Cosmetic Surgery | Medical and Plastic Surgery Society

Elective Surgery Growing in Popularity

May 25, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Elective cosmetic surgery used to be associated only with celebrities but elective procedures have started to enter the mainstream beauty regimen. Both decreasing costs and expanding social acceptance have helped to put elective cosmetic surgery into the hands of 3.5 million people each year.

For decades the average life expectancy has risen and, with it, the standard of living for people who have passed middle age. As many covers of popular women’s magazines will tell you, 50 is the new 40 and women, in particular, are seizing the chance to look as young and fit as they feel.

About one-third of patients who choose to use the miracle of modern medicine to enhance their looks are between the ages of 35 and 50, showing that people consider plastic surgery as their own bodies begin to change. Men who choose to undergo elective cosmetic surgery procedures is one of the fastest growing demographics although the number of minority women who choose to undergo elective surgery is also rising.

About 700,000 of the 3.5 people who have cosmetic surgery each year are male and that number is expected to increase as growing popularity and decreasing costs make elective surgery for men a more common option. Men most commonly choose to regain a part of their youth with hair transplants to other procedures that directly relate to the common problem of make pattern baldness. However, chemical peels, liposuction and vein treatments are also high on the list of most common surgeries for men, which may show that men are expanding upon the traditional ideas of what makes a man look young and fit.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health Tagged With: Elective Surgery, minority women, Popularity

Are You Unhappy with Your Plastic Surgery Results?

May 15, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Plastic surgery. You were thrilled at the prospect and now you’re thrilled with the results. Maybe not.

The truth is not all plastic surgeons receive positive comments from their patients, and some doctors have to deal with a Los Angeles malpractice attorney because of unhappy patients.

Here’s what you need to know about plastic surgeons and what they can and cannot do for you:

Plastic surgery helps remove physical flaws like scars and body issues like crooked noses and saggy eyelids, but it can’t improve your love life. Change can occur on the outside, but that does not necessarily mean that that same change will occur inside.

The inside is up to you.

If you are unhappy with your plastic surgery results, take a good look at “you.” Make sure that the problem is a problem. Major problems could include the following: you can’t close your eyes, you have breast implant problems, you learn that an instrument has been left within your body during surgery, etc.; these are important problems to look at with a malpractice attorney.

“I really don’t like my eyes,” is not usually a cause for malpractice.

Risk is one of those things we hate to take especially when the risk doesn’t turn out the way we want it to. It may be that you just can’t “see” yourself anymore because of the changes that have been made. It may be that you have other emotional issues that need to be resolved before you can be happy with the results.

If this is true of you, you might just want to take a second look.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, General Tagged With: Los Angeles, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Complications That Can Result From Cosmetic Surgery

March 24, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

When cosmetic surgery comes to mind all people are concerned about is the ability to look different. However, there are many complications and dangers that can come with cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery like any other surgery carries serious side effects and complications. Here’s a look at some of the complications that can be a result of cosmetic surgery.

Nausea and Vomiting. The most common side effect of cosmetic surgery is the report of nausea and vomiting. This is usually a result of the anesthesia that a person is put under before the surgery. Many cosmetic surgeons have started to use local anesthetics instead of anesthesiologist in an effort to combat the nausea and vomiting.

Blood Clots. Blood clots are common to matter what the procedure is. Any part of the body that is left to mobilize for a long period time is susceptible to blood clots. Many cosmetic surgeries require that the patient rest for a number of weeks this could result in blood clots which is why many doctors recommend that patients get up and walk around after their procedure.

Infections. Infections are common when dealing with surgeries especially cosmetic surgery. Any time the body is opened up susceptible to germs and viruses the body risks getting in infection. Infections are also common to the vulnerable nature of the patient as they are recovering from surgery and open wounds. This means the immune system is weak and more susceptible to catching germs and viruses that it is exposed to.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health Tagged With: Cosmetic and Plastic, Health, Surgery

Checking For Qualifications of Your Cosmetic Surgeon

March 16, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

One of the things that is recommended to make sure that you do not fall victim to a cosmetic surgery nightmare is to make sure that you check out any cosmetic surgeon or doctor that you will have perform surgery on you. There are many places that you can check for complaints that might be lodged against the doctors that you are going to use. Here is a look at the places that you can check for complaints against your doctors.

American Board of Plastic Surgeons. You can check to make sure that your doctor is in good standing with the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. This is the board that oversees all plastic surgeons. Any doctors that have excessive complaints will have their license pulled and not come up in good standing.

State Medical Board. The State Medical Board will allow you to see what type of qualifications your doctor has. This will allow you to see if he is properly trained in the areas that he claims he is. It will also show you if there are any recent complaints against your doctor and if there was any action as a result of the complaint.

