Breast Implants Linked to Higher Suicide Risk

Reuters ^ | 3-7-03 | Patricia Reaney

[Pharmboy]

LONDON (Reuters) - Women who opt for breast implants to enhance their natural assets are more likely to commit suicide, Dutch and Swedish scientists said on Thursday.

Breast enlargement is one of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery but researchers at the University Medical Center in Utrecht believe it could be linked to problems such as lack of self-esteem or poor body image.

"Our findings suggest there might be a psychological problem in some women," Veronica Koot, an epidemiologist at the center, said in an interview.

In a study of 3,521 women in Sweden who had breast augmentation surgery for cosmetic reasons between 1965 and 1993, Koot and her colleagues found a higher-than-expected suicide rate after an average 11-year follow-up.

Women who had implants following surgery for breast cancer (news - web sites) were not included in the study.

Fifteen women in the research group committed suicide, three times more than would be expected in the general population. The researchers also found an excess number of lung cancer deaths, mostly likely due to smoking.

"It is a high rate of suicide compared to the general population," she said.

The scientists suggested that cosmetic surgeons evaluate women who want breast enlargement for any signs of psychological problems.

"If women have a psychological problem and they are given breast implants they will still have that problem," said Koot, who reported the findings in the British Medical Journal.

After liposuction, breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure for women in Britain and the United States.

Nearly 250,000 women in the United States had their breasts enlarged in 2002, a substantial increase since 1997. Eyelid surgery, breast reduction and nose reshaping are also popular procedures, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

[Pharmboy]

Not totally surprisng; interesting nonetheless. There are certainly more than a few Hollyweirdos who shouyld be under a suicide watch.

[Pharmboy]

+Silicone, double-barreled, D-cup PING+

[ricpic]

First THEY drop. Then she drops.

[Pharmboy]

And, these findings could likely be applied to any cosmetic surgery. For example, if Michael Jackson had any sense of shame, he would have offed himself by now.

[A_perfect_lady]

Hm... post hooters ergo proptor hooters?

[Dead Corpse]

Repeat after me:

"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."
"Corellation is NOT Causation."

Now. What do the numbers look like in other countries. What other factors are involved in these women and their states of mind. Are their other disease/risk factors also involved. Ect...

Has everyone on that side of the pond tossed out the whole scientific method thing?

[biblewonk]

There would almost certainly be a relationship to they types of women who get implants and the types who commit suicide. They are both extremely self centered acts. Selfless women like my wife would never consider either.

[Hawkeye's Girl]

Normal (no, not Michael Jackson) plastic surgery is not selfish. What's wrong with a woman who has been made fun of having no chest for her whole life wanting to feel normal and pretty like all other women?

[Dead Corpse]

Then why not identify that "relationship" as the casuative instead of trying to prove the point this way?

This kind of "junk science" is how we got Global Warming.

I'm self-centered. In fact, I have such a high-opinion of myself that I would never want to deprive the world of my existance in it.

"Be selfless" is the cry of the communist.

[Atlas Sneezed]

The suicide rate might have been far higher in this group if they had not been given the "lift" of a preferred body shape.

[Izzy Dunne]

Normal (no, not Michael Jackson) plastic surgery is not selfish

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS "NORMAL" PLASTIC SURGERY!

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for your lesson, but I am well-aware of the limitations of observational studies, associations and causality.

And, for your benefit, you should know that no one in the article said that breast implants CAUSED suicides, only that there was an association. Think more before you act like an obnoxious pedant (note that I did not call you an obnoxious pedant, but only observed that for a brief moment you acted like one).

Best,
PB

[templar]

"Corellation is NOT Causation."

The way I read the article, they don't seem to be implying causation. The only realtion hinted at seems to be in the psychological state of women seeking breast implants and of women committing suicide. It's like old statistics on suicides at the Golden Gate bridge. The bridge doesn't cause the suicides, but a higher than mormal number of people travelling to the bridge from across the nation are suicidal compared with the normal population. They reach the bridge and find out it's the end of their quest and, having no further goal or hope for thier lives, no place further to travel to looking for personal meaning, decide to end their lives there as well.

[MayflowerMadam]

"Our findings suggest there might be a psychological problem in some women,"...

Well, duh. If a woman thinks bigger boobs will make her happy, she's got major issues beyond appearance.

[jpl]

The idiots at Reuters wrote a somewhat misleading headline, which is pretty much par for the course in journalism nowadays.

[Dead Corpse]

Then why home in on the breast implant angle? Why not just say that people who do not like their bodies have more emotional problems than those who are comfortable with themselves?

The devil is ALWAYS in the details.

[Hawkeye's Girl]

BS. Normal = regular = usual.

Whatever you think about plastic surgery is your business, but don't try to get me in some semantic argument.

[Wolfie]

Can those things be donated, like organs? Shame to see them go to waste.

[Dead Corpse]

My post was for the author of this article, you'll note that I did not single you out. You posted it, I gave my response.

The premise of the study remains faulty.

[Pharmboy]

The suicide rate might have been far higher in this group if they had not been given the "lift" of a preferred body shape.

A VERY interesting comment.