Facts About Plastic Surgery

Plastic Surgery, also known as cosmetic surgery is a branch of medicine that makes use of a number of surgical and non-surgical procedures to make changes to the appearance of a person’s body. The procedures used in plastic surgery include cosmetic enhancements along with functionally reconstructive operations. During the procedures bones, cartilages, muscles, fat and skin are molded and reshaped.

The procedures involved in plastic surgery are broadly divided into body procedures and facial procedures. In this article, I will try and cover all the common procedures available today.

Plastic Surgery – Body Procedures

The procedures that fall in this category are as follows:

• Tummy Tuck: The clinical term for this procedure is ‘Abdominoplasty’. This procedure helps tighten the abdominal muscles by eliminating excess skin and fat. This is a major surgical procedure and the recovery time involved in most cases is usually three weeks.
• Liposuction: is the name given to the surgical procedure that vacuums fat deposits that are present under the skin. This procedure is based on the fact that the fat that is present under the skin can be removed if it is dislodged from its position. A long hollow needle known as the cannula is inserted under the skin which dislodges the fat globules which is then sucked into the vacuum via a tube that is connected to the cannula. The outcome of the liposuction is usually permanent.
• Breast Implants: help provide a technique to control the size, shape and profile. These implants help improve the appearance of your profile. Here, implants, usually silicon are inserted behind the breast tissue or above the breast muscle. The range in volume of the implants can vary between 120 milliliters to 850 milliliters.

Plastic Surgery – Facial Procedures

The most procedures that fall in this category are as follows:

• Rhinoplasty: is the procedure that is followed to correct the deformities to the nose and is also used to make aesthetic changes for cosmetic reasons. This procedure can be performed both under local and general anesthesia and the procedure takes about 3 hours which varies depending on the amount of reshaping of the nose that is to be done. The recovery time involved is about a week.
• Facelift: The clinical term for a facelift is rhytidectomy. It is used for the treatment of severe facial skin sagging and laxity. Incisions are made at the temples right behind the hairline which extend downwards along the natural creases of the face so that the scars are not visible after the surgery. After separating the skin and the muscles from the deeper facial tissues, the excess skin is removed and the tissues are reshaped. After the necessary tightening has been achieved, the skin is sutured or stapled back into place. The entire procedure takes about two hours and the benefits last for more than ten years.
• Chemical Peel: is used to improve the appearances of fine lines, hyper-pigmentation, enlarged pores, light freckling or scarring and also in cases of light skin damage. In this procedure, the doctor applies a chemical solution on the affected area or in most cases, the entire face. The chemical separates and peels the outer surface layer of the skin which usually consists of dead skin. The chemicals also stimulate the generation of new cells. During the process, the patient may feel a stinging process. Once the process is completed the patient will have to avoid direct exposure to the sun for about two weeks. The benefits of a chemical process can last for several months.

With the advancements in technology, we now have the option of changing our body structure and many features of our face. But it is very important to understand when to draw the line. It is very common that people who have undergone plastic surgery once are hooked to the concept and undergo more than 50 surgeries ultimately changing the look of every inch of their body. I guess the best example that we have is Michael Jackson who is barely recognizable now, thanks to all the surgeries that he has undergone. Evaluate your options very carefully before you do decide to put yourself under the knife. Seek counseling if necessary. Please do not end up resembling a plastic Barbie doll. Think very hard before you do decide to act.