What To Expect From Plastic Surgery
A lot of people believe that having plastic surgery will make them look years younger, some even think that it will make them look like they did in their 20s or 30s. And when that happens, their whole life will be improved.
However, plastic surgery doesn’t always work this way. Sure, you may be able to look younger than you are now and your personal and professional life may benefit, but there is one thing that plastic surgery can’t do.
Plastic surgery can’t change the person you are. For example, having plastic surgery won’t have a long term impact on your personality (although it may in the short term), it won’t cure you of your bad habits, nor will it make people love you more or improve a bad relationship.
These are things that plastic surgery can’t fix, only you can. So it is important to bear this in mind if these are some of the reasons why you are considering having plastic surgery.
So rather than seeing a certain procedure as being a way to completely change your life, it is better to see plastic surgery as a way to help you change your life, as an initiator, and not as the provider of that change.
Michael Jackson provided a very poignant example of this. Despite his numerous plastic surgeries, he never could shake off the feelings of inadequacy he acquired during his childhood. So no matter how much surgery he had, it was never successful in changing the way he felt about himself.
In addition to your reasons for having plastic surgery, there are also some other things you should consider before going under the knife.
Below we shall discuss some of the most important things you should think about to give you a general idea of what you can expect by looking at some cosmetic surgery facts.
What Sort Of Plastic Surgery Do You Need?
Most people who are considering having cosmetic plastic surgery already have a good idea as to what area of their body they would like to improve the appearance of. What they may have less of an idea about is the cost.
Below you will find the average costs for some of the most common forms of cosmetic surgery people undergo as given by the American Society Of Plastic Surgeons.
Cost Of Plastic Surgery 2011
• Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) $5,130
• Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) $2,828
• Breast augmentation $3,351
• Breast implant(s) removal $2,288
• Breast lift $4,207
• Buttock augmentation $4,500
• Buttock lift $4,379
• Calf augmentation $3,900
• Cheek implants $2,739
• Chin augmentation $2,000
• Facelift $6,231
• Forehead lift $3,161
• Gynecomastia (male breast reduction) $3,013
• Hair transplantation $4,676
• Lip augmentation (other than injectable materials) $1,683
• Liposuction $2,884
• Lower body lift $7,247
• Otoplasty (ear tuck) $3,054
• Pectoral implants $3,810
• Rhinoplasty (nose job) $4,306
• Thigh lift $4,507
• Upper arm lift $3,729
• Botox injection $375
• Cellulite treatment (Velasmooth, endermology) $230
• Chemical peel $706
• Dermabrasion (not microdermabrasion) $1,200
• IPL laser treatment $470
• Laser hair removal $383
• Laser skin resurfacing – ablative $2,040
• Laser skin resurfacing – nonablative $1,156
• Laser treatment of leg veins $1,030
• Laser treatment of leg veins $404
• Microdermabrasion $146
• Sclerotherapy $354
• Soft tissue fillers: autologous fat $1,700
• Poly-L-Lactic acid (Sculptra) $940
• Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) $650
• Collagen, bovine/porcine (includes Zyderm, Zyplast) $468
• Collagen, human $475
• Hyaluronic acid $547
• Polymethyl methacrylate (Artecoll, Artefill) $1,099
The above prices are just average prices, so you can expect these to vary depending on where you live and which surgeon you go to.
Plastic surgery costs will also vary from year to year, so you can generally expect them to increase slightly each year in line with inflation.
Cosmetic surgery costs do not solely represent the actual cost of the procedure that you are having done. Typically, they will also include a number of other costs related to your procedure.
Such costs can include:
• Consultation fees
• Office visits
• Surgeon’s fee
• Facility charges
• Anaesthesiologist Fee
• Cost of implants
• Lab fees
• Cost of medications or drugs
Finance
In terms of paying for your cosmetic surgery, very rarely will you find an insurance company that will cover the cost. The only time an insurance company may pay out for your surgery, is if you are having reconstructive surgery and not surgery purely for cosmetic reasons.
