Panel backs silicon implants

[T_i_B]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1064855,00.html

Silicon breast implants taken off the US market 11 years ago should be made available to all women who want them, a panel has decided, despite evidence that they could pose serious health risks.
An independent advisory panel voted by nine to six to recommend an ending of the restrictions on the implants.

Usually the food and drug administration, to which the panel reported, accepts such a recommendation. But the narrow vote and continuing concerns about long-term effects means the lifting of the ban may not be inevitable.

The recommendation came after two days of hearings in which some users spoke of pain and health complications after implants, which have been blamed for causing auto-immune disease, cancer and chronic fatigue.

[ze_dscherman]

1. Mutilation

I thought it were only primitive and muslim countries that were allowing the mutilation of females ...

[Dookus]

2. it's not mutiliation.

I agree that it's silly for women to want this. But yet they do.

The silicone implant lawsuits were the ultimate triumph of bad science. There was NEVER any real evidence that these implants were dangerous.

I hate to defend a company like Dow-Corning, but they were screwed big-time in this matter.

Dow-Corning does not create the need for these implants. Our culture does. The cosmetic surgery industry does. Our mass-media does. But these implants were NOT harmful.

I also believe that people should be free to make whatever stupid mistakes they want to make, as long as it's not harmful. If a woman wants bigger tits, it's none of my business, as long as the implants aren't harmful.

[kayell]

3. Do women really want these???

I think that you are looking at women who get them in order to please a man's desires, whether for professional reasons (actresses, prostitutes, dancers, etc), as a mistaken way to attract a mate, or most sinisterly, because their partner desires them to have larger breasts. (Also add in a number who have been brainwashed by the media to believe that they are not fully female unless they live up to the currently fashionable female body proportions)

So how many women were on this panel?

So how soon do you think we will see a medically approved fashion for silicon ball implants for that sexy * on the carrier look?

[sandlapper]

4. Do women really want these??

I think that the statistics would back up the assertion that a significant number of adults, not just women but men as well, base their self image almost entirely on the perception of others. Whether or not this is healthy or mature is quite immaterial it is I think a matter of demonstrable fact.

Testicular implants are available, and in fact the number of reconstructive applications is surprising. I haven't encountered any "cosmetic" testicular implant data but the frequency of penile "cosmetic" surgeries has been growing for a number of years. Quite as an aside, have you not heard of "neuticals" for male dogs that have been surgically neutered? I was astounded to hear the discussion of a little old blue haired lady with my vet of how much better her "Poo-Poo" felt since having his "neuticals" implanted.

[tlcandie]

6. If there is no problem with them, as stated, then all those women

who will become permanently disfigured or face death should have to pay for any medical bills out of their own pocket as an elective cosmetic surgery and not expect insurance to cover it!

[kayell]

7. While men are beginning to have more body-image problems

according to some studies, they are far from being as plagued by them as women are. They are also less likely to suffer proffesional or personal pressure to conform to an ideal. In addition, the male ideal is considerably broader than the female ideal of a thin to the point of underweight, yet still buxom chested, young, flawless skinned, model type. Note that the underweight and buxom chest are almost physically impossible to occur at to same time.

The issue of reconstructive implants is rather different than elective surgery that is selected because of societal pressure to conform to an impossible ideal.

Definately not as aside, have you not heard of the enormous pressure (economic and societal) to conform to this ideal? If not, start here. Plenty of studies to follow up on. http://www.about-face.org/r/facts/bi.html

Check out the rest of the site too. Remember that this http://www.about-face.org/goo/newten/1/three.html is the type of thing that women are continuously subjected to every day of our lives.

[Teaser]

8. So what would you do?

No one's arguing that the desire for Breast implants is healthy. Although it's not necessarily unhealthy either. If they aren't physically damaging (and I don't believe they are) they should be on the market available to anyone who wants and can afford them. I assume you agree with this, no? And if not, what should be done about breast implants and people who want them?

