Researchers Review Pros and Cons of Plastic Surgery

Most of us who are in the process of trying to lose weight are looking to improve our appearance and boost our self-confidence. Of course, eating right and working out are the best way to shed excess pounds and shape up, but sometimes, you need a bit of extra help to help the process along.

Many men and women who are dieting or who have already reached the end of their weight loss journey seek out the services of cosmetic surgeons. Skillful plastic surgery can virtually turn back time, helping you return your face and body to the way they looked before age -- and weight -- intervened.

However, despite the popularity of plastic and cosmetic surgery, some recent studies have called into question the safety and effectiveness of some of these procedures. Considering the skyrocketing demand for plastic surgery, researchers around the world are focusing on the issue, attempting to identify problem areas and devise safer surgical techniques. This week, we?ll review the results of several recent studies that have weighed the positive and negative outcomes of plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgery May Help Ease Depression in Some Patients

Many patients who have undergone plastic or cosmetic surgery have attested to these procedures? ability to boost mood, attitude, and self-confidence, but the results of one recent study indicate that these widespread beliefs might actually have scientific credibility. According to the findings of a research project that were presented at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery conference in San Francisco, some types of plastic surgery may actually help to alleviate mild to moderate depression.

The study analyzed the pre- and post-surgery depression of a sample of 362 patients. Before plastic surgery, 61% of the sample reported taking prescription anti-depressants. However, follow-up data reported that only 32% continued taking the drugs after their plastic surgery. This indicates that the surgery may have decreased the incidence of treatable by depression by as much as half. 98% of the respondent indicated that the procedure had dramatically boosted their self-esteem.

The scientists point out that it would be wrong to infer that the surgery actually ?cured? the patients? depression. However, a combination of factors ? including the sense of proactive control involved in taking steps to address a perceived flaw ? indicates that some sort of causal relationship may exist for some patients.

Women with Breast Implants at Higher Risk for Suicide

Based on the conventional wisdom surrounding breast augmentation, one would think that the boost in self-confidence that comes with the procedure would decrease the risk of suicide among women who had undergone the operation. However, according to the results of a study conducted by scientists at the Canadian Public Health Agency and Cancer Care Ontario, women with breast implants actually stand a greater chance of committing suicide than their counterparts without breast implants.

The scientists studied health data from nearly 25,000 women who had undergone breast implant surgery over a 25-year period. They found that the overall mortality rate of women with breast implants was virtually indistinguishable from the larger group of women as a whole. However, women with breast implants were 73% more likely to commit suicide than women in the general population.

Although the reasons behind this phenomenon are not yet clear, the researchers hypothesized that it may have something to do with the self-esteem and self-confidence issues that prompted the women to seek out breast implants in the first place. They called on the scientific community to research this issue further.

Obese Patients Undergoing Breast Reconstruction Face Unique Risks

When women with breast cancer undergo a mastectomy, some opt for the procedure known as ?breast reconstruction,? which rebuilds the breast mass lost in mastectomy and offers a more natural look. However, the results of a recent study conducted by scientists at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center indicate that this procedure may not be safe for women who are obese or significantly overweight.

Women with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 35 experienced significantly more complications than their counterparts at normal body weights. For women with BMIs that approached or exceeded 40, nearly 100% of patients experienced some type of post-surgery complication. The authors suggested that some patients may want to lose weight before undergoing breast reconstruction.

If you?re considering plastic surgery, talk to a licensed practitioner to determine the right kind of procedure. Please be sure to check back each week for more of the diet and weight loss news you need.

Should Plastic Surgery Play a Role in Your Weight Loss Efforts?

For centuries, the standard advice for those seeking to shed excess pounds has been simple: eat less, exercise more. In fact, most diet gurus make this same basic recommendation today. But the reality is that we are living in a brave new world of medical technology, and the shortest path to a slimmer figure may pass through the plastic surgeon's office.

Recent surveys have shown that fat-reducing plastic surgeries are more popular than ever before. Furthermore, the technical advances that have been made in recent years have significantly improved the safety and efficacy of these treatments.

However, in spite of the growing popularity and safety of cosmetic surgery procedures designed to trim and slim the figure, these procedures remain controversial. Some weight loss advocates claim that simply removing fat doesn't have the same overall health impact as losing it through calorie restriction and exercise.

This week, we'll consider both sides in the cosmetic surgery controversy by looking at the results of a few recent studies on the subject.

Liposuction Patients May be More Prone to Weight Gain

Experts have long recommended that patients who opt to use plastic surgery as a means to trim down should follow up their surgeries with a sensible program of diet and exercise. The results of a recent study conducted by researches at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas indicate that a failure to follow this advice may result in unwanted weight gain.

The researchers distributed a questionnaire to a group of 200+ patients who had undergone liposuction in the period from 1999-2003. According to the results, it was found that nearly half of all respondents had gained weight after the procedure. Of the liposuction patients who reported post-procedure weight gains, fewer than 20% had made the recommended lifestyle changes following their surgery.

Overall, the study found that the liposuction patients were three times more likely to gain weight without a modified diet, and four times more likely to gain weight without a consistent schedule of regular exercise. The authors noted that these results confirm the importance of lasting lifestyle changes regardless of whether weight is lost through plastic surgery or more conventional methods.

Plastic Surgery Doesn't Offer Health Benefits of Traditional Weight Loss

Patients who opt for plastic surgery to shed excess pounds are often looking for the kind of immediate results that diet and exercise can't deliver. However, according to the results of a recent study, the health benefits of traditional weight loss methods far exceed those seen in liposuction patients.

The study, which was conducted by researchers at the Center for Human Nutrition at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, sought to measure the effect of large-scale liposuction on obese women. The scientists carefully assessed the health profiles of the patients both before and after the procedure.

According to the findings, the women did not achieve the same health benefits displayed by those who lost weight through diet and/or exercise. Despite the fact that the women had lost an average of twenty pounds of body fat through the procedure, many key health measures -- including blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and insulin -- showed no positive impact from the surgery.

The researchers urged patients who choose to undergo liposuction and other weight-reducing plastic surgeries to incorporate healthier eating and exercise patterns into their post-surgery lifestyles.

New Liposuction Technique Offers Significant Safety Improvements

The possibility of complications or other adverse outcomes has long been a factor when people are deciding whether to undergo plastic surgery for weight loss. However, a newly-developed procedure for liposuction may reduce the prevalence of complications related to general anesthesia during the procedure.

The new technique, known as tumescent liposuction, requires local, rather than general, anesthetics. In addition to reducing the risk of anesthetic complications, the new procedure has numerous other safety benefits as well. A study conducted by an international team of researchers found that the surgery results in less blood loss and rapid drainage of the tissue, both of which significantly reduce the risk of complications. The new procedure may make the process of choosing plastic surgery for weight loss a much easier decision for many patients who were once held back by safety concerns.

If you're considering plastic surgery for weight loss, talk to your doctor to determine if these procedures would be right for you. Please check back each week for the breaking research news you need to succeed in your weight loss journey.