Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction, or alteration of the human body. Today, we bring to you the Cosmetic surgery Pros and cons.
It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery.
Reconstructive surgery includes craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, microsurgery, and the treatment of burns.
While reconstructive surgery aims to reconstruct a part of the body or improve its functioning, cosmetic (or aesthetic) surgery aims at improving its appearance of it.
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Cosmetic surgery Pros and cons
Cosmetic surgery is where a person chooses to have an operation, or invasive medical procedure, to change their physical appearance for cosmetic rather than medical reasons.
If you’ve always thought cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery were one in the same, you’re not alone.
A significant number of plastic surgeons choose to focus their practice on cosmetic surgery, and as such, the terms are often used interchangeably.
But this is not technically correct. Cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery are closely related specialties, but they are not the same.
Aesthetic surgery is a central component of plastic surgery and includes facial and body aesthetic surgery.
Plastic surgeons use cosmetic surgical principles in all reconstructive surgical procedures as well as isolated operations to improve overall appearance.
Reconstructive Surgery
It is performed to correct functional impairments caused by burns, traumatic injuries, such as facial bone fractures and breaks, congenital abnormalities, such as cleft palates or cleft lips, developmental abnormalities, infection and disease, cancer or tumors.
It is also performed to correct functional impairments caused by cancer or tumors. The goal of reconstructive plastic surgery is to restore both the appearance and the function of the patient’s body.
Tumor removal, laceration repair, maxillofacial surgery, scar revision, hand surgery, and breast reduction plasty are among the most frequently performed reconstructive operations in the United States.
As reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of reconstructive breast reductions performed on women declined by 4 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year. Breast reduction in men fell by 8% in 2018, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In 2018, a total of 57,535 procedures were carried out.
Other popular reconstructive surgical treatments include breast reconstruction following a mastectomy for cancer treatment, cleft lip and palate surgery, contracture surgery for burn survivors, and the creation of a new outer ear in cases where one was born without one.
Microsurgery is used by plastic surgeons to transplant tissue for the purpose of covering a defect when no local tissue is available.
Stapling blood vessels as small as 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter and suturing them to other arteries and veins can be used to remove free flaps of skin, muscle, bone, or fat from one location on the body and reattach them to a blood supply at a different location on the body.
Types of Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
There are different types of cosmetic surgery procedures, and they are;
- Breast Enhancement: Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Reduction
- Facial Contouring: Rhinoplasty, Chin, or Cheek Enhancement
- Facial Rejuvenation: Facelift, Eyelid Lift, Neck Lift, Brow Lift
- Body Contouring: Tummy Tuck, Liposuction, Gynecomastia Treatment
- Skin Rejuvenation: Laser Resurfacing, Filler Treatments
Breast Enhancement
- Breast augmentation
Sometimes referred to as a “breast aug” or “boob job” by patients, involves using breast implants or fat transfer to increase the size of your breasts.
This procedure can also restore breast volume lost after weight reduction or pregnancy, achieve a more rounded breast shape or improve natural breast size asymmetry.
- Breast Lift
A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, raises the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour.
- Breast Reduction
Reduction mammoplasty (also breast reduction and reduction mammaplasty) is the plastic surgery procedure for reducing the size of large breasts.
In a breast reduction surgery for re-establishing a functional bust that is proportionate to the woman’s body, the critical corrective consideration is the tissue viability of the nipple–areola complex (NAC), to ensure the functional sensitivity and lactational capability of the breasts.
Facial Contouring
- Rhinoplasty
Surgery that changes the shape of the nose. The motivation for rhinoplasty may be to change the appearance of the nose, improve breathing or both.
- Chin Enhancement
Chin augmentation using surgical implants can alter the underlying structure of the face, providing better balance to the facial features.
The specific medical terms mentoplasty and genioplasty are used to refer to the reduction and addition of material to a patient’s chin.
- Cheek Enhancement
The goal of cheek augmentation is to add volume or lift to the cheeks. Surgical options for enhancing the cheeks are fat grafting or cheek implants.
Facial Rejuvenation
- Facelift
A facelift, also known as rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that lifts and tightens these facial tissues. A facelift can involve removing excess skin, smoothing out folds or wrinkles, and tightening facial tissue. It doesn’t include a brow or eye lift, although these might be done at the same time.
- Eyelid lift
Blepharoplasty is the plastic surgery operation for correcting defects, deformities, and disfigurations of the eyelids; and for aesthetically modifying the eye region of the face.
- Neck Lift
Platysmaplasty, commonly referred to as a neck lift, is a form of cosmetic plastic surgery involving tightening and removing skin from the human neck.
Because it doesn’t often follow a predictable pattern of aging, neck lift surgery must be tailored to each patient’s specific needs.
- Brow Lift
A forehead lift, also known as a browlift or browplasty, is a cosmetic surgery procedure used to elevate a drooping eyebrow that may obstruct vision and/or to remove the deep “worry” lines that run across the forehead.
Body Contouring
- Tummy Tuck
Abdominoplasty or “tummy tuck” is a cosmetic surgery procedure used to make the abdomen thinner and more firm.
The surgery involves the removal of excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen in order to tighten the muscle and fascia of the abdominal wall.
- Liposuction
Liposuction, or simply lipo, is a type of fat-removal procedure used in plastic surgery. Evidence does not support an effect on weight beyond a couple of months and does not appear to affect obesity-related problems. In the United States, liposuction is the most common cosmetic surgery.
It is a surgical procedure that uses a suction technique to remove fat from specific areas of the body, such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, arms or neck.
