Last November the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the returned utilization of silicone breast implants for augmentation, affirming their safety and effectiveness, as well as providing new options to women nationwide, options which have been available to women in nearly 60 other countries for the past 25 years.
The two largest manufacturers of breast implants in the United States, Allergan (formerly Inamed) and Mentor have collaborated with the FDA to initiate a 10-year post-approval study. This follow-up study is designed to evaluate and reaffirm the safety and efficacy of silicone breast implants. For patients that agree to take part in this study, both companies have programs to compensate patients for their involvement, including a small payment ($10) for completing milestone questionnaires and a $100 gift certificate towards an in-office aesthetic procedure once other milestones have been reached. Once the target number of study patients has been reached, this study will be closed and no new patients will be enrolled.
Last year, approximately 300,000 women underwent breast augmentation while 58,000 women had breast reconstruction, according to statistics compiled by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Both breast augmentation and reconstruction have been proven in numerous studies to have psychological and physical benefits for women who choose these procedures.
If you are interested in more information, please call Dr. Hu, owner of Valencia Plastic Surgery, at 661-222-1122.