Hospital Privileges. Although most cosmetic surgeries happen out of hospitals, a good cosmetic surgeon will have hospital privileges as a local hospital. Check to make sure that they have these privileges as it will be helpful should something go wrong during your surgery. Hospital privileges will also show that they are certified and have all the proper qualifications for the type of surgery that they will be performing.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health Tagged With: Cosmetic and Plastic, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Interesting Facts About Cosmetic Surgery

March 9, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Cosmetic surgery has been around in United States since the early 19th century. It started originally as a way to help soldiers who were fighting in World War II. However, in 1931 cosmetic surgeons started popping up all over America as a way to help change the appearance of those who were unhappy with their own appearance. Here is a quick look at some of the facts about cosmetic surgery.

Fact one. There are no requirements for surgeons to perform plastic surgery. Any certified surgeon can perform plastic surgery. This is why cosmetic surgery patients need to check the qualifications of their doctor carefully as anyone can perform plastic surgery.

Fact two. There is a specific demographic of people who prefer to have cosmetic surgery. These people generally have an income that ranges from $35,000-$100,000. the majority of people who are receiving cosmetic surgery are usually women between the ages of 35 and 55. Women also preferred to have breast augmentations and facelifts. However, men are starting to turn to cosmetic surgery. In the past year the amount of men who have had cosmetic surgery has increased 20%. Common cosmetic procedures for men include chin implants and rhinoplasty. However more and more men are starting to use Botox and other cosmetic procedures that were once thought of as only procedures for women.

Fact three. There are over 11.7 million cosmetic surgeries performed every year in the United States. Of those surgeries 3 million were Botox treatments. However, breast augmentation and facelifts were also common procedures.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health Tagged With: Plastic surgery, Surgery, United States

A Look at Chin Implants – A Common Form of Cosmetic Surgery

February 23, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

A common type of cosmetic surgery that is performed all across the United States is that of a chin implant. Chin implants are usually done in an effort to receive a new shape of a person’s face. This is usually done by inserting the implant device under the skin. There are several different types of chin implants that can be performed by a cosmetic surgeon. Here’s a look at the type of chin implants that can be performed.

The first type of chin implant that is used is a natural tissue implant. A natural tissue implant involves the use of materials that are all-natural. These materials include tissues from animals, bone grafts, or tissue grafts. Sometimes these materials can actually come from the patient who is having the procedure done. Other times the materials can come from other individuals. Cosmetic surgeons prefer to use materials from the actual patient as this stands the best chance of adapting to the body. The materials are then placed into the jaw using a surgical procedure that allows the cosmetic surgeon to augment the facial structure of the patient.

The second type of chin implant is that known as injectable implantable material. This type of chin implant requires the use of synthetic materials that are injected into the patient’s jaw. Injectable implantable material injections are usually temporary and are used only to shape the patient facial area.

No matter what type of chin implant you have done there always possible side effects. Side effects include swelling of the jaw or skin, loss of sensation in the jaw or a complete shift of the implanted materials. However, these side effects are usually rare in most patients do not have problems from their chin implant.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Face Tagged With: Chin augmentation, Plastic surgery

Common Types of Cosmetic Surgery

February 16, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Cosmetic surgery is the general term for any surgery that reduces a person’s physical appearance. There are dozens of cosmetic surgeries that are available to reduce the number of physical characteristics. Here is a look at some of the most common types of cosmetic surgeries.

Liposuction. Liposuction is a surgical procedure of removing unwanted fat from parts of the body. This procedure is usually done to give people a thinner appearance. Liposuction is usually performed on the legs, arms or stomach, which are all common areas where fat is stored.

Facelift. This cosmetic surgery procedure is common and is done to tighten the skin that is a round face. This usually takes excessive sagging of the skin and pulls the skin back to allow it to have less wrinkles. There are several types of facelifts such as the neck lift and the brow lift.

Rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty is commonly referred to as a nose job. This is done to reshape the nose or remove excessive cartilage of the nose. Rhinoplasty can be done to decrease the size of the nose or to remove any bumps or irregularities that appear on the nose.

Tummy Tuck. A tummy tuck is performed to remove any fat or excessive muscles in the abdomen area. This is often similar to a liposuction only tummy tucks usually remove excessive muscles in the abdomen area and require the doctor to stretch the abdomen back into place.

Breast Augmentation. Breast implants for breast reduction are the most common types of breast augmentations. These are usually done to reduce the size of a person’s breasts. Many surgical procedures associated with breast augmentation include the breast lift which entails removing extra skin and tissue or breast implants which require the insertion of a medical device to give the breasts a larger and firmer appearance.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Facelift Tagged With: Breast implant, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Reducing Signs of Scarring That Result From Cosmetic Surgery

February 10, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

One of the biggest concerns patients have after their cosmetic procedure is whether or not there will be a lot of scarring. Scarring is only natural during cosmetic procedures due to the doctor having to cut into the patient. Luckily, there are ways you can reduce the amount of scarring that will happen after your cosmetic surgery. Scarring prevention is an important part of your recovery process as many scars need to be treated in the first few weeks. Here is a look at how to handle the scars that you may have after your cosmetic surgery and how to reduce the scarring effect.

