What You Need to Know About Male Plastic Surgery in NYC

Plastic surgery isn’t just for women any more. Here’s everything you need to know about male plastic surgery in New York City.

It might be hard to admit it, but you need plastic surgery. You’ve tried everything and are ashamed that you would be so much happier and confident if you could fix that one thing.
 

There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Plastic surgery isn’t just for women anymore. In 2016, The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery found that the 325 percent more men were getting male plastic surgery since 1997. If you’re considering plastic surgery, here’s everything you need to know about male plastic surgery in New York City.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Getting Male Plastic Surgery

Before we get into the nitty-gritty and break down the different types of procedures available, it’s essential that you are aware of a couple of things. Plastic surgery is permanent, so make sure you’ve done all your research before you go under the knife.

Plastic Surgery Procedures Are Done Differently For Men and Women

While men and women are probably looking for similar results from plastic surgery, it’s important to keep in mind that the approach is different for each sex. This is because of the obvious, men and women’s bodies are different.

Each body has features that are unique to each sex like the thickness of skin, pore size, and even where each gender stores fat. Male cosmetic surgery focuses more on creating and retaining more masculine features like six-pack abs or a sharp jawline, while female cosmetic surgery may be more focused on perfecting that hourglass shape.

When looking for a surgeon, be sure to find one who is both board-certified and also experienced in the kind of procedure you want. If your potential surgeon has more female than male patients, you may want to consider someone else who more experience with male plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgery Does Not Replace Working Out

If you want to get in shape, plastic surgery isn’t the only answer. Getting a procedure like liposuction or abdominoplasty (a tummy tuck) does not replace having a healthy diet and working out.

These procedures are better suited when you’ve exhausted working out and eating healthy, but still, have a little bit left you’re trying to get rid of. This is very common after an extreme weight loss. Liposuction eliminates isolated areas of fatty tissues, which usually means your flanks (or love handles), or even your chest and lower back area.

A tummy tuck is helpful if you’re looking to get rid of a little extra abdominal fat or excess skin. Even after the procedure, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Otherwise, your results will fade.

You need to rest after plastic surgery

Being out of commission can be incredibly difficult. You can’t work, be social, or do most of the things you love. So, it’s important to keep in mind that you will be out of commission for at least several days after a procedure.

This can vary on the type of procedure performed, but there’s a chance you may need to take not only days but weeks off work to properly heal. The more invasive your procedure is, the more time off work you’ll need after your treatment.

If you don’t rest after a procedure, then you increase your risk of serious complications and perhaps even undoing results from your surgery. Listen to your doctor at follow-up appointments about what activities you can and cannot do.

Noninvasive Techniques Can Boost Your Appearance Too

You don’t necessarily have to go under the knife to improve your looks. This might be a good option for you if you’re not ready for the price and recovery time that comes with invasive surgery.

If you’re looking to get rid of wrinkles, achieve more definition to your facial features, get rid of some extra fat or improve your complexion, then look into non-surgical procedures such as Botox, chemical peels, fillers or CoolSculpting. We’ll break down those procedures in a little bit, so keep reading.

The Right Surgeon Makes a Difference

You’ve seen the show Botched, right? A lot of those plastic surgery victims are at fault of their surgeon, which is why it’s important to find the right doctor for your procedure.

Always go with a plastic surgeon who has a good background in male cosmetic procedures. This is usually the best way to ensure you’ll get natural-looking results. Also, make sure you meet this doctor in person to learn more about the procedure and to make sure you feel comfortable.

If for any reason you feel uneasy or comfortable about your doctor, trust your gut (you might be trying to get rid of) and move on. Never settle when it comes to your body, face and overall health.

Most Popular Procedures for Men

Now that you know what to keep in mind before getting plastic surgery, let’s break down the different procedures out there you can find the one that’s right for you.

Non-Surgical

If you have limited budget or time for a procedure, you might want to consider looking into non-surgical procedures. They’re typically less expensive and tend to require less time for recovery. Here are the ones men in New York City are getting.

Botox

Botox is the number one procedure for men currently. It’s become so popular for men, that people are even calling it “Brotox.”

