Breast implant needs quick fix
YOU DOCS | Silicone could seep into body, cause complications
Q. The silicone breast implant that I received 22 years ago has ruptured. Is it urgent to get it removed? I've been told that about 80 percent of old implants have silent ruptures. -- Diane
A. You don't have to be operated on today, but you should have it taken care of quickly. While no studies show that you can get sick from leaking silicone implants, master plastic surgeon Arthur Perry says the material will gradually spread. He has seen silicone gel seep into patients' muscles, underarms, down the arms and into the abdomen. When surgeons remove ruptured implants, their goal is to remove as much goo as possible -- it's like silicone caulk. So the more contained the gel, the shorter and easier your surgery will be.
Q. My tongue is white and hairy, and I always have a bad taste in my mouth. Why? And how can I get a healthy, pink tongue again? -- Anonymous
A. Even though your tongue is white and hairy, it sounds like you have a condition called "black hairy tongue" (it can look brown or green, too). This occurs when the little bumps on the tongue, called papillae, elongate from their usual 1 mm to 15 mm -- that's more than half an inch! It happens most often in heavy coffee and tea drinkers and smokers, but also in HIV-positive patients and IV drug abusers. This is usually a cosmetic problem (it looks terrible), not a health issue, unless a yeast infection occurs. You should, however, visit your doctor to rule out leukoplakia, a premalignant condition.
If you check out OK, brush your tongue with a toothbrush every day and use a tongue scraper. Hygiene is key, because it's difficult to remove food particles from a hairy tongue, and that's what's causing the bad taste and probably bad breath, too. You should see an improvement in about a month.
Q. I've had Type II diabetes for nine years. I weigh 386 pounds, am on a diet, go to water aerobics classes three days a week and have lost 10 pounds in the past month. But every few months I have to take antibiotics for cellulitis in my left lower leg. Is there any herbal remedy that might combat these red, swollen, painful infections? -- Wayne
A. Losing weight will get rid of the infections better than any herbal remedies we know of. While people on the Internet report success with eating garlic or blueberries, and applying tea tree oil, tea mixed with vinegar and even Vicks VapoRub, people on the Internet also report success breeding with aliens. We almost don't want to tell you about these possible treatments, as they can contaminate any sores and make them worse.
Instead, let's talk about powering up what you're already doing -- losing weight -- so you can get rid of the diabetes. The genes for Type II diabetes are turned on by your weight. Since you can't get rid of your genes, be very aggressive in getting rid of those pounds. That's your cure: reducing your weight.
Left alone, diabetes can do as much health damage as an annoyed anaconda. But if you gradually decrease your weight and waist size, you'll decrease the aging, damaging effects of diabetes by 80 percent, maybe even more, and eliminate the cellulitis infections, too (they're caused by inadequate blood flow; diabetes injures your blood vessels and your infection-fighting cells).
Aim to lose 2 pounds a week for four weeks, then 1 pound a week for four weeks, then as little as 1 pound every month. Be patient but persistent! After all, you didn't gain the weight all at once.
Until you lose a little more -- about 30 pounds total -- you may still get infections. But keep protecting your legs from accidental bumps until you get those 30 pounds off (and even afterward), then you'll see results.
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