Estrogen and Your Health

What Is Estrogen?: What is estrogen and how does it affect your health? If you're interested in lowering your risk of breast cancer,or if you want to understand how to prevent recurrence after treatment, it's important to understand the role that estrogen, and other hormones, play in your health. Get started by reading about estrogen.

Estrogen Definition and Functions

Estrogen Replacement Therapy or HRT: Low levels of estrogen can be caused by natural, surgical, or chemical menopause, and by estrogen suppression medications. Some side effects of low estrogen may include: hot flashes, headaches, night sweats and vaginal dryness. Some women may be able to take HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to help counteract these effects.

Long-term Use of Estrogen is Safe Within Limits

Estrogen and Breast Cancer: Some kinds of breast cancer are fueled by high amounts of estrogen. That's the reason that estrogen suppression medications are an important part of treatment that prevents recurrence. Here is an overview of the main types of breast cancer: ductal, lobular, inflammatory, and Paget's disease.

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Breast Surgery Complications

First and foremost there could be an allergic reaction to the anesthetic. General is considered to be more risky yet any anesthetic could bring on a negative reaction. Although extremely rare, it is possible to bleed post-operatively resulting in another surgery to control and drain the collected blood. Another possibility is hematoma (a collection of clotted blood), seroma (a collection of the watery portion of the blood) and thrombosis (abnormal clotting).

Loss of sensitivity is common, although temporary. Permanent sensation loss in the areola (nipple) area or breasts, in general, can and may happen. There is also a risk of excessive scarring or inner scar tissue. Also, you must have more views (films) taken when having a mammogram if you have breast implants -- especially overs.

There is also a risk of calcifications -- especially when there is a definite, thick capsule around the implant. And galactorrhea, which is when you start producing breast milk, is also a complication. This is usually remedied on its own and may stop spontaneously although some cases may need medication or implant removal. Although very rare, it is worth mentioning, full disclosure is the key to an informed consent.

Breast tissue atrophy (loss, shrinking) is a possibility. According to the FDA, "the pressure of the breast implant may cause the breast tissue to thin and shrink. This can occur while implants are still in place or following implant removal without replacement".

Necrosis (death) of the breast tissue, breast envelope and or incision line can happen. Although extremely rare. The chances of necrosis are increased after radioactive/chemotherapy treatment, if you smoke and have poor circulation, or have temperatetherapy or cryotherapy post-operatively.

Extrusion is also an extremely rare occurrence but a scary possibility. Extrusion of the implant is where your body rejects the prosthesis and pushes it out of the skin, like when a piercing is pushed out or like when a thorn or splinter is pushed from the body. Then the implant may become visible under the skin and must be removed before it breaks through resulting in possibly an infection and definite major scarring.

Infection: You could develop a post-operative infection and need to have the implant removed, the infection dealt with and still have to wait for several months before an additional surgery can be performed to re-implant. Infections usually occur with the first 4 to 6 weeks. Some possible infections and a more common one being Staphylococcus, or simply Staph.

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Breast Self Exam

Healthy Changes Through Life: Doing a monthly breast self exam is the best way to stay familiar with the cyclical changes in your breasts. You will get to know the territory better than your health care team, and will spot changes easily. Having an annual clinical exam helps document your breast health, so keep a regular appointment set up for that! Between puberty and menopause, your breasts will go through many changes, which are affected by hormones, diet, and exercise. Most of these changes are natural and healthy!

Teen Years (Puberty): In the teen years, with the start of your monthly cycle, your body enters the maturing process, and you gain curves and may notice skin changes (such as acne) and even hair may change color or texture. Breast tissue is developing during this time too, and may be dense and firm to begin with, especially if you are small-breasted.Family Resemblance: At this stage, it’s not too early to know your family health history, so ask your female relatives (mother, aunts, grandmother) if they had any fibrocystic problems with their breasts, or any regular cysts. If so, it’s likely that you may experience those too. Not to worry – cysts are benign – but you want to know where they are, and if they come and go, so they can be distinguished from other features in your breasts.'

More Curves and Kids (Childbearing Years): After your body is prepared for motherhood, if you conceive and bear children, and also if you breastfeed the children, that will bring on more changes in your breasts, as well as in the rest of your body. Breasts may become larger and more tender during pregnancy, and may need more support. Don’t neglect your BSE during this time, stay familiar with the changes. Remember that pregnancy and breastfeeding will help combine to lower your risk of breast cancer.

Maturity (Menopause): Menopause also brings changes in your breasts, as your estrogen and progesterone levels drop, your breast tissue may become less firm and may drape differently than during your teen and child-bearing years. Keep up with your breast self exams in these years too, so that the normal changes are familiar to you. Less dense breast tissue will seem to have more lumps and bumps, but remember that 90% of breast lumps are benign.

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Breast Implants and Breast Feeding

A lot of women ask if they can breast feed after Breast Augmentation Surgery. The answer is a resounding yes. For the vast majority of women who have a BA breastfeeding is no more difficult with implants than without. In fact, some women who have breast fed with and without implants say that breastfeeding with implants is easier!

Breastfeeding is a growing concern with patients who have had Breast Augmentation surgery. In previous years, women who received implants were married and had already finished with childbearing. However, more and more single women, and women who have not finished or even begun childbearing are having the surgery.

In 1992 the first report of a Silicone Illness hit the media. At that time there was fear that breastfeeding with silicone implants would endanger the child. There has been studies performed to show this not to be the case. The main reason being that the silicone molecule is too large to pass into the milk ducts.

Later, Silicone was removed from general use, and Saline implants were the only available devices on the market. Even if the saline did leach into the milk, it is an inert substance, with no harmful effects on mother or baby.

Some concerns are placed on implant placement, and incision site. It is said to be more optimal to have the implants placed under the muscle, and to avoid the peri-aerolar incision. The reasons are simple, using those guidelines, there is less interference with the milk ducts which reside directly under the skin and in the tissue above the muscle of the breast. However, as with everything in science, this is not guaranteed. There are many women who have had placement of implant and incision in sub-optimal locations, and are still very successful with breastfeeding.

It is very important to discuss your plans of breastfeeding your baby at the time of your consultation. Your surgeon will be able to work with you, to get the best possible results, even if you are not planning on having children anytime in the near future.

Breastfeeding is still the preferred method of feeding a baby by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Breast Implants

Silicone Immune Toxicity Syndrome

There are several forms of the chemical in breast implants that can cause a problem in the human organism. Silicon (Si) is the basic element and probably causes immune system changes. Silica or SiO2 is the form it is mined from the earth. Silicone gel is a synthetic material containing 38% silicon. The silica is 45% silicon. There is slow leakage ("bleeding") of the silicone gel from the implants through the semi-permeable membrane envelope and also into and through the capsule that surrounds the implants. This is picked up by the microphages (scavenger cells) of our immune system and is broken down inside these cells which travel all over the body. The gel breaks down inside these cells, which travel all over the body. The gel breaks down into Silica and Silicon which causes an immune system dysregulation. Thus, there are antibodies produced against the silicon and also against the silicon and protein complex (organ systems) so that you get autoimmune illness.

Below is the List of Chemicals which experts have analyzed to be in the explanted breast implant shell envelopes and gels.

Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Cyclohexane, Isopropyl Alcohol, Denatured Alcohol ,Acetone ,Urethane, Lacquer thinner ,Ethyl Acetate ,Epoxy Resin, Epoxy hardener, Amine, Printing ink, Toluene, Freon ,Silicone, Lofol (formaldehyde), Flux Metal, cleaning acid, Eastman 910 glue (Cyanoacyryiates) ,Talcum Powder,Color Pigments as release agents Oakite (a cleaning solvent), Ethylene Oxide (ETO), Carbob black, Xylene, Hexane, Hexanone 2, Antioxidant (rubber) ,Zinc Oxide ,Naphtha (rubber solvent), Phenol Benzene-Known carcinogen!!!!

ALSO..... Polyvinyl Chloride (Liquid Vinyl) This ingredient was used in all medical devices made at Edwards Lab, from tubing to gel.

Methylene Chloride/Dichloromethane. This breaks down in the body so blood cannot carry oxygen. It metabolizes carbon monoxide poisoning and causes central nervous system depression.

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Breast Enlargement Implant Dangers

3% suffer leakage within three years causing a deflated implant

Occasionally, breast implants may break or leak. The saline fill is salt water and will be absorbed by the body without ill effects. Older implants with silicone gel can leak also. If this occurs, one of two things may occur. If breakage of the implant shell that has a contracture scar around it, then it may not feel like anything has happed. If the shell breaks and there is not a contracture scar, then leakage into the surrounding tissue results in a sensation that the implant is deflating. The leaking gel may collect in the breast and a new scar may form around it. In other cases gel can migrate through the lymphatic system to another area of the body. Breaks may require a second operation and replacement of the leaking implant. If the gel has migrated it may not be possible to remove all of the silicone gel. This silicone gel is the what some say is related to the initiation of connective tissue disorders.

One study they reviewed showed that 63.6% of breast implants which had been in place for between one and 25 years had ruptured or were leaking. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/33450.stm)

For silicone gel and saline-filled implants, some causes of rupture or deflation include : damage by surgical instruments during surgery, overfilling or underfilling of the implant with saline solution (specific only to saline-filled breast implants), capsular contracture ,closed capsulotomy , stresses such as trauma or intense physical manipulation ,excessive compression during mammographic imaging, placement through umbilical incision ,site injury to the breast, normal aging of the implant ,unknown/unexplained reasons.

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Breast Enhancement Surgery

Breast enlargement surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), was the fourth most popular invasive surgical procedure among cosmetic plastic surgeries performed in 2000. In a press release dated July 12, 2001, the ASPS says that breast augmentation was performed on 212,500 women last year.

Meanwhile, millions of women have been subjected to the ill effects of these modern day vanity contraptions that were bought in good faith.

Remember!!

Silicone gel implants were banned in 1992 by FDA.

If you have (or had) a ruptured silicone breast implant, you will be denied Health Insurance Coverage.

Saline-filled implants tend to have a higher rate of leaking and deflation than silicone gel implants, which means more frequent surgery to replace them.

In a study published in the Lancet medical journal, Dr Lori Brown of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says: "There is emerging consensus that both the incidence and prevalence of breast-implant rupture are much higher than previously suspected."

21% overall increase in cancers for women with implants, compared to women of the same age in the general population.

Implant patients were three times as likely to die from lung cancer, emphysema and pneumonia as other plastic surgery patients.The study is based on medical records and death certificates of almost 8,000 women with breast implants, including silicone gel implants and saline implants, and more than 2,000 other plastic surgery patients. ( National Cancer Institute (NCI), Boston University, Abt Associates, and the Food and Drug Administration, with Dr. Louise Brinton from NCI as lead author. )

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