Thursday, April 23, 2009

Short Cuts to Beauty?

 Updated 3/2017-- all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active. and it was easier than checking each one.

Interesting article recently in the New York Times written by Anemona Hartocollis and Christina Davidson, A Cheap, Fast and Possibly Deadly Route to Beauty  (April 16, 2009).  The article reports on how an increasing number of people are participating in “pumping parties” which use illegal silicone injections for cosmetic purposes.
The injections are administered at home, in motel rooms, in makeshift offices or at “pumping parties,” where the guests take turns injecting one another, officials said.

Silicone injections are not legal in the United States.  It’s use is considered by the FDA as a violation of Federal law as the use of liquid silicone injections “does not have an approved application for marketing or currently approved investigational exemption to permit scientific study. Liquid injectable silicone has been regulated as a device by FDA since 1976. It was previously regulated as a drug.”
There are many side effects that can occur which are being overlooked by the participants in the parties or maybe not even discussed with them.  These side effects include:
  • uneven distribution of the silicone resulting in a lumpy or nodular appearance
  • development of localized infections
  • formation of granulomas
  • silicone pneumonitis (rare, when large quantities are used)
  • silicone embolism  (rare)

Many who perform this injections at the “pumping” parties are not physicians or even medically trained individuals.  And  medical grade silicone is not used in all cases.
Industrial-grade silicone can be bought at a hardware store. But Dr. Graber said there have been reports of the use of substitutes like castor oil, mineral oil, petroleum jelly and even automobile transmission fluid.

I would encourage anyone looking to have liquid silicone injections to NOT do so.  If you ignore that advise, then perhaps look for a well trained physician who used medical grade liquid silicone.  You at least will have less likelihood of complications that way.

Related Posts
How Not to Do Buttocks Enhancement
Medical Lasers and the Law
Medical Spa Regulations


Sources
List of Legal Injectable Fillers (FDA)
Lip Augmentation; eMedicine article, November 12, 2008; Jorge I de la Torre, MD, FACS
Face: Liquid Silicone Injections ASAPS — Position Paper
A History of Silicone Infections (pdf) by Dr Robert Yoho

6 comments:

Bea- colloidal silver said...

Many girls do everything to look beautiful not knowing the risks of what they are doing their bodies.

SeaSpray said...

That's just scary Ramona.
They must be dumb, desperate or gullible... which I guess comes back to dumb.

I'ts not easy watching youth fade.. but there is beauty in spirit which can compensate some. I know..most people probably don't see that.

If I ever did anything like that...it would have to be with a licensed medical doctor with experience.

I recently saw Joan Rivers in the Celebrity Apprentice. haven't seen her in awhile. She is 76. I can't help it but..I think she is over done.

And I can not stand the fish lips on people..but that is me and maybe I am wrong. The fake ones..look so fake..and odd.

Did not like Suzanne Summer's lips either. It does not look like them.

My mother was 85 and she obviously aged.. at the end..I think because of her frailty and declining health. But..she had beautiful skin and such beautiful eyes.

I even like that she still wore her teal eye shadow and that last night in the ER...I even saw remnents of it on her eyelids and commented, "Oh mom! You had your teal eyeshadow on. That always looks so nice on your pretty teal eyes." I hope she heard me.

And all that being said... in this youth oriented culture... we are always being bombarded with what is considered perfection and that we should strive for it..or it drives us to strive for it.

I think women have it tougher as they age.

men get acceptably distinguished with their gray hair and lines.. but women can get haggard and it takes more work to keep up.

Jabulani said...

I was aghast in Feb. when I first read this. I am no less aghast now ... Thanks for the article. It is cause for thought and concern.

Anonymous said...

How scary. What SeaSpray said..we certainly need to keep educating our youth, but what to do with older people who make such dumb decisions? I wonder if gentle body image probing should become part of our routine check-up questions.

Jabulani said...

Sea Spray: I totally loved your comment! Joan Rivers: I agree. I wouldn't dare put her next to a heat source; she might melt! And fish lips belong on, well, fish. Imagine that ;)

My Mom (who lives 6000 miles away from me, and is thus sporadically in my company) once said to me "Why should I dye my grey hairs? I earned every single one of them! They are my medals." Mom happily admits she's 64 and for all that, she has fabulous skin. I reach 40 next week; lines are just beginning to appear around my eyes and mouth - I like to think it's because I'm constantly creasing my face into grins or laughing. And I'm finding white hairs amongst my red. I doubt I will cover them up. I find it difficult to understand older women who insist in dressing in the latest fashions, despite their age. Reminds me of the adage: Mutton dressed as Lamb!!

Age comes to us all and I would rather embrace it than run kicking and screaming in the opposite direction. You cannot escape it. Better to cultivate a beautiful spirit and soul, than a fabulous body. The former is timeless and to be envied; the latter simply looks ridiculous.

SeaSpray said...

Purplesque-I think that is a good idea. Women definitely get the pressure to conform and be perfect.

Airbrushing is totally unfair and not reality. same with super small sizes.

I am 53 and we worried about our weight in the 70s, but now with so many mediums providing the accepted view of what woman/girls are supposed to look like coupled with the normal tendency to be self critical... I think it is harder than ever.

Today..Marilyn Monroe would be considered fat.

Although... I will say there is a lot more good information out there BUT... the question is..does it reach the girls and women?

Everyone tends to look for the quick fix.

I wrestled with weight my entire life and sadly..when I looked good.. really good... I thought I was fat. I avoided the camera like crazy. Now I regret that.

I had a distorted view of what I should be. maybe someday I will post on that.

I believe I have a weight problem today because of all the yo-yoing I did when I was younger.

I wonder..do they teach these things in health class? That would be a good time to start teaching about a healthy body image.

I was a chunky... but not fat young girl and I always heard from relatives... Patty has such a pretty face...if only...she would lose a little weight. So..i got the message early on that I wasn't good enough.. I guess.

Hi Jabuloni -your mom sounds like a neat and wise lady.

LOL! I think we start our moms with their gray hairs.

Actually...I was 20 and being fitted for my wedding dress when my girlfriend exclaimed"Patty! You have a long silver hair!" and she pulled it out for me. :)

I have silver hair coming in and I love the color...but... I just can not go with out color. I go crazy in the 4th week when I see that little strip come in. Someday tho..silver hair and pink lipstick... just not for a long while.

But definitely... no cosmetic surgery.

The only thing that worries me is that as I lose weight...will I then look like a sharpei? perish the thought. :)

Sorry so long Ramona... topic draws me in like a moth to flame. :)