is good attention or bad attention will depend on the woman herself.  There are some women who feel that getting overly large breast implants was a mistake because they didn’t like how people treated them afterwords and decided to get a 2nd surgery for a breast reduction. Another thing to consider is the possible health risks that can come along with it. Will the increase in breast size end up hurting her back from the increased weight? What if there is a leak or a rupture? What if there are complications during or after the surgery. And let’s not forget to mention the cost of the surgery itself.

These are some of the cons to breast augmentation surgery. The pros can be just as many though. She may receive more attention and job possibilities if she is in the modeling or acting field. She may gain more self confidence with her new appearance. Self esteem is an amazing thing. With more self esteem she may feel more empowered at work and get that promotion she has been too timid to ask for. When you feel good about yourself you feel more sure of your abilities.

Celebrities and Plastic Surgery

Hollywood celebrities who undergo plastic surgery seem to be the most at risk of public scrutiny when it comes to good or bad plastic surgery. So it would only make sense that they would weight the pros and cons of plastic surgery before going under the knife.

Sadly, as we have all seen, there have been plenty of celebrities to receive negative public reaction to their procedures. Mickey Rourke with his botched facelift went from having leading man looks into the butt of many jokes. Recent winner of Dancing with the Stars Jennifer Grey wasn’t able to get work after she underwent rhinoplasty surgery on her nose because the studios felt no one would recognize her. Melanie Griffith, Lisa Rinna and Priscilla Presley have all felt the backlash or lip augmentation gone wrong. And we can’t leave out Heidi Montag with her 10 surgeries in one day dividing the media in half as to what is too much plastic surgery.

When it comes to cosmetic plastic surgery, one has to be sure to think clearly and take their time going over the pros and cons. Remember surgery may benefit you greatly, or only momentarily and in worse case may result in  a total negative reaction from everyone around you. Plastic surgery can be dangerous and  is not something to think lightly of and demands just as much attention and thought as any other life changing decision in your life.

Breast augmentation was the most popular procedure in 2009 when it comes to plastic surgery. 311,957 breast augmentation procedures were performed last year alone but all those breast enlargement surgeries didn’t come cheap. To save cost, many women want to know if there is a way to achieve larger breasts through a natural breast augmentation process, and the good news is there just may be. A Japanese researcher named Hideto Tomabechi claims he has developed a cell phone ringtone that actually causes a woman’s breast to increase in size naturally. (watch the video and download the ringtone below)

Natural Breast Enlargement Ringtone?

Mr. Tomabechi has found that women respond to a babies cry both emotionally and physically. Because of this, he claims to have found a specific combination of audio tones which embed a baby crying that when listened to by females causes the mind to unconsciously switch to motherhood mode, which in turn stimulates the milk production glands and naturally enhances the size of the breasts.

Tomabechi says that one of his test subjects reported her breasts grew in size by almost an entire inch just from listening to this ringtone 20 times a day for just a couple of days.

As strange as this sounds lets make this clear. Hideto Tomabechi isn’t some crazy mad scientist. He is a respected researcher and cognitive scientist who was used to deprogram members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult who were responsible for the nerve gas attacks in the Tokyo subway in 1995. He has worked on many projects with sound waves, artificial intelligence and human physiology, which leads us to his recent findings.

Watch the Discovery UK Television’s documentary of Dr. Tomebechi’s natural breast enhancement ringtone and test it yourself.

There is a dangerous trend sweeping across the country, the trend of cheap plastic surgery. It’s no secret that the economy is hurting and everyone has to cut corners to make end’s meet now and then but cutting corners when it comes to your health is something you should never do, especially when it comes to plastic surgery procedures.

Recently, 22 year old Pacoima resident Mayra Contreras became sick on July 23 and was taken to a hospital but died later that evening. It’s reported that she received silicone injections used for facial fillers and buttock augmentation by 2 sisters Alejandra and Guadalupe Viveros. The Viveros sisters that allegedly ran an unlicensed medical clinic in Sylmar. The silicone they used was non-medical grade silicon.

The silicone, which is injected into the face or buttocks of patients hardens into solid plastic after time. Many patients have reported feeling sick and getting infections after undergoing these dangerous medical procedures.

The two sisters, Alejandra and Guadalupe Viveros; who claimed to be a physician in Mexico, but is not licensed to practice medicine in the United States, were arrested in June for medical malpractice but failed to show for their arraignment. It is now believed that they have fled to Mexico after this recent death.

The use of low-grade or non-medical grade silicon is used in unlicensed clinics throughout the country. Promises of fuller lips, rounder butts and larger breasts at a fraction of the cost of traditional plastic surgery lure many who desperately feel the need for self improvement but can’t afford it.  Often times, many in the transgender community are the ones to suffer the ill effects of these dangerous procedures because their medical coverage wont cover the procedures they want, or they just cant afford it.

Research Your Surgeon

Risks with plastic surgery are not reserved for the back alley practices either.

Many complications arise at the hands of fully licensed and qualified medical professionals. You should always research the plastic surgeon you are interested in. Just like he holds a consultation with you to decide if you are physically and mentally fit for the surgery, you should check his credentials to make sure he is capable of performing the procedure you want done.

A surgeon doesn’t have to be Board Certified in plastic surgery to perform these procedures. In fact, some doctors who offer plastic surgery do so outside of their field of expertise. For example, there are dentists who offer facial fillers along with full facelifts, while dermatologists try their hand at breast augmentation.

Doing your research will help you make the right choice when it comes to your surgery.

Remember, just because you save some money now on cheap plastic surgery, doesn’t really help you if you die from it later.

It’s no secret that the accepted image of beauty has changed throughout the years. From the plump and curvaceous women in the art depicted by Renaissance painters to the wafer thin models of the 80’s and 90’s, beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

But if the recent statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery are correct, America is becoming obsessed with big buttocks. Even though there were only 4,996 buttock augmentation procedures performed in 2009; compared to the 311,957 breast augmentation procedures performed, that’s still a 37.3% increase of butt augmentation surgeries performed in 2008 with virtually none being performed in 1997.

That, plus a simple Google search for phrases like “bigger buttocks exercises“, “butt implants” or “butt augmentation” brings up between 543,000 and 1,310,000 results, it’s clear to see Americans like bigger butts.

What’s Behind This Big Buttocks Trend?

Models like Vida Guerra and celebrities such as Kim Kardashian definitely have something to do with making bigger bottoms popular again. You would be hard pressed to find a fashion or tabloid magazine that doesn’t mention or show pictures of the buttocks of one of these lovely ladies.

Everyone wants to know what butt exercises do they do? How can I get my butt to look this good? Sadly, the majority of the answers come down to simple genetics. Those of us not lucky enough to inherit such luck from our parents still have hope and its called plastic surgery.

The Popularity of Brazilian Butt Augmentation and Implants

All this obsession with wanting the perfect rear end has led to a new plastic surgery procedure known as Brazilian Butt Augmentation or Brazilian Butt Implants. Named so after the “famous” round buttocks of the women of Brazil, women are lining up to enhance the size and shape of their butt.

This procedure was first introduced a few years ago by a small hand full of surgeons but can now be found being performed at almost every plastic surgery center from the east to the west coast. Plastic surgeon’s like Constantino Mendieta M.D. have trained for years in Brazil to learn the specifics of this technique and has even developed his own adaption to it with the use of Fat Transfer using your own fat to help give you that rounder bottom.

Safe to say the popularity of bigger butts’ in America and the butt augmentation trend itself will continue to grow , until the next idea of beauty changes once again.

What are your thoughts?