BEAUTY AND THE BREAST 6: It's 2008! Are you ready to make some noise?

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----- Forwarded Message ----From: Sybil Goldrich sybil@...Subject: BEAUTY AND THE BREAST 6: It's 2008! Are you ready to make some noise?

Issue 6 | January 23, 2008

Dearest Friends,It's 2008! Are you ready to make some noise? We are!We kick off the new year as indignant as ever – over the the disappearing natural breast, the marketing of fake boobs to returning soldiers, and Target dissing the independent media (us!) , among other things.But there are some encouraging signs that we are not alone – an extremely fabulous NY Times article identifying breast augmentation as “annuity medicine†(the investment that makes you keep investing, ha), Carson Kressley’s new show, and a 14-year-old boy who can’t understand why women would want breast implants.Meanwhile, we successfully brought many of our concerns and issues straight to the FDA’s Commission on Women’s Health during our recent visit to Washington, DC, part of our ongoing effort to nag the powers-that-be to death until they do the right thing.In the year to come, please continue to visit Beauty and the Breast, join our conversations, let us know what you’re thinking! Make some noise and help us tell the real story about breast implants.

Our bandwagon is big, with room for everyone concerned about women and women’s health, so bring your friends too!Be happy and healthy,

Sybil and

It’s About Learning to Dance in the RainPosted by Gretchen | January 22, 2008 at 6:06 pm | Comments (0)

A girlfriend sent me this today. I loved it & wanted to share it here.

Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning,looked in the mirror,and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.“Well,†she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.â€So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up,looked in the mirrorand saw that she had only two hairs on her head.“H-M-M,†she said,“I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.â€So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up,looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.“Well,†she said,“today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail.â€So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up,looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head.“YEA!†she exclaimed,“I don’t have to fix my hair today!â€

Attitude is everything.

Be kinder than necessary,for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.Live simply,Love generously,Care deeply,Speak kindly…….

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.

Is Society Finally Accepting “Normalâ€-Size Women?Posted by Pam Noonan-Saraceni | January 17, 2008 at 9:07 pm | Comments (4)

Over the last decade, every thing we’ve seen in the media - on TV, the news, reality shows, advertising, magazine covers, etc. - has depicted the extremely thin woman as being the norm.

Fortunately, it is becoming more evident in the last few months that society in general may be starting to revolt and declare that the waif with the voluptuous bosom is NOT the real American woman.

A couple of recent advertising campaigns by Playtex and SlimFast are cases in point. Playtex has young, naturally full-figured models promoting a new style of bra with wider backs and straps. The new SlimFast commercial features young women with natural curving hips and tummies. Amazing, no ribs or sunken abdomens!

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NY Times Identifies Breast Implants as Annuity MedicinePosted by Sybil | January 17, 2008 at 7:04 pm | Comments (8)

What is “annuity medicine?†Annuity medicine refers to the fact that once a patient walks into a doctor’s office, the doctor gets an annuity because he knows the statistics that will bring her back for operation after operation. She becomes his insurance policy for a great practice.

Well, three cheers for the New York Times for identifying breast implants, the most popular cosmetic surgery in this county, for what it is: annuity medicine! Today, the venerable newspaper published an important and timely article on the front page of its Fashion and Style section, which brings some much-needed attention to the many important issues around breast implants, issues that have largely disappeared from the public discussion. The article’s focus is on the ongoing financial costs of breast implants, which is very appropriate as American families feel the pinch of a slowing economy.

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Target Disses “Non-Traditional Media.†Hey, That’s Us!Posted by | January 15, 2008 at 5:39 pm | Comments (5)

A girl is spread-eagle over Times Square. The billboard is courtesy of Target. Amy Jussel, executive director of Shaping Youth, which focuses on the influence of marketing and media on kids, wrote about it on her blog. She also called the media people at Target Corporation, left her concern, her contact information, and a request for a call back. This is what she got:

Good Morning Amy,

Thank you for contacting Target; unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with non-traditional media outlets. This practice is in place to allow us to focus on publications that reach our core guest.

Once again thank you for your interest, and have a nice day.

Whoa, wait a minute! Aside from the tastelessness of the ad itself, the bloggers here at Beauty and the Breast are just totally offended by Target’s disdain for those of us NOT in traditional media. Traditional media is failing for a reason, namely that it’s not doing a good enough job informing the public on such things as, oh, I don’t know, breast implants?

