Understanding the Different Types of Plastic Surgery Procedures
It’s easy to get confused by the various terms used in the medical world. For instance, plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are not the same thing. Plastic surgery encompasses reconstructive procedures such as fixing congenital disabilities like cleft lips and palates or skin conditions caused by burns. However, several cosmetic procedures, such as breast augmentations or rhinoplasty, enhance and reshape the tissue.
Facial Procedures
When choosing a surgeon, for example, Dr. Joel Aronowitz, personal recommendations and referrals are essential. You should also check the surgeon’s credentials, including board certification and fellowship training. Rhinoplasty, which reshapes the nose, is the most common facial plastic surgery procedure. It can reduce nasal humps and narrow nostrils and reshape the tip to make the nose more attractive. It can also help with breathing issues by reducing nasal obstruction from deviated or fractured cartilage and bone. Facelifts are designed to minimize wrinkles and sagging skin around the forehead, neck, and jawline. They can be performed surgically or with noninvasive treatments such as injectable fillers and neural modulators. Lastly, scars can be made less noticeable using dermabrasion or laser resurfacing. This is particularly helpful for those with traumatic or iatrogenic scars.
Body Contouring Procedures
Body contouring procedures (body sculpting) remove unwanted fat and tighten loose skin to give patients their desired body shape. They are typically surgical and require general anesthesia and lengthy downtimes. Many men and women struggle with excess fat no matter how healthy they eat or exercise. Surgical body sculpting procedures like liposuction remove pockets of stubborn fat from areas that don’t respond to diet and exercise. Other procedures include abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) that corrects the “apron” of excess abdominal skin, breast lift (mastopexy) to improve the appearance of sagging breasts, and belt lipectomy to reduce the circumference of the abdomen, buttocks, and groin. After surgery, patients undergoing body contouring procedures can enjoy slimmer waistlines and improved confidence. They can also find better-fitting clothing and feel more comfortable in their bodies than before weight loss.
Liposuction
Liposuction aims to remove excess fat from an area. Your plastic surgeon, for instance, Joel Aronowitz, MD, injects a tumescent into the area you wish to treat. It is a combination of saline and lidocaine, along with epinephrine. Epinephrine causes the capillaries to shrink, making suctioning the fat cells without bleeding easier. This procedure can reshape the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, and arms. It cannot, however, reduce your overall weight or remove cellulite. Cellulite is the dimpled skin resulting from fibrous tissue bands under your fat layer. This product is not recommended for people with health conditions that can affect the blood flow in affected areas, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation, also known as augmentation mammoplasty or a gynecomastia surgery in Singapore, is a procedure that increases the size of the breasts using either saline or silicone implants. Women unable to produce large breasts naturally due to genetics or post-pregnancy may be candidates for this procedure. The surgeon makes an incision underneath the breast or in the armpit to create a pocket where the implant is placed, either behind or in front of the pectoral muscle. Saline implants are empty and will be filled with sterile salt water during your surgery, while silicone implants are pre-filled. Remember that breast augmentation is considered cosmetic surgery and is not covered by insurance. If you develop pain in the breast area or notice any changes in the appearance of your breasts, you should contact your plastic surgeon immediately.
Facial Implants
Facial implants are another way to reshape the face for cosmetic enhancement. A chin implant (genioplasty) can help fill out a weak or receding chin; cheek implants add volume to flat cheeks. These implants are made from medical-grade material and last permanently once they’re fixed into place. Unlike fillers, facial implants don’t degrade over time. During this procedure, your plastic surgeon creates a pocket with an incision inside the mouth or underneath the chin and inserts the implant. They may also use fat grafting to enhance facial contours or reduce excess fat. As you can see, plastic surgery is a complex field with many different procedures. Choosing an experienced surgeon, following your surgeon’s home-care instructions, and having realistic expectations can help ensure you have the safest, most successful outcome possible.