Most insurance companies will not offer specific cosmetic surgery insurance, they may however, include in part of their coverage policy insurance for reconstructive plastic surgeries.
This is something that you should check with your insurance provider however, as unless it is something which is specifically listed or included in your policy, then you will not receive insurance for it.
So in the large majority of cases it will be up to you to either save the money required, or see if a cosmetic surgery company has any finance plans they can offer you.
There is also the possibility of taking out a loan for cosmetic surgery, however unless you absolutely need to, try to avoid taking out loans as they are a very easy way to get yourself into debt!
Safety Of Cosmetic Surgery
If you choose a good surgeon with a reputable cosmetic surgery company, the risks associated with plastic surgery are generally very low providing that you are already in good health.
If however, you currently have any medical conditions, such as diabetes or a heart condition, then this may pose an increased risk from surgery.
You should therefore always inform your plastic surgeon of any medical conditions that you currently have or any medications that you are taking so that they are aware of these things before they operate on you.
If there is a significant risk of complications occurring, then the surgeon will inform you of this beforehand and may recommend that you don’t undergo surgery until a later date.
In terms of the types of risks you face from having plastic surgery, those can vary depending on many different factors such as your age, your level of health and the type of procedure that you are having done.
In general however, for minor non surgical procedures such as Botox, laser cosmetic surgery or facial injectables there are risks with how those results turn out and whether you like the end result or not.
Risks Of Non Surgical Procedures
Botox for example, if done incorrectly can cause muscle paralysis in the wrong regions of the face which can give you an abnormal looking appearance or even cause parts of your facial skin to sag. Botox may also cause serious complications if it is injected into the blood stream.
Fortunately though, such risks are usually only short term risks and so your face will eventually return back to normal.
Facial injectables may sometimes cause adverse reactions if you are allergic to the type of dermal filler that is being injected underneath your skin.
If the filler has not been injected properly, you could also suffer from uneven skin which appears lumpy or depressed in certain regions of the face.
Unless a permanent dermal filler is used, these side effects will be visible only for the short term as the fillers themselves will eventually be broken down by the body.
Laser skin resurfacing poses a more serious and long term risk. One of the major risks is that it will increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun which means that you will be much more vulnerable to skin burns and skin cancer.
When it comes to surgical cosmetic procedures, the risks are often greater and can produce much longer lasting side effects.
Risks Of Surgical Procedures
Because you are dealing with surgery, there are risks that all people will face when undergoing a surgical procedure.
For example, there is a risk of you suffering from adverse reactions to drugs, being unable to breath, suffering from a heart attack or stroke, having uncontrollable bleeding or even dying in the operating theatre.
But as was mentioned before, most of these serious risks will only occur if you already have some serious medical condition or are taking some medications which you did not inform your surgeon of beforehand.
Such risks will be further minimised as you should also be given a medical examination prior to having plastic surgery just to make sure that you are physical suitable for surgery.
Other risks that you face are largely related to the end result you get. For example, with breast augmentation surgery it is not uncommon for women to experience breast asymmetry where one breast was positioned higher on the chest than the other.
Infection is also another common risk that you face. For example, thigh lift surgery will involve making lengthy incisions on the inner thighs which will then have to be kept clean after your surgery. Some people however, still suffer infections despite keeping their wounds clean and taking their antibiotics.
Another risk that can occur when the skin is cut is a loss of sensitivity. This can occur for example with the nipples on the breast during breast surgery or sometimes on the face with facelift surgery. In most cases this loss of sensitivity will be temporary, but in some cases it can be permanent.
Location Of Surgical Procedure
Depending on what sort of cosmetic procedure you want to get, you will either be operated on in a surgical center or in a hospital.
For most cosmetic surgeries you will go home the same day, but for other more complicated procedures you may be required to stay on site for a few days.
For non surgical procedures, such as Botox, microdermabrasion, laser cosmetic surgery and facial injectables, you can expect to go home pretty much immediately following your procedure, give or take a few moments for you to mentally get yourself together after your procedure is finished.