Furthermore, we thought Target’s “core guests†are the with it and hip, a demographic that comfortably fits in the 18 to 49 age range. Well, about 85 percent of such people are online, and NOT exclusively hanging out at, say, newyorktimes.com. They are spread across gaming sites, social networking sites and… blogs.

Gawker, the Smoking Gun and Digg are among in the Top Ten News and Information sites in 2007. They certainly don’t think of themselves as traditional media. If their reps called, would Target shun them too?

So now we know. Walmart may be evil, but Target’s just plain stupid

The FDA Asked Us to Tell You…Posted by | January 15, 2008 at 3:54 pm | Comments (2)

So here we are before our FDA meeting. It’s always a little intimidating to go see your government officials, but we have learned over the years that as consumers it is important to speak out and let the FDA know what’s going on with women. When you focus on the fact that the visit could actually benefit all of us, then it’s not as scary. The FDA needs us, too, you know.

Our meeting at the FDA was interesting and informative. Here we are with Dr. Uhl, assistant commissioner for women’s health at the US Food and Drug Administration. She was happy to know of our work with the different support groups. She supported all of us working together to help educate women and keep communication flowing.

Sybil and I brought to the FDA your information about what’s going on with implants. They wanted us to tell you all that they have been working hard to regroup and get the post-approval efforts aligned on this product. They have a plan and encourage us all to go to their website and read it as well as the official approval recommendations. They have a detailed list of what they are following up on with the manufacturers. They wanted you all to know all this is available.

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Watch Out for the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Reigel V. MedtronicPosted by Sybil | January 14, 2008 at 10:42 pm | Comments (0)

Myrl’s terrific post about what we learned about product liability law suits from the breast implant litigation prompts me to sound the alarm for what’s happening today. The Supreme Court is poised to make a decision with far-reaching consequences for consumers and could very well affect you someday.

This spring, the Court will hand down its decision on Riegel v. Medtronic. Riegel underwent coronary angioplasty in 1996. During the procedure, the balloon ruptured, and advanced cardiac life support and emergency coronary bypass surgery were needed. He and his wife are suing Medtronic, claiming that the device was defective and the labeling inadequate, but Medtronic is arguing the because the FDA approved the product, it can’t be held responsible or culpable for injuries, even if the product is faulty.

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Product Liability, Victim Health and “Real†SciencePosted by MJeffcoat | January 14, 2008 at 9:49 am | Comments (3)

For more than a decade now, I have watched women who harmed by silicone breast implants try to sort out the illness and symptoms they experienced post-implantation, try to separate real dragons from the paper ones. What disease and symptomatic conditions really do come from silicone and breast implants? Since 1995, I have been a conduit of scientific studies and evidential material that fall into my hands, distributing the information among women made ill by implants. More than one doctor or scientist has appeared on the scene heeding the call for help figure it out, but they have mostly been beaten down or back by an army of

defendant-supported doctors and scientists. So, who is right and who is wrong?

Looking back (and for many years, I have) has allowed me some clarity. I would like to share a little of it here, for the benefit of those who find themselves corralled in monstrous product-liability class action suits, which are not so different from those breast implant victims have endured for so many years.

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Vanishing Points of ReferencePosted by | January 11, 2008 at 5:25 pm | Comments (2)

So, Sybil and I were on a plane yesterday and took the opportunity to do some “research.†As we carefully examined the female images in People magazine and The Enquirer, we noticed how fake and horrible the many implants looked. We wondered if young women actually thought that this unnaturally round look was desirable on women. Would they realize that this shape they so often see in the ’s Secret catalog and other publications are actually the hardened edges of encapsulated implants — a symptom of often painful local complications?

When I read plastic surgeon Dr. Barry Eppy’s description of “Beach Ball Breasts,†I thought, Yes, that’s it! There’s no better description than the HARD BEACH BALL LOOK! Is that look what women really want, or are they led to it out of a desire for larger breasts?

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Fake Boobs for Returning Soldiers?Posted by Beauty and the Breast | January 4, 2008 at 4:04 pm | Comments (2)

Steve Hall of the Adrants blog found this on Flickr:

Here’s the photographer’s caption:

A billboard seen in the middle of nowhere between Morongo Valley and 29 Palms. I stopped the car, scratched my head, and snapped a photo. We finally decided the target demographic must be soldiers on their way to and from the many military installations in the desert?

