c o v e r s t o r y
Coming out of the Queer Closet
by Nedhera Landers

f e a t u r e s
A Response to Alix Dobkin's article "Queer & Present Danger"
by De-Anna Alba
Living Deliberately
by Mowani Carter
The Queering of Femininity
by Susan Craigie

c o l u m n s
Health
by Dr. Lipstick
Wealth
by Ms. Moneygrrl
Sex
by SexySuzi
Advice
by Victoria
Fashion
by Fran Fatale
Femme Perspective
by Christine
Butch Perspective
by Daddy Rhon

Publisher's Note
Letter from the Editor
Contribute to Femme

Send questions to Dr Lipstick at lipstick@stonefemme.com

Dear Dr. Lipstick

Dear Dr. Lipstick: Such an intriguing name…would you mind telling me how you came to be Dr. Lipstick?

Curious in Cleveland

Dear CC…

Cleveland…how wonderful…my mother's hometown! Well, dear, it is a very funny story. Back in the old days (that would be the 70s), I worked as a physician assistant in a community clinic and had the nickname of lipsky…my mother's maiden name mind you. I was seeing a woman patient and had asked her to undress while I was out of the room so that I could examine her. Not long afterward I heard this woman calling out, "Dr. Lipstick!! Dr. Lipstick!!" I looked down the hall, as did a few others, and there was this woman half-naked hanging out the exam room door yelling Dr. Lipstick! Needless to say…the name stuck….and ever since then I have always wanted to be Dr. Lipstick. Now I'm working on my doctorate in public health so I can be!

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask. My medical and public health experience includes women's health, family medicine, STDs and other infectious diseases.

Dear Dr. Lipstick: I recently bought some herbal supplements that are supposed to increase your breast size. Can they be harmful? They have these herbs in them: saw palmetto, fenugreek, fennel, cumin, blessed thistle, dong quai and cayenne. They also have bovine mammary tissue (ewww!) in them.

Eager in East Flatbush

Dear Eager,

Hey, my sistah was born in Brooklyn! You know, my background is in western medicine and I am not trained in the use and safety of these herbs. While the majority of herbs are probably safe, some are not and in fact have proven to be very dangerous. Why? Well, for many reasons, including chemical or metal contamination and inappropriate doses that cause severe symptoms--even death!

Your question motivated me to do some research on the Internet. I found some sites with information about herbal breast augmentation and I must say I am not impressed. I did not see a site for your supplement, but did find one site whose product also contains bovine (cow) tissue from ovaries rather than mammary glands. The company claims that it stimulates your pituitary gland to reactivate your body's natural growth hormone…which they say puts you into a form of second puberty (now there's a scary thought!) to make your breasts grow. Their premise is that it works by adding fat tissue to breasts (but of course no where else on your body….). They also state that it contains natural progesterone (one of two hormones produced by human ovaries, along with estrogen). The website claims that this product is produced in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved lab and is FDA allowed, but does not state it is a FDA-tested product--which I believe to be an important difference.

Another product reportedly contains only herbs and claims to increase the number of mammary gland cells (but they warn that excessive use may impair your ability to drive or operate heavy equipment!) What really makes me nervous, though, is that it also claims to help regulate female hormones and glands, and supposedly is an aphrodisiac.

As an aside, herbal aphrodisiacs have been known to contain digoxin-like substances that can cause cardiac arrest. Go to the web site at http://www2.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsrch.htm. Type "herbs" in the search window for more information on herbal poisoning reports. Perhaps you are now thinking "She's such an alarmist!" But, you'll see, if you follow that link, that the website states that their claims have NOT been evaluated by the FDA.

I believe that medical supervision is necessary when taking anything that affects your hormones - whether you choose a homeopathic, naturopathic or allopathic (western) health care provider. Our hormonal system has a feedback system…when one hormone kicks in, it affects other hormones which come back to shut off the original one, and so forth. It is especially important to be evaluated by your health care provider before embarking on any treatments like these if you have a family history of estrogen-dependent cancers (like some breast cancers) or a personal history of hormonal problems, including reproductive, thyroid, pituitary or adrenal glands, or are taking medications.

Me personally….I would visit the closest Victoria's Secret or Lane Bryant store! Now we're talkin' miracles…as in the Miracle Bra…and I am here to tell you that it does work miracles…and it works on my butch too! Good luck hon!

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