Such procedures are usually carried out in a surgical center, which is basically like a mini hospital / office complex. They are normally very modern looking, clean inside and quite pleasant places to visit.
If you live far away from home, it is recommended that unless you are taking a taxi or using public transportation, that you get someone else to do the driving as your procedure may affect your ability to see other vehicles on the road or to concentrate fully.
For surgical procedures, such as rhinoplasty, breast augmentation and surgical facelifts, you will normally be operated on in a hospital due to the complex nature of the surgery you are undergoing.
For most of these procedures however, you may only spend a few hours or at most a day in the hospital after your procedure has been completed.
The only times you will be permitted to stay longer, is if you have a type of surgery than physically prevents you from moving.
Basically, what this means is that you need to make plans to have somewhere to go virtually immediately after your surgery where you will then be able to spend your time resting and making a full recovery.
In terms of the physical location that you can have your procedure done, most people will choose to have plastic surgery done in their home country, although others choose to have cosmetic surgery abroad.
This may be due to numerous factors, although the most common reasons for wanting cosmetic surgery abroad are privacy, lower costs, combining surgery with a holiday or seeing a specialist surgeon.
One major disadvantage of having plastic surgery done abroad however, is that if something does go wrong it can be a lot more difficult to get help from your surgeon. For medical emergencies, you will have to see a surgeon in your home country which is going to mean extras costs for you.
Preparing For Cosmetic Surgery
Before you finally undergo plastic surgery your surgeon will give you some instructions of what you need to do before the operation.
This usually involves things such as discontinuing any medication(s) or vitamin supplements that you are taking and stopping smoking if you are a smoker.
For your own benefit you should do as your surgeon advises to ensure that you get the best results possible and with no complications.
Immediately prior to your cosmetic surgery, you should remove all jewelry and ensure that your body is clean.
Anesthesia
Your plastic surgeon and an anesthesiologist will work together to determine what sort of anesthesia you will need.
With general anesthesia you will be unconscious throughout the entire procedure.
General anesthesia is usually used only for surgical procedures that involve a lengthy and complex surgery. So this would apply to things such as nose, breast and tummy surgery.
With local anesthesia you will be awake but won’t be able to feel any pain. You may however, feel drowsy or very relaxed and be aware of some tugging or movement on your skin.
Local anesthesia is usually used only for non surgical procedures, or for procedures in which it is important that you are kept awake. So this would include things such as Botox or dermal injectables.
Local anesthesia is cheaper and has a much quicker recovery time than general anesthesia. Although you most likely will not be given a choice as to which anesthesia you prefer, but rather will just be given what is considered to be best for your particular type of procedure.
Duration Of Procedure
How long your cosmetic procedure will take depends on what you are having done. Face lifts for example generally take several hours to complete, and you may require several sessions for your operation to be completed in full.
Other cosmetic surgeries such as facial implants, forehead lifts and rhinoplasty take one to two hours to complete, while eyelid surgeries can take up to three hours.
Minor non surgical procedures such as Botox or collagen injections can take around an hour to complete.
Recovery
When your cosmetic surgery has been completed you will be taken to a recovery room where your vital signs will be monitored and you will be given medication to control any post surgery pain.
You will most likely have bandages on to control any swelling, and your skin will be tender to the touch.
If you have had rhinoplasty you will have a splint on the bridge of your nose to hold the tissues in place, and packing inside the nostrils.
If you are not staying on site the first night and are going home, it is a good idea to ask someone to stay with you at home in case you need any help.
You will experience some amount of pain after your surgery, although again, the amount of pain that you experience will largely depend on the type of surgery you had and how invasive it was.
But for most people, regardless of the type of plastic surgery that they have, they will experience the most amount of pain in the days immediately after their procedure.
By day 3, they should be experiencing significantly less pain and their pain medication will help to ease the discomfort that they are experiencing as a result of having cosmetic surgery.