Well, we hope it’s not targeting women heading to Iraq or Afghanistan! Fake boobs in a war zone is not such a good idea…

OC Register Article on Real Desperate Housewife Downsizing Her Implants IS Front-Page Worthy!Posted by | January 3, 2008 at 11:29 am | Comments (4)

The Orange County Register is taking some heat for a front-page article today about one of the women on Bravo’s program, Real Housewives of Orange County, who in last night’s episode downsized the implants she’s had for years. Critics say it’s not news, but I think the issue of breast implants certainly deserves front-page attention, certainly in a newspaper that serves a community addicted to plastic surgery. As writer Colin says in the first paragraph of the article, “‘Real Housewife’ typifies breast-implant problems,†the episode shines “a spotlight on the problem of implants that women discover are defective or the wrong size.†Too right! This is

a women’s health issue, folks!

The OC housewife, Tamra Barney, revealed that she downsized because the implants were attracting unwanted attention – and straining her neck and back.

The article tells us that downsizing is actually a common procedure “both because many implants rupture and because many women decide that they want a different size of implant.†But it can be problematic if women don’t know what to expect, so they have to do their research.

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Harpooned! The Dangers of Breast ImplantsPosted by bethtaylor | January 1, 2008 at 1:12 pm | Comments (1)

This beautiful and courageous woman has documented what happened to her after having breast augmentation.

We really must remember that so many aspects of our lives could change just from making a decision like this.

The problem is, many of us were told that these toxic bags of 37 chemicals are completely safe. Most of us are not given the list of chemicals contained in breast implants. I bet that alone would make many of us stop and really think about this.

Benzene is one of the chemicals found in implants and we know that this is what has made many of the 9/11 workers very ill and has killed some of these courageous people.

Resolving to Live Better …Posted by Ilena | December 30, 2007 at 8:44 pm | Comments (0)

Excerpt from Redwood Age:

#6 Become a better health advocate

Ilena Rosenthal, a women’s health advocate, cautioned boomers not to be swayed by advertising, and to be mindful of subsequent perks some physicians receive to tout products.

“Learning to follow the money behind the massive number of medical messages we receive daily may well lead us to realize that modern medicine has little to do with health and everything to do with business,†Rosenthal said.â€

… full article here

A Holiday Gift for Mom: The Kind of Boy We Want Our Daughters to Bring Home!Posted by | December 21, 2007 at 4:00 pm | Comments (2)

So check out this nice 14 year-old boy on YouTube, who calls himself “Harryrmpttr.†I will definitely show my girls this to let them know SOME boys have brains… And he’s cute too! He’s a little young for my girls, or I would even think about setting them up! :-) But I can at least send him straight… to our blog here!

I would of course have to educate him on a few things. Like “melons†is probably for those of us over 40 — ahhh youth — and that double D’s can never look natural in silicone… But hey, he has the right idea with his ultimate question: Why DO women want big boobs?

I ask this all the time. But even more interesting to me is that this young man knows about the dangers of silicone implants, doesn’t like the fake look and is really pissed off that parents are buying them for their daughters as presents. Here, here!

I especially love that he questions what those parents are thinking and understands the hidden message when you buy for impressionable young women body-altering implants. You gotta hear him.

So Sybil, Harryrmpttr and I all think alike! Good to know our message is getting out there somehow.

But what I really want to know is… WHO is his mother? She’s doing a great job!

Respected Women’s Health Advocate and Industry Consultant Co-Author Measured Article on Informed Consent for Breast ImplantsPosted by Sybil | December 18, 2007 at 8:39 pm | Comments (0)

The supplement to December’s Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgery is all about breast implants. The editorial, “What Do Women Need to Know

and When Do They Need to Know It?†is significant and important.

It’s significant because the co-authors make such strange bedfellows. Spear, M.D., was the cheerleader for Mentor Corporation at the final FDA hearings where silicone breast implants were approved to return to the market. Wood, PhD, quit her job at FDA because of the agency’s failure to deal with medication (RU486) in an unbiased and totally scientific way. Dr. Spear represents his colleagues in the plastic surgery world and his employers, breast implant manufacturers, very well, and Dr. Wood is a champion of women’s rights. Still, this “odd couple†wrote a measured article giving important information for both physicians and patients.

The article is important because, as Pam Noon-Saraceni says, “It goes into the details that are so often made light of in the consultations with the surgeons prior to a woman’s decision to have breast implants.â€

Here are the Beauty and the Breast blog, we strongly urge any woman concerned about women’s health to read it. It is hidden behind a subscription wall, though, so here’s our hopefully adequate summary:

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Meet the Man with Breasts in His LegPosted by bethtaylor | December 18, 2007 at 6:36 pm | Comments (9)

Well, I must say when I read this headline on metro.co.uk, I had to read on, as you know the old saying, curiosity killed the cat. I never expected this. I read, “Meet the man with Breasts in his Leg“ and thought, well, this is odd so I read on and saw the picture. I was a bit shocked that someone would do this and wondered if he did his research on the effects of implants on the human body. I’d like to follow this man and find out how he is feeling several years down

the road. I wonder if he will be taken more seriously by doctors than some of the women have been?