Botox is a protein that’s highly concentrated, so when it’s injected into your skin, it softens the movement of your muscles. These are the muscles that make horizontal wrinkles in your forehead, the lines that make you look angry or worried, and also your squint lines.

To fully see the effects of Botox, keep in mind it might take a few days before it before it starts working. Often within two weeks or maybe sooner, your forehead will look smoother, but still stay expressive. Botox also isn’t permanent, it lasts for approximately four months and requires follow-up procedure.

Dermal Fillers

Out of all the cosmetic procedures men got in 2016, dermal fillers made up about 169,000 of them. Fillers are injections made of hyaluronic acid (HA). This acid is actually found in our bodies naturally, but it depletes the more we age.

HA can be injected into the undereye hollows (or tear troughs), which helps reduce dark circles, bags, and shadows under the eye.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is another common procedure for men. It involves using IPL (intense pulsed light) that gets into the skin at a deeper level. This helps to fade brown pigment spots or red patches from sun damage. These sessions aren’t that painless and take less than an hour, but there can be some sign of the treatment after, like redness. These side effects tend to fade away in less than a week.

CoolSculpting

CoolScupting is a great non-surgical alternative to liposuction, as it gives men fat removal without any pain or downtime. It’s best for toning, and if there’s a large amount of fat you’re trying to remove, then you might need a tummy tuck or liposuction.

When you get CoolScuplting, what happens is your fat you want to minimize gets frozen, and a percentage of that fat dies. Over a couple of months, the dead fat gets flushed from the body.

Surgical

If you’ve exhausted all non-surgical procedures and you’re still not seeing results, then it might be time for surgery. Just make sure you have time to recover and the budget for these procedures. Here at the most common plastic surgeries for men in New York City.

Hair Transplant

Hair transplants can actually be minimally invasive if your surgeon is doing NeoGraft which uses the Follicular Unit Extraction or FUI technique. During this procedure, hair follicles are individually removed from the back of your head, and then placed in areas that need hair.

Liposuction

When liposuction was introduced in 1974, it was embraced by both sexes. Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a blunt hollow tube that suctions out unwanted fat.

While historically women were more likely to get liposuction than men, who preferred to sweat out their fat, now more than ever more men are embracing this procedure too.

This is due to the finding that men and women can both develop problem areas, that will not change no matter how much you diet or exercise. Due to this finding, from 1997 to 2016 there was a huge rise in the number of liposuction procedures performed. Before 1997 only 4.6 of plastic surgeries were liposuction, to that percentage has increased to a whopping 134.3 percent for both men and women.

You can get liposuction in almost any area of the body. It’s often performed with a local anesthetic, so you don’t have to deal with expensive hospital anesthesia charges. The recovery time from this procedure can be about one to two weeks of feeling sore, but not in pain.

Male Breast Reduction

This cosmetic surgery has been in demand for men, and will likely continue to be popular this year and for years to come. Excess male breast tissue is called gynecomastia, and it can develop during puberty due to not having enough testosterone. Gynecomastia can also happen as adults since testosterone levels can decrease with age.

“Man boobs” or “moobs” can be embarrassing for men and can easily affect a man’s self-esteem and self-worth. But they’re not alone; it’s estimated that 40 to 60 percent of men have gynecomastia. Luckily, this condition can be fixed with a male breast reduction, which gets rid of this excess tissue.

There has been an increase in male breast reduction surgeries, since 1997, the number of these procedures increased 181%. In the year 2016, there was actually 31,368 breast reduction procedures performed.

Eyelid Surgery

This is the third most popular cosmetic procedure for men (behind liposuction and male breast reduction). If fillers don’t work to remove signs of aging from the eyes, then men turn to this eyelid surgery, which can make your face look younger.

This procedure gets rid of hooded upper eyelids and or undereye bags, both of which can give away your age. The downside is this procedure is usually the most noticeable to other people, especially if a good surgeon does not perform it.

You know a good eyelid surgery, which is also called blepharoplasty when the results are a natural look. Also if not done properly, this procedure could potentially impair vision. That is why an oculoplastic surgeon should always do it.

