Cosmetic Surgery—A New Hope

In the past it was known that women made almost all decisions about health care, but it doesn’t necessarily the case these days. Let’s understand the issue in detail.

The word plastic comes from the Greek word "plastikos", which means to mold or give form. Plastic surgery enables us to model or re-form the human body. The plastic surgery specialty encompasses both reconstructive surgery and aesthetic surgery, popularly referred to as cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery restores or improves physical function and minimizes disfigurement from accidents, disease or birth defects. While not essential to physical health, aesthetic surgery can make a significant contribution to the quality of life by improving the appearance of normal body features and enhancing self-image.

The ideal candidate for aesthetic surgery is an individual who recognizes a specific area in which his or her appearance could be improved and has a strong personal desire to make a change. This personal desire may be influenced to some degree by the individual's role in society. Because our culture is youth-oriented, people seek ways to counter the effects of aging on their appearance. Many elect surgery to look as young as they feel, to build confidence after a lifestyle change or to retain their edge against younger competitors.

Whatever your reasons for choosing aesthetic surgery, it is important to have realistic expectations. Improving a feature of the face or body may give you greater self-confidence and add to your sense of well-being, but it is not a guarantee of happiness or better relationships with others. Surgery can enhance your appearance; the rest is up to you.

As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can be seen in their faces. Deep creases form between the nose and mouth (nasolabial fold). The jaw line grows slack and jowls emerge. Folds and fat deposits appear around the neck. A facelift (rhytidectomy) is the name for a group of operations that address these issues. Surgery cannot stop the aging process. What it can do is "set back the clock," improving the most visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and re-draping the skin of your face and neck.

Liposuction Surgery: Liposuction surgery is performed to actually remove unwanted localized deposits of fat cells from the body. The procedure is meant for body contouring. It is not a treatment of obesity. A suction tube is inserted through a tiny incision placed in an inconspicuous location on the skin. With a high-pressure vacuum, fat cells are extracted through this tube. The result is a re-sculpting of bulging areas into more attractive contours.

However, anybody wishes to look better and spend money is an ideal candidate for the liposuction, but according to experts, the best candidates for body sculpting are those who:

• Have firm, elastic skin and are in good health.

• Have tried to eliminate bulges through diet, exercise and weight loss.

• Have distinct areas of localized fat that are disproportionate to the rest of their bodies.

• Have realistic expectations and are only slightly to moderately overweight.

• Understand that liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss.

The most frequent areas treated by liposuction in men are the "love handles", breasts, abdomen and neckline. In women they include: thighs, hips, buttocks, stomach, knees, lower leg, cheeks, and double chins. Some women elect to have their fat recycled through lipo-augmentation (you know where and why?).

Laser Hair Removal: Lasers are a new modality for the rapid, gentle removal of unwanted hair. Lasers are not for everyone, and their proper use requires great expertise. Consumers contemplating laser hair removal require education to properly evaluate if and where to have laser hair removal performed. Many competing technologies exist. Several are already outmoded, and others offer particular advantages for certain patient populations.

As mentioned above laser hair removal is not for everyone. The absolute requirement is that one's hair must be darker than the surrounding skin. Additionally very darkly pigmented people absorb too much laser energy in their skin and are not ideal candidates. Tanned patients with light hair are not candidates. Tanned patients with dark hair should wait until their tan fades before they are treated. Lastly the treatment cost should be within reach of the patient. Laser hair removal, although much less expensive than electrolysis, requires multiple treatments, and generally costs over $1000 in total for most anatomic areas.

Now let’s see the cost considerations. Treatment cost varies with the size of the area treated. Experienced laser centers, which have developed expertise in laser hair removal, generally average about $500 per treatment session, with an average of four treatment sessions initially recommended. Large areas, such as the entire back, or the entire legs, cost considerably more than this. Small areas, such as the upper lip, can be less. Individual consultation with the laser center is necessary to obtain exact pricing.

BOTOX: BOTOX is a formulation of botulinum toxin type A. It is derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium produces a protein that blocks the release of acetylcholine and relaxes muscles. Type A is just one of seven different types of botulinum toxin (A, B, C1, D, E, F, and G), and each has different properties and actions. No two of these botulinum toxins are alike.

More than 100 years of research have expanded the knowledge of botulinum toxin type A from the identification of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum to the commercialization of botulinum toxin type A as BOTOX. In the 1960s, the muscle-relaxing properties of botulinum toxin type A were tapped for investigational use in realigning crossed eyes. These early studies paved the way for treating other conditions caused by overactive muscles with botulinum toxin type A.

Each treatment typically lasts up to 3 months and can be repeated as long as your condition responds to BOTOX and you do not have any serious allergic reactions or other significant side effects. BOTOX has been used for more than 15 years to help patients worldwide, and although formal, long-term clinical evaluations have not been conducted, its safety in long-term use has been well established. For more information, please visit: http://www.botox.com

Facelift Surgery: Rhytidectomy is name for a group of operations to restore the effects of aging. Time and gravity take their tolls on our facial beauty. Tissues lose their youthful tone and sag. Sun and the environment etch the lines of time into the surface of the face with wrinkles and lines. For some cultures these effects represent the earned years of wisdom and respect. For other cultures the aging process is a loss of youth and possible competitive edge. More and more people both men and women want to look as young as they feel.

Complications following rhytidectomy can be devastating, particularly due to the elective nature of this procedure. As in all surgical procedures, complication prevention is paramount.

Proper patient selection, mastery of pertinent anatomy, attention to meticulous surgical technique, and conscientious postoperative care are all-important factors in preventing facelift surgery complications.

Complications include:

• Hematoma,

• Nerve injuries

• Infection

• Skin flap necrosis

• Hypertrophic scarring

• Alopecia and hairline/earlobe deformities

• Parotid gland pseudocyst

Careful patient selection is paramount in preventing complications from rhytidectomy. A comprehensive history often exposes potential risk factors for future complications.

Submit Your Article