His and Hers Enhancements

[Cross-posted from blog.bioethics.net]

Two stories, one for her and the other for him. First up, an Israeli company is marketing the first "internal" bra, which it's calling minimally invasive mastopexy (MIM). Here's how one of company's doctors described the procedure to Israel21c, an Israeli technology site:

"What we've done is build a silicon bra, insert it into the body and attach it to the ribs and to the fascia. It's like a normal external bra," he continues, "where a strip lies on the shoulder and attaches around the body. We attach it to the ribs instead of to the shoulder, and to the fascia in the lower part of the body."

...

"It may sound scary but take a look at cosmetic and plastic surgery - that's much more invasive," said Gur. "The most prevalent procedure in the world is breast implantation. Who is the crazy woman who agreed to be the first woman to put silicon into her body? Very strange things happen within the cosmetic world and the MIM is not as crazy as it sounds; that's the end point of what I'm saying."

And now for the "his" story. The Houston Press reports on circumcised men who are trying to restore their foreskin. It seems that many of the men pursuing this goal feel like they were violated when the circumcision choice was made for them. Their drive for restoration often leads them to using odd contraptions and methods, including tape, clips and batteries. Here's how the inventor of one device described the moment he told his wife about his plan:

"It was April 1, 2001, at about nine o'clock in the evening," he says, speaking on the phone from the Chicago suburb of Northbrook. He and his wife "were sitting in front of the TV set and I said, 'Hon, I've got to tell you about something. I'm going to start applying tape to my penis every day because I want to stretch my skin and make a new foreskin grow.' And she said, 'Well, that's crazy. That's ridiculous.' And I had to look her straight in the eye and tell her I was deadly serious. 'It's not crazy, and I'm going to need your support, dear.'" And she's been supportive ever since.

According to the article, there's been little research in the medical community about foreskin restoration. And it does mention recent research indicating that circumcision may lead to lower rates of STI transmission.

(Both stories via Buzzfeed)

-Greg Dahlmann