Liposuction also shapes (contours) these areas. Other names for liposuction include lipoplasty and body contouring.
- Gynecomastia Treatment
Two gynecomastia surgery options are:
Liposuction.
This surgery removes breast fat but not the breast gland tissue itself.
Mastectomy.
This type of surgery removes the breast gland tissue. The surgery is often done using only small incisions. This less invasive type of surgery involves less recovery time.
Skin Rejuvenation
- Laser Resurfacing
If aging, acne, or too much time in the sun has left your face with blotches, scars, wrinkles, or lines, laser skin resurfacing may help your skin look younger and healthier.
Laser skin resurfacing removes skin layer by layer with precision. The new skin cells that form during healing give the skin a tighter, younger looking surface. The procedure can be done alone or with other cosmetic surgeries on the face.
- Filler Treatments
A filler treatment is a cosmetic dermatological procedure that is used to minimize the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles to restore a youthful look.
It is a great treatment option for those who want to eliminate the signs of aging but are not willing to undergo invasive treatments such as a traditional facelift.
Pros and Cons
Like other Plastic surgery procedures, Cosmetic surgery comes with it’s advantages and disadvantages;
Here are the Pros and Cons of cosmetic surgery;
Pros of Cosmetic Surgery
Below are the benefits of cosmetic surgery;
- Enhanced Appearance
The first and main benefit of cosmetic surgery is that it helps to align your natural appearance with your desired appearance.
If you want to undergo cosmetic surgery, it’s reasonable to assume that you are unhappy with some aspect(s) of your appearance, and you desperately want to change it. Once you do it, your appearance will change forever – resulting in an improved version of yourself.
- Improved Physical Health
Another advantage of cosmetic surgery procedure is that in some cases it can enhance your physical health.
For example, a rhinoplasty surgery, not only will enhance the look and shape of your nose but may also help with respiratory issues that you may have.
The same goes with liposuction – allowing patients who undergo this surgery to be more physically active after its completion.
This, therefore, reduces the chances of developing issues such as an increased blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
- Improved Confidence
By fixing and altering your appearance to suit your wishes, you will automatically have an improved self-esteem.
This does wonders for your social life and your mental health. Being confident in the way you look makes you feel better in all aspects of life.
- Psychological Benefits
The previous point briefly touches on the suggestion that cosmetic surgery has psychological benefits. You are more inclined to socialise due to your improved state of mind regarding how you feel towards yourself.
Some people who are unsatisfied with their looks frequently struggle with anxiety and depression, which are both mental health problems. However, more often than not, these problems reduce or even disappear completely after cosmetic surgery procedures.
This is a huge bonus for many and is what encourages them to proceed with surgery. The positive psychological outcomes are worth it.
- Pain is Over Estimated
Many people who consider cosmetic surgery are hesitant because of the fear of the ‘extreme pain’ that is often associated with cosmetic surgery.
While cosmetic surgery is not painless, it is not as painful as it is believed to be. This is true now more than ever because of the recent and ongoing advances in technology.
The procedures have been improved to reduce the feelings of pain – bringing a feeling of reassurance to many.
- Permanent Results
Another key advantage to cosmetic surgery is that it produces results which often last a long time or are permanent.
This relieves any sort of worries of getting your ‘undesired’ looks back. However, you must keep in mind that you have to look after yourself after the procedures in order to make them more long-lasting.
For example, if you undergo a tummy tuck surgery – it’s high advised that you stick to a healthy and active lifestyle to maintain your results.
- Easily Accessible
With more and more individual opting for cosmetic surgery, there are now many clinics that offer these services.
So, this means that it is relatively easy to find somewhere to do your procedure. Also, if you don’t want to do your surgery in the UK, there are many clinics aboard that you can easily access too. This is also known as ‘cosmetic tourism’ and has been on the rise in recent years.
Cons of Cosmetic Surgery
These are the disadvantages of cosmetic surgery;
- Expense
It is not a secret that cosmetic surgeries are expensive. However, this factor makes cosmetic surgery not so ‘easily accessible’ to everyone, as not everyone obtains such funds.
It can be difficult saving up money towards cosmetic surgeries and people often take loans, which can lead to debt. Feel free to look at the cost of cosmetic surgery in South Korea.
- Chance of Addiction
A grave disadvantage of cosmetic surgery is that some individuals get addicted to it. This has extreme effects on patients’ state of mind as they may increase the severity of or develop Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD, (whereby they continuously find faults and flaws with their appearance.)
Individuals who are diagnosed with this believe that they can get rid of BDD through multiple cosmetic surgeries, but this is not the case. Surgery is not the correct treatment for this type of serious disorder.
- Risk of Death
Although this isn’t common, it can happen during or after surgery. In most cases, this happens due to the reaction to anesthesia or because of your health history (a person with bad health is more likely to have complications during surgery than those who are in good health).
It is highly recommended that you take this factor into consideration, and although unlikely, it can occur. Making this a very serious risk of cosmetic surgery.
- Doesn’t Always Meet Expectations
Another disadvantage of cosmetic surgery is that after the procedure, it’s not fully guaranteed that you will come out of the other end completely satisfied with the changes.
These adjustments made to your face or body may have been desirable before you had them, however, they may not look as you expected and fill you with regret.
So, you must always be sure exactly of what you want and do your research before committing to the surgery in order to avoid disappointment!
Conclusion
Cosmetic surgery won’t change your life. It won’t solve personal problems or make you look like someone else. But it may give you greater self-confidence and add to your sense of well-being.
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Chibueze Uchegbu is a certified medical physiologist with a great passion for healthy living.
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