Types of Plastic Surgery Procedures
There are many different plastic surgery procedures available to
those who would like to alter certain aspects of their bodies.
Plastic surgery has been around in some form or another for many
years, but has only been in extensive use in the 20th and 21st
century. The top three cosmetic surgical procedures in 2004
Liposuction (325,000); nose reshaping (305,000); and breast
augmentation (264,000. In addition to these procedures there are
many other options for other areas of the body. In this article
I plan to explore some of those cosmetic surgery options and
give background information on those procedures as well. These
numbers clearly show an increasing trend to have cosmetic
surgery procedures performed for aesthetic, as well as
reconstructive reasons.
We'll start by exploring the number one plastic surgery
procedure, Liposuction. In the last year alone, 325,000
Liposuction procedures were performed on both men and women of
all ages and race. Liposuction is a procedure that can help to
sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas,
including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, cheeks,
neck, chin and upper arms. Liposuction is not a substitute for
regular good diet practices or exercise but rather a further
refinement in addition to diet and exercise. Recently a number
of new techniques in liposuction have been developed, including
the ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL), the tumescent
technique, and the super-wet technique. These new procedures are
helping many plastic surgeons to provide their patients with
more precise results and quicker recovery times. Not all
patients will be able to use the newest techniques but your
doctor can discuss which techniques are the best for you based
upon your medical history and various other factors.
Liposuction is best performed on Normal weight individuals with
firm, elastic skin who have excess fat in certain areas of their
body. Liposuction carries a greater risk for people with medical
problems such as poor circulation, severe lung or heart disease,
diabetes, as well as some other conditions not listed. It is
always best to let your doctor know your full medical history so
that he can accurately assess the correct procedures for your
body as well as safely and effectively treat you. In your first
consultation, your plastic surgeon will most likely evaluate
your health, determine where your fat deposits lie and the
elasticity of your skin, and develop a plan that is right for
you and your body.
Rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping, is another commonly performed
technique in which the nose is reshaped, altered, or
straightened for both reconstructive and aesthetic reasons. This
procedure is often used to correct breathing problems in the
nasal region as well. There are two options for the incision in
this type of plastic surgery, There is open rhinoplasty and
closed rhinoplasty. Open rhinoplasty is performed by making a
small incision across the columella, between the nostrils, in
addition to incisions on the inside of your nose. This surgery
is often performed in the most complicated cases. In the case of
closed rhinoplasty the incision is inside of the nose helping to
promote a speedier recovery as well as reducing the amount of
swelling. Rhinoplasty can change the shape of your nose by
recontouring the underlying cartilage and bone into the desired
shape. Plastic surgeons today have the ability to make your nose
shorter, longer, thinner, and straighter. Most of the incision
in nasal surgery are made internally so there is no visual
scarring on the exterior nasal cavity. Healing times vary with
the type of incision but healing from nasal plastic surgery
generally occurs within a few weeks after surgery.
Breast Augmentation cosmetic surgery is another very popular
procedure and one that has been widely publicized by women
around the world. Breast augmentation is surgery to enhance the
size or shape of a woman's breast for reconstructive or
aesthetic reasons. Some of these reasons include, but are not
limited to, enhancing the size of the breast for a woman who
feels that hers are too small, correcting a difference in breast
size, reconstructing the breast after surgery, and a reduced
breast volume after pregnancy. Breast size can be increased
during surgery by the insertion of an implant behind each breast
and can effectively increase the bustline by a cup size or more.