This procedure is done with two incisions, one on the natural fold of your upper lid, and the other is on the lash line of your lower lids. Your upper lids excess skin is removed and then closed, which can make a scar on the fold of your upper lip that’s usually not noticeable. Your lower lids are fixed as natural fat are inserted to smooth out your undereye.

This procedure can be done with local anesthetic, and takes as little as a half hour, as long as two hours. This procedure is also affordable, and you can return to work one week after surgery. You might have to wear glasses and or sunglasses in the interim to hide redness and swelling.

Get That Procedure

Now you should know everything you need to know about male plastic surgery in New York City.

We are living in a time where many men get and embrace their procedures so don’t be ashamed. If getting surgery will help boost your confidence and self-esteem, then that’s an investment in yourself that’s worth it.

Just make sure you do the necessary research before getting a procedure. Make sure you are comfortable with your surgeon and that he is board certified. Look into all your options for procedures before you decide.

Often you may find that there is a non-surgical alternative to the procedure you want, try that first before going under the knife. Know the plastic surgery is not only a financial commitment but a time commitment as well.

Before committing to surgery, make sure you have the necessary time needed to recover fully. For more information on New York City male plastic surgery, be sure to check out our blog.

After having children, you deserve to take care of yourself and feel your best. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the mommy makeover.

Your breasts are sagging and lack volume. You have excess skin on your tummy. You’ve gone through the wonderful experience of bringing a life into this world. It’s time to consider a mommy makeover.

A mommy makeover can provide a combination of treatments to bring your body back to pre-baby shape. Through invasive and non-invasive treatments, you can get the help exercise and diet cannot give.

Keep reading to find out if a mommy makeover is right for you.

What is it

Your plastic surgeon is going to create a customized plan to address your concerns. The goal is to assist you in getting your pre-baby shape back.

This can include a face, breasts, and body restoration. Your treatment plan can include surgical procedures and non-surgical procedures.

Surgical Procedures

There are some common procedures that are considered when determining your mommy makeover plan.

Breast augmentation and lift can correct the shape and fullness of your breasts. If your breasts are sagging or your nipples are not “perky” any more a breast augmentation can help correct it.

If your breasts have become asymmetrical this can be corrected through implants. Your stretched or large nipples and areolas can be reshaped.

If you have sagging or loose skin on your tummy, it can be corrected through a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck can also repair your stomach muscles that may have been damaged by stretching or tearing during pregnancy.

Liposuction can help reduce any fat deposits on your stomach and hips that you cannot get rid of with diet and exercise.

Nonsurgical Procedures

There are many procedures you can get that do not involve invasive surgical procedures. These are a great option if you are planning to have more children.

Skin resurfacing treatments will help give you a more youthful and fresh look. Stress ages people and going through pregnancy and birth is a stressful experience.

Skin tightening uses heat on the deep layers of your skin. This is done with ultrasound, radiofrequency, or IPL/ radiofrequency combination treatment.

The collagen and elastin in your skin are stimulated so more is produced tightening the look of your skin. If cellulite is your skin problem there are treatments that stimulate fibrous tissues to smooth out the skin.

Botox and fillers could help give you a more youthful look by eliminating the look of fine lines and wrinkles. These treatments are not permanent and will have to be redone every six months to a year depending on treatment.

Nonsurgical fat reduction breaks down fat in a particular area slowly. There is a modest fat loss with this method.

Feminine rejuvenation brings the tone and tightness back to your vulvovaginal tissues. Not just childbearing can cause your genital tissue to lose its tone.

Age and hormonal changes can also contribute to the changing features of the tissue. If you have urinary leakage, vaginal dryness, or painful sexual intercourse, you may be experiencing a loss of vaginal tone.

Rejuvenation can restore sagging, large, and asymmetrical labia. There are nonsurgical and surgical options for vaginal rejuvenation.

Surgical involves Vaginoplasty, Clitoral hood reduction, and Mons pubis reduction. These procedures are invasive and require recovery time.

Nonsurgical options are less invasive but may require more treatments. The treatment only takes 15 minutes and patients experience improvement within one to two days.