[kayell]

10. I don't agree that they aren't physically damaging

There is good evidence that they have badly damaged many women. One case is presented in a post below.

I have no objection against make-up for an example of a relatively harmless product, although personally I find it kind of silly. But - a lot of the ingredients that are allowed in make-up and especially many hair dyes are very harmful, and I do believe that if they were in products marketed heavily to men, that the industry would be better regulated. Note that these do not involve cutting a healthy person open, exposing them to the considerable risks of surgery and of inserting a poorly safety tested product. (personal disclosure - I use henna on my hair, so I'm not a person completely lacking in vanity)

I think that the standards of safety are often lowered for women, since a sexy (by current standards) young thing* is valued more by our society than an older, healthy, experienced woman. Compare this to what is valued in men.

*the language is revealing isn't it?

As to what we should do -
1. Write companies that produce or use body-image manipulative advertising. Complain, boycott. You can find addresses and examples of this advertising at the site I posted above. You will also find examples of good advertising.

2.If you see this type of advertising targeted to men/boys complain there too. It seems that the corporations are realizing that they have missed out on manipulating the other 50% of the population. It hasn't gone a fraction of the way that women/girls are targeted, but it's time to stop it now.

3. Insist that school health classes present information that supports healthy body image and habits to children, especially female since they are currently most at risk. Check your childs school library - are there a lot of magazines targeted to girls that promote the current unrealistic body image? Are there a lot of magazines that focus on girls appearance rather than their goals and accomplishments? You may be suprised. I was shocked.

4. Be aware of the messages that you give your own children and kids you come in contact with. Do you praise your daughters appearance more than her achievements? Watch out, it's easy to do, we've been conditioned that way all our lives.

5. Write and call your legislators about issues like this where corporate interest is placed above the health interests of human beings.

6. Support womens sports. This goes a long way to promoting a healthier physical image of women.

7. Chuck the publications around your house that show manipulative images of women (or men). Don't expose yourself or your children to the propaganda. Call the publication and tell them why you cancelled your subscription.

8. Support organizations that work to build healthier body images for young people.

many more, but I'm sure you can come up with some on your own

[realFedUp]

5. History of litigation/ Silicon implant stories

Dow-Corning litigation:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/com/floatingframe/DowCorning.asp

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/implants/fairarticle.html

"Beware: P.R. Implants in News Coverage"

By Laura Flanders
January/February 1996
Reprinted with permission by EXTRA! The Magazine of FAIR

In 1985, Charlotte Mahlum received silicone breast implants manufactured by Dow Corning. One ruptured, leaking silicone into her breast, body and skin.

Ten years later, the 46-year-old former coffee-shop waitress wears diapers. She has been diagnosed with incontinence, hand tremors, atrophy in one foot and brain lesions. She can no longer work; her husband has to clean up after her. And on October 28, eight men and women voted unanimously in a Reno courtroom that Dow Chemical was at least partly responsible for her rapidly declining health. For five weeks, the Nevada jurors listened to testimony showing that Dow Corning's colleagues at Dow Chemical had hidden what they knew about the hazards of liquid silicone. Dow Chemical didn't sell the implants, but they controlled a subsidiary that marketed Dow> Corning's worldwide. Dow Chemical didn't test the implants, but they'd tested the fluid inside them. The plaintiff's lawyers produced documents showing that Dow Chemical had known since the 1950s that the silicone that makes up 85 percent of the liquid inside Dow Corning's implants could migrate to the liver, the lung, the brain. They knew the gel could affect the immune system and damage the nerves--but they didn't tell.

[twilight]

9. I HAD an aunt ...

She had these implants because of a mastectomy. They were a brutal failure. Last I heard before she died of CANCER, etc., they had slid down and settled close to underneath her armpits.

Jesus, Mary & Joseph! Why the hell any woman would want these other than the case I present above (thinking it was ok) is beyond me!!!

DOW CHEMICAL SUCKS! BOYCOTT DOW CHEMICAL!!!

:kick: