New York, NY (October 17, 2005) - In honor of Breast Cancer awareness month, The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) would like to remind women of several options available to them in the breast cancer healing and recovery process:

Silicone Gel Implants may offer a more natural look and feel:
The new generations of silicone gel implants, are currently under evaluation with the FDA for general availability. However, they are currently available for women desiring reconstructive surgery. We encourage you to discuss this option with your doctor. The new gels can offer some women a more natural feel, appearance and shape than other products available to them. Your cosmetic surgeon can help you determine the right option for you, both medically and aesthetically. For more information visit : www.safebreastimplants.org, a joint project of ASAPS, and The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Retreat centers coast to coast are available to help women feel "whole" again:
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons are very experienced in repairing a woman's body. "Reclaiming a sense of power is work a woman has to do herself, but we can certainly help the process," said Renato Saltz , MD , ASAPS Secretary and founder of the Image Reborn Foundation ( www.imagerebornfoundation.org).

"What we can do is offer a healthy, healing, retreat place in beautiful Park City , Utah . The free long weekend allows women to reconnect with themselves and get expert advice on nutrition, exercise, get educated in cancer issues, massage and relaxation," said Dr. Saltz, a plastic surgeon in Salt Lake City Utah who founded the program more than six years ago. " Most importantly the women come in as strangers and quickly develop camaraderie and share their 'emotional and soul pains' that otherwise they can not share with anybody else."

The Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center , is a comprehensive, multi disciplinary breast care program, offering a full spectrum of clinical and support services, from screening and diagnosis to treatment and counseling.

ASAPS member Navin Singh, MD is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and & Maxillofacial Surgery. He is the Director of Breast Reconstruction at the Hopkins Program. "We try to offer women a comprehensive care experience, taking care of their bodies and helping them with their emotions" said Dr. Singh.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer ( www.lbbc.org) is a not for profit organization nationally recognized for the quality of its educational programs, helping women deal with a range of concerns including psychosocial, emotional, legal and financial. Aesthetic Society member John Brien Murphy, MD, a plastic surgeon in the Philadelphia area, is on the Board of this important organization. "As an aesthetic Surgeon, I feel that this is a very important resource to women and their families. We are particularly concerned with meeting the emotional needs of younger women dealing with the disease", he said. Dr. Murphy noted that there are more than 250,000 women 40 and under in the U.S. living with breast cancer.

Early detection is key!
ASAPS surgeons know the emotional rollercoaster of a breast cancer diagnosis. The Society's President, Mark Jewell, MD, a plastic surgeon with a practice in Eugene , OR , offers this important piece of advice: "Get that mammogram! A breast cancer diagnosis is no longer a death sentence for women if detected in time. There are also a wide range of reconstructive options available to you, from special bras to reconstructive surgery. And don't forget, your surgeon is the best resource for information."

article from: www.surgery.org

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