Scar Treatment Cream. There are many over-the-counter scar treatment creams that can be used to effectively reduce the amount of scarring you received after your surgery. These treatments will need to be used for anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks in order to see results. While these treatments do not eliminate the stars they will reduce the signs of scarring.

Cocoa Butter. Cocoa butter has long been used as an effective form of reducing scars. Cocoa butter is used in similar ways that scar treatment cream is used. It is believed that cocoa butter keeps the skin hydrated which allows it to reduce signs of scarring.

Prescription Medication. There are many prescription medications out there that will reduce tooling any type of scar. It is important to discuss this with your dermatologist to see if they will prescribe any lightning cream. Many dermatologists will only prescribe this type of medication to those who have severe scarring.

Laser Treatments. Laser treatments are a common way to reduce the signs of scarring. Many cosmetic surgeons have started including laser treatments as part of the follow-up care for cosmetic surgery patients. Laser treatments have been proven highly successful by many medical research studies.

While there is no affective way to eliminate scars 100% there are ways to reduce the signs of scarring that are result of your cosmetic surgery. Following these steps you will reduce the signs of any scarring that is a result of your cosmetic surgery.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Face Tagged With: Plastic surgery, Surgery

Ensuring a Fast and Speedy Recovering From Costmetic Surgery

February 8, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Often times the most difficult parts about cosmetic surgery is not the actual procedure but instead is the recovery time associated with the procedure. There are many factors that go into determining what the recovery time will be free cosmetic surgery. These can include general health and age of the patient. However, there are other factors that can help your recovery process. Here is a look at how you can speed up the recovery process and make it easier for you after your surgery.

Realistic Expectations. It is important that you discuss with your doctor the expectations for after surgery. These can include how much pain you will be in, any discomfort, or any scarring that may result from surgery. If you are prepared for the amount of pain and discomfort you will feel your current recovery time may often be shorter.

Body Rest. It is important that you give your body enough time to recover after the surgery. This means you should take time off of work and be able to give yourself enough time to rest and relax at home. Many cosmetic surgery procedures have a recovery time of six to eight weeks so be prepared to give your body the rest that it needs.

Help with Daily Activity. Many people believe that they are prepared to engage in daily activities after cosmetic surgery. It is important to make sure that you have help with any daily activities until you are fully recovered. Discuss with your doctor the activities that you are allowed to engage in and which ones you should avoid. This will allow you to have a speedy recovery.

Follow Doctor’s Orders. Your doctor will give you a list of instructions to follow after your cosmetic surgery. These could include no exercise, no alcohol, and taking all of the prescription medication that is prescribed. It is important to follow all doctor’s orders to ensure that you have the best chance of recovery from your cosmetic surgery.

Following these steps will allow you to have a speedy and full recovery from your cosmetic surgery.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Health Tips Tagged With: Health, Plastic surgery, Surgery

Common Ways to Avoid Cosmetic Surgery Nightmares

February 3, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Everyone has heard horror stories about plastic surgery. People talk about how they enter the operating room looking one way and come out looking a completely different way. These horror stories have led many people to become weary of having any type of cosmetic surgery performed. However, there are ways that you can reduce your risk for being a victim of these plastic surgery horror stories. Here’s a look at what you can do to make sure that you do not fall victim to plastic surgery nightmare.

Check Board Certification. All cosmetic surgery doctors must be board certified. You can check for certification by going online and checking American Board of Medical Specialties. This will place all doctors in the state that they are certified in as well as the specialties of their practice. This will allow you to make sure that the doctor you are going to is board certified, educated, and has the training that they need to perform surgery.

Check Safety of Facility. You’ll want to make sure that the facility and operating area meets Board and state qualifications. The best way to do this is to take a tour of the facility before your operation. This will allow you to see if the conditions are sanitary, and that you feel secure. Another way to check the safety of the facility is to research The United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This organization keeps record of the inspection dates and certifications that the building has applied for.

Affiliation of Doctors. Many doctors are affiliated with national interest groups. If the cosmetic Dr. is affiliated with a special interest group this means that they regularly attend meeting and are up-to-date on the latest medical information.

Self-informed. It is important that you stay informed about your medical history and the procedure that you are having done. This will allow you to ask proper questions and make sure that you are healthy and safe enough to have the procedure performed.

Filed Under: Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery Tagged With: Cosmetic and Plastic, Surgery