Over the years, the number of people in need of plastic surgery has been on the rise. With the help of technology and advancements in the field, cosmetic surgery has become a routine treatment. A lot of people such as celebrities, and socialites who have undergone plastic surgery are becoming courageous to share their experience with the rest of the world. This makes more people develop an interest in plastic surgery procedures.
Millions of prospective patients book consultations with plastic surgeons each year. Based on statistics available from review platforms, these are the most ‘worth it’ cosmetic treatments available:
1. Rhinoplasty
As shocking as it seems, most people undergo plastic surgery to enhance the appearance of their nose. The nose is basically the face’s focal point. It can easily draw attention if it is too big, or crooked in any way. Rhinoplasty, also known as a nose job, can be done for medical purposes such as restoring a deviated septum. It is done when the surgeon makes cuts within the nostrils, and in some cases, across the nose’s base to reshape the inner bone and cartilage.
Rhinoplasty is performed as an outpatient procedure which means that a patient is discharged after surgery. The surgeon administers local anesthesia that sedates the patient and numbs the nose and general anesthesia that keeps the patient asleep throughout the operation. Recovery from a nose job can take months, and the timeline involves wearing a nasal splint for the first few weeks after surgery. The nose will be swollen and bruised, as well as the lower eyes section. However, this swelling and bruising will fade as weeks pass by until the patient attains full recovery. Only then will he/she be able to see the full results of the surgery.
2. Rhytidectomy
Rhytidectomy is also known as facelift surgery. As a person grows older, signs of wrinkles and aging begin to show on the face. This can be disadvantageous especially if your physical appearance is what provides for your everyday needs, such as the models. Rhytidectomy surgery reduces the appearance of these wrinkles, and aging signs for a more youthful look. It is done when the surgeon precisely makes an incision around the ear’s front, and behind the hairline to eliminate excess skin, and tighten it for a smoother profile.
The surgeon places sutures along the incision lines to close the incisions, as they support and strengthen the wounds to heal, which are removed days later after surgery. Afterward, the patient will experience bruising, and swelling which will subside as recovery progresses. Recovery depends on a patient’s age and health status. Rhytidectomy surgery can be performed together with eyelid surgery, botox injections, and forehead surgery.
3. Blepharoplasty
As we age, the eyelid’s skin loses elasticity. This makes it droop and sag. Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery is done to restore damaged eyelid skin due to aging, or accidents. When the eyelid’s skin sags, excess skin begins to build up around the eyes which may make an individual’s self-confidence diminish, and they may experience eyesight defects and nerve damage. Blepharoplasty surgery tightens this skin, and muscles for a smoother profile. It is done when the surgeon cuts off the excess skin and eliminates the fat tissues that make the eyelid’s skin sag.
Blepharoplasty is done as an outpatient procedure that includes injection of local and general anesthesia. After surgery, the patient will experience mild swelling, irritation, and bruising which will reduce as healing progresses. The stitches are removed a few days after surgery depending on your surgeon’s appropriate time, and a patient can resume normal activities within a week. For faster healing, patients are advised to wear dark sunglasses to protect the eyes from external factors that may affect them.
4. Platysmaplasty
Platysmaplasty, also known as a neck lift surgery is performed to enhance the neck’s appearance. It involves the removal of excess skin and fats around the patient’s jawline to tighten the neck’s skin, and muscles. This skin and muscles may become loose due to aging, or due to sickness. The surgeon basically tightens the platysma muscles in the neck to improve its appearance.
During surgery, he makes a small incision around and behind the ear, and beneath the chin. Through the incisions, he eliminates excess fats and skin as he tightens the neck muscles. Platysmaplasty being an outpatient procedure is done when the patient is under local, or general anesthesia, after which they are released to go home. The surgery leaves the neck swollen, painful and bruised which fades away after several days. Scars are very minimal and are hidden around the patient’s ear, or beneath the chin. It takes several weeks to attain full recovery.
5. Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is a popular surgery that is done to enhance a woman’s breasts. Every year, more than 300,000 women have their breasts augmented for better appearance. It is more of cosmetic surgery. Breast augmentation uses breast implants, or fat transfer to the breasts which increases their shape, size, and symmetry. These implants are of two types: silicone and saline. Each one is uniquely different to provide the required results.
The surgeon makes an incision at the breasts depending on the type of breast augmentation procedure that would work best for the patient. He then inserts the implants at their appropriate pockets, either over the pectoral muscles or under the pectoral muscles. The choice of implant placement can be made by the patient. Breast augmentation is a painful procedure that involves local, and general anesthesia, as well as prescriptions of painkiller medicines. The duration of recovery depends on the type of implants placed, the patient’s anatomy, and the position that the breast implants have been placed. The recovery process is accelerated by wearing a recovery bra, which is very important.
