The 6 Most Common Plastic Surgery Procedures
Plastic surgery is growing in popularity each year, with almost 18 million surgical procedures taking place in the United States annually. Women are no longer the only people having cosmetic surgery. Men are contributing to the boom in procedures. The following are the 6 most common plastic surgery procedures.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a surgical procedure that suctions fat from specific areas of the body to provide a slimmer and shapelier silhouette. There are two types of liposuction.
In tumescent liposuction, the most popular type, a solution of saline, a drug to constrict blood vessels and a numbing agent are infused into the area to be treated.
This liquid, along with fat, is suctioned out of the body using small hollow metal instruments called cannulas. The infusion of liquid can cause short-term fluid retention that diminishes over the next few days.
In ultrasonic-assisted liposuction (UAL), the cannula releases ultrasonic energy to melt fat so that it can be suctioned out of the body. UAL has more risks than tumescent liposuction, including the risk of internal and external burns and a lengthier surgery.
The average patient is able to return to work within a few days, depending on the area(s) selected for the treatment.
Breast Augmentation
The surgical enlargement of women’s breasts has become enormously popular with over 300,000 procedures done every year in America.
Surgery is done for many reasons, to enlarge both breasts, to replace a breast that is absent, or to make asymmetrical breasts equal in size. Other women opt for surgery when their breasts do not develop during puberty, a condition called congenital micromastia.
Silicone implants, once banned as a health risk, are increasing in popularity. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 12% of women opted for silicone implants in 2018.
Most patients have one or two weeks of recovery before they can return to normal activities. High impact activity, such as running, may require additional healing time.
Blepharoplasty
Eyelid reshaping surgery is can be done for cosmetic reasons or to improve vision in patients where the eyelids obstruct vision. Too much skin or sagging skin can cause vision to be impaired and contributes to the appearance of aging.
Lower eyelids with chronic puffiness or wrinkling are often reduced during the procedure for a more youthful appearance. Fat pads under the eyes causing the appearance of “bags” are removed as necessary in the lower lid procedure.
Most people can go out in public in 10 to 14 days, with swelling becoming less noticeable for weeks or months.
Abdominoplasty
Commonly known as a tummy tuck or a lower body lift, abdominoplasty removes excess skin from the abdominal area and tightens the skin that remains. This surgery is often performed on people who have excess skin after being pregnant or after losing significant weight after bariatric surgery.
The ideal candidate does not have excess fat deposits in the abdomen to remove but too much skin hanging from the abdomen. Most patients are able to resume normal activities in two to three weeks but may have limits on physical activity for a longer period of time.
Breast Reduction
A woman’s breast reduction surgery is one of the few plastic surgeries that insurance does pay for routinely, as the benefits go far beyond an improved appearance. Women with very heavy or overly large breasts often have difficulty finding clothing that fits, experience chronic back pain and poor posture.
Ideally, the surgery to reduce both the size and weight of the breasts will relieve back pain and improve posture. The surgery is a permanent solution to having disproportionate breasts and most patients return to work within two weeks.
Rhinoplasty
A nose job, or rhinoplasty, reshape the nose, bringing it into balance with the rest of the face. The surgeon may reduce the overall size of the nose or refine areas of the nose for a more pleasing appearance.
In some cases where breathing is can be improved through surgery, as in the case of a deviated septum, insurance will pay for some or all of the surgery. Bruising can be obvious after surgery but should fade over the next ten days, when most patients return to work.
Reasons Plastic Surgery Isn’t So Scary After All.
Coffee or tea? To be or not to be? Life’s decisions have always been a complicated lot. Thankfully, today’s decisions—at least when it comes to improving your physical appearance through plastic surgery—have become less complicated due to the many advances in technique, accessibility and safety of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures. Of course, “advances” don’t always allay fears. So today—in a single dose of “fear be gone”—we’re going to quash 4 big fears that might be stopping you from making an informed decision when it comes to having aesthetic plastic surgery. Let’s go.
Hitting where it hurts.
