Plastic Surgery: Not just for Hollywood anymore
It seems as though everybody is doing it: getting a little nip and tuck here, a lift there, an improvement of some kind. We all want to look as good as we can — for as long as we can. And although Hollywood may have started the trend, a significant amount of cosmetic surgery is being done right here in your hometown, right under that beautiful new nose.
"Cosmetic surgery, a form of plastic surgery, has come a long way in the last decade," says Joseph Reichman, MD, a Virtua Health plastic surgeon. "Procedures are now very specific. You can get an eye lift, smooth out a sagging jaw line, even lift the buttocks. The goal of all facial cosmetic surgery is to end up with a natural appearance."
The most important shopping trip you'll ever take
Ask all the right questions
Risks and recovery time
Facelift
Eyelid surgery
Nose surgery
Breast lift
Liposuction
The most important shopping trip you'll ever take
Cosmetic surgery is still surgery, so it's important to find a skilled surgeon. Gary M. Brownstein, MD, chief of plastic surgery at Virtua West Jersey Hospitals, says: "Spend plenty of time finding out about your doctor's credentials and look carefully at the work he's done; you'll be staring at it the rest of your life." He continues:"If I were choosing a plastic surgeon, I'd make sure the physician was board certified in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. After all, this is your face and body."
Ask all the right questions
Finding the right plastic surgeon may mean consulting with several doctors and assessing whether or not it's a comfortable fit. Ask yourself: Is there a mutual give and take between yourself and the doctor? Do you feel that this physician can realistically translate your expectations? Don't be shy about asking to speak with other patients the doctor has treated. The right doctor will welcome such a request. Be sure to ask how many of these procedures the physician has performed.
Some other questions are: Will the surgery be done in an outpatient facility or a hospital? What kind of anesthesia will be used? How long will you be able to stay to recuperate? How long will the healing process take? What kind of side effects should you expect? Will there be any scarring? No question is too small or too silly to ask.
Risks and recovery time
With any surgery, there are both risks and recovery time to take into consideration.
While today's procedures are safe, adverse reactions to anesthesia and the unlikely occurrence of infection still exist. Recovery time varies depending on the complexity of a procedure. An eye lift may only have a recovery time of 10 days, whereas a buttocks lift may prevent you from sitting for two weeks because of the extensive nature of the surgery. In this procedure, the skin on the buttocks and thighs is literally lifted up, pulled back and trimmed.
Finding the right doctor, and listening carefully to his or her instructions is the key to an outcome that will make you smile every time you look in the mirror.
Facelift
Most often done on men or women over 40, a facelift can help correct sagging facial skin, a drooping jaw line, as well as tighten skin on the neck. This procedure involves removing excess skin and fat as well as tightening muscles. It takes approximately two to four weeks to heal, and lasts from five to ten years. Getting a facelift every decade or so is acceptable, as long as the surgeon believes the results will be natural looking.
Eyelid surgery
This surgery makes cosmetic corrections to both the upper eyelids and the lower eyelids – the area under the eye. It removes excess skin that may hang over the upper eyelids, or puffiness and bags from under the eyes. Removing the fat which causes puffiness and bags is a permanent procedure for most people. Upper eyelid surgery, however, may need to be repeated because the skin loses tone as it ages, causing the upper eyelid to droop once again. Lifestyle and hereditary also play a role in how long any procedure lasts. Eyelid surgery takes approximately ten days to heal.
Nose surgery
This procedure involves reshaping the nose to make it smaller or larger, removing a bump from the bridge of the nose or re-contouring the nostrils. Nose surgery, which can be performed on teenagers or adults, takes about two to three weeks recovery time and the results are permanent.
Breast lift
Breasts that sag because of the normal aging process, weight loss and pregnancy can be surgically corrected with a breast lift. This procedure literally lifts the breasts higher onto the chest for a firmer, more uplifted appearance. Sometimes implants are used in conjunction with the breast lift. Although women of all ages can have a breast lift, some plastic surgeons recommend that breast development be complete. After a breast lift, it will take four weeks before resuming a full schedule of strenuous activities. A breast lift usually lasts for years. However, normal aging, losing or gaining a great deal of weight, or becoming pregnant may mean another procedure is required.
Liposuction
This procedure works best on men and women of normal weight who have fatty deposits that exercise and diet don't help, areas like the abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs and upper arms. Liposuction involves reshaping the body by removing fat deposits with a tube and vacuum pump. There are several liposuction techniques currently used. Recovery time takes approximately two to four weeks before doing anything really active. The results are permanent, as long as a healthy diet and exercise regime are maintained.