Breast implants carried out in Egypt are safe

Cosmetic surgery is a growing phenomenon throughout the world and Egypt is no different. Therefore, when Jean-Claude Mas, founder of Poly Implants Prothese, was arrested for using industrial grade silicone in hundreds of thousands of breast implants, it sparked fears among Egyptian women who have undergone cosmetic breast surgery. Breast enlargement is the third most common form of cosmetic surgery in Egypt, behind liposuction and breast reduction. Ahram Online spoke to three doctors who all emphasised that no woman who had breast surgery in Egypt was affected by the Jean-Claude Mas scandal due to strict government regulations regarding the use of silicone. Our first enquiry into the issue was made to the health ministry, where we found little response, partly because the ministry was focused on the aftermath of the Port Said football disaster. "In such troublesome circumstances we tend to give priority to other areas, at least for the time being," said Dr Hisham Sheeha, first under-secretary of critical care at the health ministry. "But we can tell you that we ceased to give licenses for these operations to be carried out at the government's expense four years ago." Dr Raafat Gohar, professor of plastic and hand surgery at Cairo University said: "Although breast reduction operations outnumber those of breast enlargement in Egypt, the latter is common and widespread. Whether it is a reconstructive procedure following breast tissue removal because of tumours, or a cosmetic correction of deformation, breast implant insertion procedures can be of tremendous psychological benefit to a woman. As specialists we know that in most cases, especially here in Egypt, those who undergo surgery get their lives back on track. "The types of breast implants used here in Egypt are perfectly safe, as they are FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) approved and well researched. It is quite a myth that this operation might pose a breast cancer risk, it is absolutely untrue." Furthermore, Dr Gohar emphasises that women should seek a reputable doctor before undergoing the procedure. The standard fees for surgery on both breasts, using approved and high quality silicone, is around seven or eight thousand Egyptian pounds. Therefore, any sum considerably less than this should raise alarm bells and provoke suspicions." The same underlying tone of reassurance was present in the words of Dr Hussam Abul-Atta, associate professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Ain Shams University: "It is a well-known fact that breast enlargement is a standard and safe procedure. It is the most performed cosmetic surgery in the United States, with a staggering one million operations per year. In Egypt it comes third after liposuction and breast reduction. It is of utmost importance to understand that there is no danger whatsoever – with the exception of capsular contracture – in the procedure of breast enlargement; it doesn’t affect lactation, neither does it form tumours, and the PIP brand that was behind the scare worldwide was never used in Egypt. The kinds we use here in Egypt are mainly American types that are FDA approved." Dr Abul-Atta said that one of the few advantages of Egypt's bureaucratic system was that only FDA-approved implants were used in the country. Dr Mohamed Shaalan, chairman of the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt, also emphasised that there was no need to worry: "We have conducted a thorough investigation into the matter, and made sure that the type of breast implant used here in Egypt does not include the infamous PIP brand." In conclusion, it seems that women who had breast surgery in Egypt have one less thing to worry about. From Al-ahram