Another sore spot in choosing to have plastic surgery is preferably kept neatly tucked into your purse or back pocket — yes, it’s money. Legitimate plastic surgery ain’t cheap. And if the price is too good to be true, trust us, it’s exactly that—too good to be true. Cosmetic surgery has, however, become increasingly more affordable for most budgets, and most reputable plastic surgeons offer financing options to help make the decision more palatable. So whether you’ve been pining for nonsurgical body contouring or a tummy tuck, if you’re holding off on consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon due to cost—it might be worth making that appointment to discuss your options anyway.
Looking ‘done’.
Today’s best surgeons are touted for their sense of aesthetics and their ability to provide natural and realistic results. And ongoing advances in technique and product give them the ability to do just that. So, while an unnatural result is a viable fear in making the decision to have a cosmetic procedure (and is one that you should discuss with your doctor), your board-certified plastic surgeon is aiming to make you look your best through open dialogue and mutually agreed-upon expectations. Aesthetic plastic surgery is meant to enhance your natural beauty – not to reshape you into someone you don’t recognize.
Pressed for time?
Most Americans already feel the pressure of work and family versus the ticking time bomb that is your daily schedule, so the idea of taking a day or a week or two off for recovery from a surgical procedure can strike terror into the hearts of even the most organized adult. Your initial conversation with your plastic surgeon should include limits to your available recovery time and he or she will steer you towards procedures that work for you. Since many of today’s most popular procedures don’t require an overnight hospital stay or even an overly-long healing process, you may be surprised to find out just how time-effective certain procedures actually are.
Who’s the boss?
The opinions of your family and friends are certainly reasons why you might avoid getting a cosmetic procedure that you want. We get it. Who wants to be judged? The question you should be asking yourself is: Should you let that stop you? Support from your significant other or BFF is a doozy when it comes to making big decisions, so why not include them in the process? Bringing your partner or a friend with you during your consultation gives them the opportunity to not only meet your doctor, but also ask questions, visualize the results and learn more about the procedure, which will ultimately help allay their fears as well as your own.
Surgery won’t be exempt you from ageing
Gravity doesn’t cease to exist after a procedure. It will continue to push down onto your skin and over time soft tissues will be vulnerable to that pressure. A facelift will never look as ‘fresh’ as it did the first month or so after surgery.
I think around 20 per cent of facelift patients return to me about seven years after a procedure, requesting revisions or further tightening.
The eyes are also one of the first areas of the face to show the effects of ageing and even after an eye lift, they too will continue to age. Therefore, upper eyelid surgery needs to be repeated after five to seven years.
You can help the results of facial rejuvenation surgery last longer by staying hydrated and using a high SPF sunscreen daily. You should also avoid alcohol and cigarettes which cause premature ageing too.
When can I get a breast revision after breast augmentation?
Breast implant complications, like capsular contracture or implant rupture can occur relatively soon after a breast augmentation, sometimes within a few months. In these cases, a breast revision may be performed earlier than usual, though it will be up to your surgeon to determine if, and when, the procedure can be safely performed. In cases where women are simply dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of their breast augmentation, it may be necessary to wait longer before undergoing a breast implant revision.
Arguably the most common aesthetic complaint which leads to breast revision is patients wishing they had chosen a larger implant size to begin with. Once the swelling subsides and patients get used to their new breasts, which usually happens after a few months, many women desire a larger size.
For patients who do end up less than satisfied with the size, position, shape, or another feature of their implants after surgery, it is generally recommended that they wait a minimum of six months before undergoing a breast augmentation revision. Not only does this allow the body a chance to heal from the original procedure, including letting swelling and other symptoms fully resolve, but it also gives patients an adequate amount of time to consider – and reconsider – a second surgery.
What are the risks of a breast implant revision?
As with any surgical procedure, there are some risks associated with breast revision. In addition to the risks associated with anesthesia and surgery in general, patients undergoing a breast revision are also more susceptible to psychological uncertainties stemming from the perception that their original surgery “failed.” Another possible complication of breast revision surgery is the surgeon’s inability to achieve the desired result due to scar tissue that is present from the original procedure. Taking all of these things into consideration, it is imperative that patients pursuing breast revision surgery have realistic expectations about their potential results.
