CEO of PIP Breast Implant Company Now on Trail
April 26, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MD
This is an update on the PIP breast implant tragedy. However, I would like to remind you that the French made PIP implants have never been used in the United States. At Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery we use American made Mentor breast implants or Allergen implants, which are both completely safe, FDA approved, and of course made of medical grade silicone. You might remember the PIP breast implant scandal in Europe that came to light last year. It came to light that the Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) silicone gel implants had been filled with industrial grade silicone, usually used in manufacturing... 
A few years back, you may have heard that 50 is the new 30. Remember that? And it seems with cosmetic surgery this may be true. As many people perceive turning 60 as the beginning of midlife, they find themselves not looking how they feel. As it turns out, this is the biggest reason older women have cosmetic surgery. That makes sense, if you have not corrected a flaw, say a bump on your nose with rhinoplasty, by the time your 50, it probably did not really bother you that much. But is the true goal of cosmetic surgery to... 
In the past year there has been a plethora of articles about BOTOX® and depression. Apparently depressed people who have had BOTOX® injections for cosmetic reasons, often become less depressed. You may think this is simply because these patients feel better about how they look. But it turns out there is more to it than that. It was Darwin back in 1872, who originally suggested that emotion that is freely expressed will be intensified, and emotion that is repressed or held in, will be "softened," or lessened. Science has come a long way since 1872, but this statement of Darwin's... 
It has come to my attention that many prospective patients might assume that breast reduction and breast augmentation are comparable procedures, possibly even that breast reduction might be simpler. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Breast reduction surgery is actually quite complex. With breast augmentation, the addition of an implant does not interfere with the deep structures of the breast tissue; the implant merely pushes them aside until the skin stretches to accommodate the addition. Even placing an implant beneath the pectoral muscle leaves the breast tissue intact, although an extended recovery period may be necessary as the muscle... 
Throughout history the pursuit of beauty and youth has inspired quests of exploration for fountains of youth or exotic herbs, to medical procedures and extreme fashion trends. From Cleopatra’s milk baths and cosmetic concoctions to the powdered faces and wigs of 18th century European courts, and the removal of ribs to create the wasp-waisted look that fit into Victorian corsets, beauty and youth have been sought by the rich and powerful. In the 21st century, however, surgical procedures have made amazing transformations possible, and not only for the rich and powerful. Now cosmetic procedures that are more than skin deep,... 
Back in 2008 Naomi Watts was quoted as saying " God, no! People my age and younger are having so much work done, but my view is that it’s a terrible thing to mess with your face. As an actress, my job is to express myself. No, seriously, we’ve got to allow ourselves to age gracefully. And somebody’s got to play the old ladies." Of course she was only 39 years old then. Now, at 44 years old, Ms. Watts is much more realistic. In fact, her comments are all over the Internet gossip columns. Now Ms. Watts is saying,... 
Some women prefer saline breast implants. Saline breast implants are made by the Mentor company in the United States, and they have a great track record, I might add. The implants are filled with a sterile saltwater solution. Our bodies are made of over 60 percent saltwater, about 50 quarts of saltwater. Obviously a natural substance, the saline implant is the very safest implant you can get. This is one reason some women prefer saline implants. Now silicone implants are safe; this is why the FDA allowed them back on the market in 2006; however, some women are still a... 
You may have heard of VASER assisted liposuction. VASER stands for Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance: ultrasound. This type of liposuction uses ultrasound in order to liquefy the fat that is to be removed during liposuction. Patients often ask why one would prefer tumescent liposuction to VASER liposuction, or the reverse for that matter. There is evidence that VASER assisted liposuction can result in less injury to the surrounding tissue, quicker healing time, and better skin contraction. However, it is important to understand that VASER assisted liposuction is not for everyone. Patients are assessed as appropriate candidates on... 
Is abdominoplasty associated with permanent long-term weight reduction? This is a question researchers have been trying to find out. What had been discovered was that many tummy tuck patients had lost more weight than explained by the removal of fat and skin during their abdominoplasty! A new pilot study showed evidence that in patients with a body mass index greater than 54 percent body fat the answer might be "Yes." With the rate of obesity continuing to climb in the United States, many people are turning to cosmetic surgery, including abdominoplasty and liposuction. However, these are not ideal ways to... 