When to Get the Procedures

When you decide to start treatment is a decision specific to you and the opinion of your plastic surgeon. Trust your doctor’s advice.

They do these procedures regularly and understand proper timing is important. There are some factors to consider when deciding when is the right time.

You need to wait until you are fully recovered from your childbirth before you start new procedures. Be aware that sometimes this can take six to eight months.

If you are wanting a breast augmentation you will have to wait until several months after you stop breastfeeding. Your breasts have gone through 9 months of changes during pregnancy.

Then they experienced more changes during breastfeeding. You need to give your breasts time to stabilize into a constant size and shape.

You don’t want to go through the experience of breast augmentation and spend money only to have your breasts naturally change again.

You will be paying for another surgery to adjust them again. Better to let them change and fully do their thing before your surgeon goes in and starts making changes.

If you are planning on getting injectables you may have to wait until you are done breastfeeding. You do not want to risk any contamination of your breastmilk that is being given to your child.

If you get surgical procedures as a part of your mommy makeover, you won’t be able to pick up anything over 10 pounds. This means you are going to need help with childcare.

Make sure you do not want any more children. It is best to wait until you are done before having many surgical procedures. Procedures that fall into this category are a tummy tuck, breast lift, and lower body lift.

What If You Have Another Child

You should wait until you are done, but it isn’t the end of the world if you have another child. There are some things you should keep in mind if you decide to have more children.

If you have gotten a tummy tuck you could have some complications. Your abdominal muscles will have been tightened by sutures.

Going through pregnancy could undo the tummy tuck. This means you’ll have to get another one post-pregnancy.

Decide if you are willing to take on the additional cost and trauma to your body. It may be better to get some of the procedures done and wait to do the tummy tuck until you are positive you do not want to have more children.

Cost

The cost of a mommy makeover can vary greatly depending on the procedures performed, where in the country you are, and what surgeon you choose. The average cost ranges from ten thousand to twenty thousand dollars.

Items that go into the cost of your makeover include the surgeon’s fee, hospital or surgical facility fees, anesthesia fees, medications, implants, post-surgery garments, and medical tests or x rays.

Do not travel a long distance to find a better deal for your surgeries. Select your surgeon based on skill, track record, credentials, reputation, and your comfort level. You want to be near your surgeon for follow-ups and in the event of any complications.

Once your surgery experience is finished and you are healed you’ll need to purchase new clothes. You will have a new body shape.

Your old clothes may no longer look good or even fit anymore. This is an additional cost associated with getting your mommy makeover.

Financing Options

With the high cost of mommy makeovers, you may not be able to pay for the full cost of the procedures out of pocket. Financing may be available through your surgeon’s office.

Almost all practices accept credit cards. Be careful putting such a large procedure on a credit card though.

You could very easily get deep in credit card debt this way. Consider the interest rate you will be paying and what the total cost of the procedure will be once you pay the credit card off.

There are many third-party companies that offer to finance plastic surgery procedures exclusively. This may be a better option to credit cards, but will also cost you more with interest.

Selecting a Plastic Surgeon

You are looking for a surgeon who is experienced in the mommy makeover plan. Don’t look for a surgeon who has performed these procedures individually.

You want your surgeon to be experienced in performing them all together, and how your body is going to react and respond to the multiple procedures.

Ask your potential surgeon how many of these makeovers the surgeon has done. Ask to see before and after pictures. Look for patients who have similar issues to yours.

Check out online reviews of your surgeon. See if they have a solid reputation of providing not only a high level of quality care but that patients are happy with their results.

Have Reasonable Expectations

Have reasonable expectations about the results of your mommy makeover. Listen to your surgeon about what is possible.

In most cases, it is difficult to replicate exactly your pre-pregnancy body. Your surgeon will be able to give you a firmer and more fit body.

Do not expect your procedures to be the magic cure-all. The goal is to give you more confidence in your own body.

Exercise

Go on a healthy diet and exercise plan before you begin your mommy makeover. You may not need as many surgical procedures if you can shed some pounds on your own.

