As reported in an article on forbes.com, it appears that silicone breast implants that for a while got such bad press, have been returning in a big way. Implants made by Mentor, got the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, almost two years ago. Silicone breast augmentation had been off limits since 1992, when the FDA banned them. Beginning in 2000, the number saline implant augmentations increased steadily and continue to do so. Nose reshaping and liposuction are the only two plastic surgery procedures that lead breast augmentation.

Referring to the FDA panel vote, Betsy Mullen, a patient advocate and president of WIN Against Breast Cancer, released the following statement. “This is a major victory for women who are considering the personal choice of breast implants. The panel clearly recognized what we’ve known for years. Silicone implants are a safe and important option for women who prefer the realistic feel and better appearance that these products offer.”

There’s a split decision amongst surgeons as to whether they prefer saline, or silicone implants. Some surgeons feel that silicone implants have a more natural look and feel than saline, implants, because silicone gel has a texture that is similar to breast tissue. The flip side is, however, that ruptures in silicone implants are harder to detect.

Cellulite it is a permanent change in the fat stored under the skin, an unfortunate inevitability for the most women. Cellulite appears as fat cells enlarge with age and push through the connecting fibers. The fibers stay the same size, which creates a dimpled, lumpy appearance. The dimples on the outer skin are the fat cells pushing through. Cellulite affects people of all shapes and sizes, because everyone’s body has fat cells.

Looking at magazines and at the shelves of beauty products, it appears that there are thousands of products that claim to tackle the problem of cellulite. The fatty deposits found primarily in women’s thighs and buttocks have the beauty industry offering cures that range from creams and lotions to tight-fitting jeans, to massage gadgets.

The beauty industry took a big hit when the FDA labeled the advertising for a cream by Estee Lauder, as misleading, because it claimed the impossible, which is that the cream worked directly on the cellulite. Estee Lauder countered by saying that its consumers understood that the treatment which alleviated the appearance of the cellulite by toning and moisturizing. They claimed that 83% of the women they tested said that the product worked.

Unfortunately, developing cellulite is a genetic predisposition for which there is no improvement, other than rupturing the fibrous bands or removing the fat. Top professionals believe that cellulite is closely linked to female sex hormones, so that during puberty and pregnancy, the emergence of cellulite can worsen. Wearing tights can improve the shape of a woman’s upper thighs, but they do nothing to treat the cellulite. Massage is supposed to break down the fibrous bands, but again there is no hard evidence to support this claim.

The one proven method is to reduce the appearance of cellulite by removing the fat cells using liposuction.