"The truth about cosmetic surgery" with Lisa Jewell

May 2, 2009 - PRLog -- During the past decade, cosmetic surgery has become more popular in Ireland as thousands decide to go down the nip-and-tuck route. But while there is growing awareness of the ins and outs of cosmetic surgery, there are still some fundamental myths surrounding the subject. We asked the experts to cut through the fantasy ...

MYTH: Liposuction gives permanent weight loss TRUTH: "One of the biggest myths about liposuction is that it takes away fat cells forever," says Dr Patrick Treacy, cosmetic doctor at the Ailesbury Clinic.

"It does take away fat cells but the cells that remain can get bigger. Fat can return after liposuction. If you don't watch yourself in terms of exercise and diet, it's possible that fat can return to the same area again."

"Liposuction is never a form of weight loss - it's used to reshape parts of the body,"  continues Dr. Treacy "Some people have unproportionate fat on their body, in areas like the thigh and abdomen. It can prove difficult to achieve contouring in these areas, even with exercise and diet, and that's where liposuction can help."

MYTH: Botox is toxic TRUTH: Although Botox is derived from a toxin, it is not toxic in itself.

"Everyone thinks Botox is highly toxic but you would have to take it at 60 times the strength that it is given in order for it to be toxic," says Dr Treacy.

"There are so many misconceptions about Botox - it really has been given a bad name. The power of Botox has been known for 100 years and it has many uses apart from cosmetic uses, including applications in neurology, gynaecology and urinology."

It is true that Botox can sometimes result in a frozen, expressionless appearance on the face.

"It can happen if the treatment is overdone," says Dr Kelly. "Botox should also only be injected into specific areas."

Dr Treacy says: "Botox can result in a frozen expression but that really only happens when somebody doesn't know what they are doing."

MYTH: Some face fillers last forever TRUTH: There are longer-lasting face fillers but they're not widely used.

"The longer lasting face fillers have a longevity of up to 10 or 15 years," says Patricia Molloy, Medical Director of Derma Laser Clinics. "However, not many clinics are using them. There can be instances of granulomas developing - this occurs when the body reacts to
the foreign substance and creates a hard lump in the area.

"The other reason why

it's generally not advisable to use these longer lasting face fillers is that the face

is continually changing. Over the course of 10 years, the face's muscle tone will change and the effects of ageing will also make a difference. A face filler may look out of place when the rest of the face is changing."

Patricia says she doesn't know of anyone using these longer lasting fillers. In her own clinics, she uses face fillers with longevity of anything from nine months to two years.

"I think the safest fillers to use are Hyaluronic acid fillers, which are a synthetic form of what occurs naturally in the body."

Hyaluronic acid is a substance found in the connective tissue of the body that cushions and lubricates. It also gives elasticity to the skin.

MYTH: Liposuction can get rid of cellulite TRUTH: "No, it doesn't get rid of cellulite and it can make it worse in some cases," says Dr Kelly.

Dr Treacy agrees that liposuction isn't a cure for cellulite.

"The best way to try and treat cellulite is from the outside because it involves dimpling of the skin secondary to fat being caught - the fat tends to pull the skin down."

Dr Malhas says liposuction addresses the deeper areas of fat so isn't effective in treating cellulite.

"Liposculpture, which targets the more superficial areas, might improve a little bit of cellulite," he adds.

MYTH: Breast implants can cause cancer TRUTH: There is no scientific evidence to support this claim.

Last year, the National Cancer Institute Journal in the US published a study that showed that having breast implants is not associated with an increased risk of cancer overall.

In fact, the study showed that implants were associated with a decrease in breast cancer risk and an increased lung cancer risk. This result is believed to be reflective of the lifestyles and smoking habits of the women in the study rather than the effects of the implants themselves.

""Sometimes women are worried about any risk of breast cancer but there is absolutely no evidence that implants cause cancer," says Dr Malhas.

As with all women, those who have breast implants should be breast aware and go for mammograms as they get older. It can be more challenging to x-ray the breast if an implant is present as it can obscure potentially cancerous lumps. But there are other tests that can done to compensate for this.

MYTH: It's not possible to breastfeed after a breast augmentation TRUTH: It is possible though not every woman will be able to do so.

"Usually, if a breast implant is placed behind the muscle, it's absolutely normal to be able to breastfeed," says Dr Malhas. "If the implant is in front of the muscle, the woman may or may not be able to breastfeed."

With breast reductions and uplifts, it can prove more difficult to be able to subsequently breastfeed.

"Breast reductions and uplifts both involve taking away breast tissue and some of this may be connected with producing breast milk," says Dr Malhas. "I'm not saying that it is impossible, in this circumstance, to be able to breastfeed but it is certainly not an automatic conclusion that you can."

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The Ailesbury Clinic opened in Dublin in 2002. It was awarded Best Medical Practice at the 2005 Irish Healthcare Pharmaceutical Awards. It was selected as runner-up in the 2008 and 2009 finals of the Best Aesthetic Medical Clinic in the UK and Ireland.