Just some food for thought…..

In New Report FDA Admits It’s Not Meeting Its Mission? Well, Duh!Posted by | December 17, 2007 at 5:25 pm | Comments (1)

The Federal Food and Drug Administration has issued a report that outlines terrible inefficiencies at the agency, echoing what other groups have been complaining about for years. Requested by FDA Commissioner von Eschenbach, the report was written by a panel of external advisers that reports to Eschenbach, who concluded that the nation’s health is at risk because the FDA does not have the funding, equipment or scientific capacity to fulfill its mission. It is the first time the agency admits it is failing. You can read about it here in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Let me join the bandwagon of those who’ve been saying, “I told you so.†In the case of those of us in this blog community, we are still hurting from the FDA allowing silicone breast implants back on the market in November 2006, a decision made against its own scientists’ advice.

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Breast Implant Trauma in Violent Rape of Halliburton EmployeePosted by Ilena | December 15, 2007 at 9:58 am | Comments (0)

The last few days I’ve been made aware of this horrific story … of the brutal rape, imprisionment, and other mistreatment of a woman employed by Halliburton.

I just found a website she made relating her horrors … and read this:

I awoke the next morning in the barracks to find my naked body battered and bruised. I was still groggy from whatever had been put in my drink. I was bleeding from between my legs and my breast implants were severely disfigured. (I found out later that my attackers tore my pectoral muscles due to the brutality of the attack).

Why Steroids and Not Breast Implants?Posted by Beauty and the Breast | December 14, 2007 at 12:39 pm | Comments (2)

The This is going to be Big blog asks, “Difference between steroids and breast implants?â€

* Both make a person look fake* Both provide a physical advantage in the entertainment industry* Both are tied to serious medical side effects* Both are influencing younger and younger kids to have unhealthy self-images and seek out enhancement* Both don’t really fool anyone

The blogger, Charlie, then points out, “But only one is the subject of a witch hunt at the moment. Can we get to investigate Hollywood and the modeling industry to find out who’s cheating?â€

Hey, Charlie, you know why there’s no witch hunt about breast implants? Because it’s only women getting hurt - silly, vain women who are not sports heroes or stars, who couldn’t possibly be role models for anyone.

Rehashing Old NumbersPosted by | December 14, 2007 at 9:00 am | Comments (2)

NewsRX.com tells us about a new study in the ls of Plastic Surgery. Here’s the synopsis:

A report, ‘The safety of silicone gel-filled breast implants: a review of the epidemiologic evidence,’ is newly published data in ls of Plastic Surgery. “Few implantable medical devices have been studied for their safety more extensively than silicone gel-filled breast implants. We summarize the epidemiologic evidence on the safety of breast implants, most of which is drawn from large cohort studies with long-term follow-up,†scientists in the United States report.

Hmm, they’re pulling out that old line — “Few implantable medical devices have been studied for their safety more extensively than silicone gel-filled breast implants†— AGAIN? We often hear this as a defense of the manufacturers and plastic surgeons. I can’t tell you how many times I heard it at the FDA hearings. I wonder where the results of these “extensive†studies are? We know the manufacturers did not come up with any data longer than two to three years. So WHERE is this “safety†data? Why wasn’t it presented at the hearings?

The old paid-for-by-the-manufacturers studies have been looked at and reviewed over and over again, but NO NEW studies have been done that are peer-reviewed or credible. There has been press covering the controversy for years, and the FDA’s own studies have shown connective tissue problems and horrible local complication problems in the longer term.

It is so annoying that these companies can keep putting out this information like it’s true. And people read it and BELIEVE it must be so. If they say it enough, you start to believe it!!!

Well, we KNOW this is not true. Scrutiny is not science.

Giving Boobs Away at a Club?Posted by Gretchen | December 12, 2007 at 2:28 pm | Comments (1)

According to TMZ.com, Dancing with The Stars runner-up recently hosted a “dance competition†called “Boobs Or Bust 2″ at Jet Nightclub in Las Vegas. The prize? Free boobs.

Ridiculous! Really, what has this world come to? I have no words good enough to even comment on how stupid this is!

If I had “won†money for boobs and got sick like I did, do you think someone might actually listen to my story?

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