6. Breast Reduction
Breast reduction surgery reduces the size, and weight of the breasts by eliminating too much fat found in the breast tissues. Most women are born with large natural breasts which can be very hectic to handle. They may be uncomfortable causing chest pains, back pains, and neck pains. This in turn interferes with their normal upright posture.
During surgery, the surgeon makes incisions around the areola, and down the breasts, after which he uses liposuction technique to eliminate excess fats. He then reshapes and repositions the areola and nipples. Breast reduction surgery leaves a patient with minimal scars that fade as they heal. At the initial stages after surgery, the breasts will be highly sensitive, tender, slightly swollen, and with minimal bruises. Wearing of a compression bra positively impacts the recovery process, with recovery taking several weeks.
7. Mastopexy
Mastopexy is a surgery that lifts the breasts. The breasts may sag due to post-pregnancy effects, aging, or certain medical conditions such as breast cancer. This may have adverse effects on several women causing the need for mastopexy surgery to uplift them. At times, it is performed in conjunction with breast augmentation surgery. Mastopexy is done when the surgeon makes unique incisions, depending on the patient’s breast shape, size, the position of the areola, the extent to which the breasts sag, and the skin’s elasticity. These incisions are made either around the areola, around and vertically down the breast crease and horizontally down the breasts crease, and, around and vertically down the areola to the breast crease. The recovery process and period resemble that of breast reduction and augmentation.
8. Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty is otherwise referred to as tummy tuck surgery. It is a surgery that corrects damaged abdominal contours in both men and women. The abdominal profile changes due to a person’s lifestyle such as drinking alcohol, when they undergo rapid weight loss, as they age, or due to pregnancy. These cause the abdominal skin to lose its firmness hence making excess skin to sag. It is important to note that abdominoplasty is not a substitute for weight loss.
Abdominoplasty is done by the surgeon when he removes excess skin and fats from the abdominal area, then tightens the remaining skin and tissues for an even abdominal appearance. There are several techniques through which abdominoplasty can be done, these include full tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, extended tummy tuck, and many more. Each one of them is uniquely done and involves unique incisions to achieve the desired results. Depending on the abdominoplasty procedure used, and the incisions, recovery can take several weeks.
9. Liposuction
Liposuction plastic surgery eliminates excess body fats from different parts of the body. It could either be on the legs, thighs, abdomen, buttocks, arms, chin, neck, and waist. Liposuction can be done through several techniques such as tumescent liposuction, laser-assisted liposuction, ultrasound-assisted liposuction, and super-wet liposuction. For instance, the tumescent liposuction technique involves the use of cannulas, a small hollow metal that is inserted to suction out fat from the body, whereas ultrasound-assisted liposuction uses a cannula to suction out fats melted by the ultrasonic energy released during surgery.
Liposuction techniques that use radiation energy to burn down fats actually have a high risk of internal and external burns. After surgery, a patient will have bruises depending on the extent to which the surgery was performed, pain that is controlled by pain killer medicines, and scars that are easily hidden by underclothes. It takes several weeks to attain full recovery, with the results being permanent since excess fat tissues are completely removed.
10. Gynecomastia Treatment
Gynecomastia treatment deals with the breast tissues of males. It reduces excessive amounts of breast tissues in males caused by drug and substance abuse such as marijuana, genetics, and growth in the pectoral area. It is done by the surgeon when he removes excess breast tissue through liposuction technique or mastectomy. Liposuction only eliminates excess breast fats, whereas mastectomy removes the breast gland tissues. Mastectomy surgery is done through tiny incisions and is less invasive with a faster recovery process. Gynecomastia treatment leaves the patient with scars that are slightly visible but fade as time goes by.
11. NeoGraft Hair Transplant
When both men and women grow old, the hair becomes less dense therefore making the scalp more visible. Others even begin to lose hair. Neograft hair transplant surgery is a remedy to such situations. It extracts and transplants 1 to 4 hair follicles per time to replenish the bald areas on the head without forming any linear scars. It is a very comfortable procedure compared to older hair transplant methods and takes a shorter time for recovery. With Neograft hair transplant techniques, a patient is able to style the hair however they want without anything being noticeable. The hair transplants used look absolutely natural can be dyed, even cut like normal hair.
Conclusion
Plastic surgery procedures have become more popular among people, and across social media platforms. With the increasing numbers of individuals undergoing plastic surgery, this article explains the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures.
