10 Most Popular Plastic Surgery Procedures

Plastic surgery has been getting more and more popular since the eighties when it was the domain of glamorous movie stars and the mega-rich. Now there are all types of procedures available, from minor touch-ups to major reconstructions. Americans alone spend over $16 billion each year on plastic surgery. The self-image is extremely important to a lot of people these days, both men and women. With non-invasive procedures and quick recovery times, it’s a real option open to anybody.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular procedures out there.

Breast Implants

Breast augmentation is one of the oldest forms of widespread cosmetic plastic surgery and it’s more popular now than ever. The costs of this procedure have fallen sharply over the last couple of decades making it accessible to a lot more women. The ladies have a variety of reasons to want this procedure done and the desired results can vary a lot from one woman to the next. This is still a surgical procedure which requires anesthesia and a couple of weeks of recovery time. For obvious reasons, there’s no other option with breast implants. Costs average around $3,500 but again this will vary a lot depending on the details of each surgery, such as implant size and choice of surgeon.

Rhinoplasty (Nose Job)

A rhinoplasty is a procedure where the nose is reshaped. There are a lot of techniques which can be used to accomplish the desired look. Many people decide to have this done for cosmetic reasons but there are also a lot of people who have it for medical reasons. The shape of the nose can affect breathing, while in other cases the nose is damaged in an accident or misshapen due to a defect. All of these situations can be dealt with via a rhinoplasty. Recovery time depends on what techniques were used, as these can vary from simple fat injections to the full-on removal of bone and cartilage.

Liposuction

Liposuction might be the most well-known plastic surgery procedure. It’s been around for decades and has been a topic of widespread gossip when it comes to celebrity circles. Normal liposuction is known as tumescent liposuction. This is the process where a cannula is inserted into a fat deposit. The area is then soaked with a solution. After this, the cannula, or canulas, are used to suck out the solution and some dissolved fat cells. This removes fat from the local area only, so some people will be treated in multiple locations to get the results they want.

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Cryo-lipolysis has also begun to gain traction. In this technique, the fat cells are frozen locally through cryogenic techniques. The area is then hit by waves of ultrasound which break up the brittle fat cells and free them from the surrounding tissue. From here the usual process of extraction by cannula is followed. This technique can be used for precision removal as well, so it has seen use as a sculpting technique, carving lines into the body which imitate a muscular physique.

Forehead Lift

The forehead lift is what most people traditionally think of when they hear ‘facelift’. In this procedure the skin of the forehead is pulled upwards to tighten it, reducing the appearing of wrinkles and lines. Because this is an invasive procedure it can take a week or two to recover fully from the effects.

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

For a lot of people, men and women, the tummy is an area they’d love to change the look of. An abdominoplasty allows you to do exactly that. This is different from liposuction, which focuses on the local removal of fat. An abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure where fat is removed along with excess skin. It’s sometimes used by people who have gone through rapid weight loss and now carry excess, saggy skin. With a tummy tuck the surgeon will try to give a nice, tight appearance but pre-existing marks and scars, like birthmarks, can’t be removed. This is one of the more invasive plastic surgery types so recovery time can be a few weeks.

Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

Eyelid surgery is sometimes needed for medical reasons, as excess skin in the eyelid area can lead to impaired vision. More often though it’s a procedure used to create a specific eye shape. The popularity of this procedure has been on the increase as more and more people focus on having attractive eyes.

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is a cosmetic procedure which focuses on improving the appearance of your skin. It’s relatively painless and uses a specialized tool which erodes away the top layers of your skin, exposing fresher layers underneath. This technique can be used to remove spots, scars, and marks in the skin if they exist only on the top layers. The lower skin also appears younger, and as it recovers it often maintains this youthful sheen.

Lip Augmentation

The lip job came into public view back when Angelina Jolie first hit the mainstream. The world was going crazy over those full, pouty lips and women everywhere wanted to imitate it. Nowadays it’s a quick and cheap procedure to get some lip fillers injected. The effects fade with time though so users generally have regular injections, usually every 6 months or so.

Face Lift (Rhytidectomy)

A facelift can be done in combination with the forehead lift mentioned earlier on the list. It’s done in the same way, with excess skin being removed under anaesthesia. The remaining skin is lifted, making it tighter. The result is a younger appearance as wrinkles and lines are removed while the skin appears smoother and tighter.

Breast Lift (Mastopexy)

A mastopexy is a procedure which can change the shape of your breasts without the need for implants. It is also sometimes used by women who experience excess sag after childbirth or weight loss. A lift will usually remove excess skin and focus on tightening the area, similar to how a facelift works.

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