Guest guest Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 They're missing the boat on this! It's not about bad feelings about ourselves, low self-esteem--it's the illness! Duh! http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993471 The World's No.1 Science & Technology News Service Breast implants linked to suicide 23:01 06 March 03 NewScientist.com news service Women with cosmetic breast implants are significantly more likely to commit suicide than those without them, according to a new study. The researchers, motivated by the debate over the health risks of breast implants, analysed the medical records of 3500 Swedish women who had had breast implants. They considered only cosmetic operations, excluding women who received implants after breast cancer surgery. The 3500 women ranged in age from teenagers to pensioners and had the implant operation between 1965 and 1993. In an average group of the same size and age, 59 deaths would be expected, but the researchers found that 85 women had died. Fifteen had taken their own lives, three times the number expected, and a higher number of deaths from smoking-related diseases like lung cancer were also seen. "Women who ask for breast implants may have low self-esteem," suggests Koot at the University Medical Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands, who led the study. "Similarly, women who smoke may also have low self-esteem." Body conscious Beary, a consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Hospital, London agrees that women with low-self esteem are more body conscious and more likely to have breast implants. "Quite a lot of women who become depressed will seek plastic surgery as a treatment for depression," he says. "However, quite often operations go wrong, leading to unsightly scarring, unequal breasts or numb areas, and this can make the depression worse. I have certainly seen suicide attempts in women after surgery who were depressed beforehand." Similarly, Beary says teenage girls with low-self esteem about their bodies can take up smoking believing it will help them lose weight, making it more likely that women who have breast implants are also smokers. Rocketing rate Related Stories Right-wing governments 'increase suicide rates' 18 September 2002 Women could soon grow their own breast implants 23 May 2001 Half of US cigarettes are smoked by mentally ill people 21 November 2000 For more related stories search the print edition Archive Weblinks Breast implant information, FDA Implant Information Project British Medical Journal American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Koot thinks surgeons evaluating candidates for breast implants need to be vigilant for subtle signs of psychiatric problems. "If we first treat the psychiatric problems, then maybe some women will no longer want implants," she says. In 2002, nearly seven million people in the US alone underwent cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures, according to new figures released on Wednesday. Breast enlargements were chosen by nearly 250,000 American women, the second most popular operation after liposuction. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery says the overall number of cosmetic procedures has rocketed by 228 per cent since 1997. The vast majority of candidates - 88 per cent - are women. Journal reference: British Medical Journal (vol 326, p 527) Natasha McDowell For more exclusive news and expert analysis every week subscribe to New Scientist print edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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