Beauty and the Beast

I guess I am fairly old fashioned because I am not a believer in implantations for the sake of beauty. Sure, with nursing as my background, I have always been wary of what the medical world sees fit to put inside our bodies and deem ok. Also, being the mum of a transplant recipient, I am well aware that to preserve life, risks must be taken but breast implantation etc is not a life preserver in my eyes anyway.

Therefore it saddens me when I hear that, yet again, more breast implants manufacturing has been found to be faulty. I recall that not so long ago a celebrity had her implants removed because they had begun to leak and their have been a plethora of cases similar. Now, a French breast implant company has been found to have been using a petroleum industry additive in their implants.

The lawyers defending the now defunct company have stated that such additives found in these implants are consumed by humans in our every day lives and also can be found in cosmetics.  As if that makes it all ok? According to the media, the company commenced using industrial strength silicone when it began to face financial difficulties. Sales people for the now defunct company were reported stating through their emails back as far as 2005, after implants were reported arriving at their destinations with erupted shells, that their sales were more important than what the shells of the implants were made of! (The Australian, 3/1/2012.) I am not so sure the 30,000 women throughout France and indeed the world who have had these particular implants inserted and are now being advised to seek prompt medical attention, would think that sales were more important than health.

I have absolutely no problem with corrective surgery when it comes to burn cases, car accident traumas etc which have caused terrible disfigurement to those injured. In fact, I encourage such assistance which I believe is usually very necessary both psychologically and to aid the return of their physical health. But implants just to keep up with the Jones' is not a good enough reason for such drastic surgery.

I know a couple of girls who have undergone the breast implants and tummy tucks just a few of years ago and how their recovery was long and very painful. Ironically, I have seen both only recently and quite frankly they should have saved those pennies for a nice cruise with hubby. The ' tummy tuck' is back to the weight she was prior to the surgery and the boob jobs are no longer recognisable. Admittedly, these ladies are close to, if not arriving at the doors or 'menopausal heaven' and menopause is not very forgiving when it comes to bodily changes for we girls. As the years pass, Mother Nature is going to take her course, surgery or no surgery. All you need to do to confirm what you are heading for is to watch the TV show The Housewives of Orange County etc! What amazes me about these TV glamour queens is that whilst they line up for their next surgeries, which have to be slotted in before their next big social event is that so many of their husbands/partners are already in extreme financial hardship yet they think nothing of spending these monies on their looks instead of paying their debts. Incredulous! Only in America?

No, my attitude is let nature take its course. If I was so shallow that my circle of friends only consisted of girls who looked like they had just stepped out of the glamour TV shows, then knock me over the head and put me in the nearest bin. My circle of friends are so because they bring out the best in me. I find them all intellectually stimulating, they make me laugh, they are good and caring women and that is enough for me. I don't know their bra cup sizes or where they shop for their clothes etc and frankly I couldn't care less.You can keep your silicone boob jobs thank you and I'll keep my friends!

In my opinion, these botched implant cases will be an ongoing saga which will continue to arrive at our front doors via the media for years to come and all for the sake of beauty. Look I for one would love to be able to have a breast lift and a tummy tuck. However knowing what I know about this surgery and how things can go wrong, even with the most reputable medics, I won't take the chance and I will just accept nature's course. You see I rely on my appealing sense of humour, intelligence and welcoming smile framed by my iconic bright red lipstick to hopefully hide my floors and so far this is working just fine.