Coming

Breast implant scrutiny redux

The FDA is warning patients and providers about reports of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and various lymphomas located in the capsule or scar tissue around breast implants. In some cases, patients were diagnosed years after having breast implants, when they presented with findings such as swelling, pain, lumps, or skin changes.

Importantly, this risk is rare.

Right now, there’s not enough information to say whether breast implants cause these cancers or if some implants pose a higher risk than others. Instances of SCC, lymphoma, and any cancer located in the scar tissue around breast implants should be reported to the FDA. In fact, any problem that may be associated with breast impants should be reported through MedWatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting program.

These emerging reports are different from reports of Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), which the FDA is also tracking.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon who performs breast augmentation with implants, I urge readers to maintain proper perspective. The risk is rare; breast implants are among the most widely studied devices in the history of medical devices, and knowledge is power.

Going

Facelifts?

Until now, minimally invasive devices could help reduce submental fat and rejuvenate skin, but if our patients wanted to address facial muscle laxity, their only choice was…surgery. BTL’s latest launch, EmFace, delivers HIFES muscle-contraction technology and transcutaneous synchronized radiofrequency energy simultaneously to produce a slimmer and more defined jaw line; fuller, higher cheeks; an elevated brow; and overall facial rejuvenation with no downtime. EmFace is needle-free and hands-free, making it attractive to patients and cosmetic doctors. The current EmFace protocol is one 20-minute treatment every week for four weeks with the possibility of some maintenance treatments down the road.

EMFACE likely won’t replace facelifts altogether, but we now have something that we can offer patients who don’t want to undergo surgery or aren’t good candidates for it. I predict a big demand for EMFACE.