Surgery is a dangerous thing, no matter what you are going under the knife for. There are more risks and can be more complicated when you are overweight.

If you continue to workout and diet after your procedures your body shape can change again. You want to make sure you are in your ideal shape before you begin to make changes surgically.

A good rule of thumb is to get to your ideal weight and maintain it for at least three months. If you can do this you will be in great shape for your makeover.

Emotional Journey

Face it, you just had a baby. You brought a human into the world. You’ve already gone through a pretty emotional and stressful journey.

Getting multiple plastic surgery procedures to majorly change your body is going to be another emotional journey. You are going to feel stress at some point in the process.

You will experience an adjustment period accepting your new body. Your body will have changed overnight.

Make sure you get plenty of rest during the process. You will need to make yourself a priority and take care of yourself.

Let the people around you know what’s happening and be included in your journey. Your family and friends are there to support you.

Recovery

Do not underestimate the time you are going to need to recover. Plan to take time off work. Plan to have help carrying for your children and yourself.

Depending on the procedures you choose to have done, you will have limited mobility after your procedures. The average recovery time for a mommy makeover is six weeks.

You’ll most likely be bedridden for the first week. After two to three weeks you’ll be able to drive and do light tasks. After five to six weeks you should be close to normal life again.

If you did your prep work and exercised beforehand, you will be better prepared for a faster and less complicated recovery process. Wait until your doctor approves before you begin working out again.

Be prepared for swelling. Do not panic if your breasts seem WAY BIGGER than what you expected post-surgery. They are just swollen and will reduce in size.

It’s important to be patient and wait for your body to finish healing. Your shape is going to change a lot as the swelling goes down and your body adjusts to what just happened.

It can take the full 6 six before you start to see your final shape. Breasts are most known for going through many changes before you see the final result.

Scarring

You will have scarring. Skilled surgeons will do everything they can to ensure you have minimal scarring. They will also try to hide the scars in places that will be hidden by clothing.

While the surgeon will do everything he can to reduce the look of the scars, a big factor is your body. If you scar easily, this will be no different.

Once you are done you can do things to reduce the scarring with lotions or vitamin E. The scars may also fade with time.

Start Your Mommy Makeover Journey

You’ve read the process and what the mommy makeover can do for you. If a makeover is something you are interested in, contact a plastic surgeon.

Schedule your consultation today to start your mommy makeover process.

Considering a facelift but need more details? Click here to learn all about the differences between facelifts, mini-facelifts, brow lifts, and neck lifts. In 2015, a whopping 15.9 million patients opted for surgical and minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures in the States!

If the thought of getting a lift procedure has ever crossed your mind, it isn’t surprising considering how common they are. On the face of it (pardon the pun) the operation seems a tad unnatural, so it’s often the subject of a lot of questions. For example:

How do they work?

How long’s the recovery period?

How long will the effects of the surgery last?

Is it painful?

Is there more than one kind of facelift?

These are some of the most common questions associated with facelifts, and we’re going to tackle all of them throughout this blog post. Let’s dive on in.

What’s a Facelift?

For those of you who don’t know, as we get older our skin will begin to lose its elasticity. So, over time, our face is prone to developing deep wrinkles, and saggier looking skin.

Therefore, a facelift aims to tighten or remove any sagging or wrinkled facial and/or neck tissue from across the bottom two-thirds of your face. This lift procedure is ideal for anyone who wants to carry on looking like a younger version of themselves.

Here’s a short video from Dr. Andrew Miller, one of our expert surgeons here at Allure Plastic Surgery:

There’s More Than One Lift Procedure

The most common misconception about facelifts is that there’s only one type of lift procedure. We’re here to set the record straight and tell you there’s at least four you should know about if you’re considering this procedure.

The kind of lift you’ll require will depend on a couple of factors. Namely, how much excess skin you have, and what you want to look like as a result of your surgery.

1.) the Full Facelift

Let’s start with the ‘full facelift.’ This is the most extreme lift procedure out of the four discussed in this article.

Your surgeon will make a few incisions just behind your hairline (close to your temples) and will then gradually work their way round to the front of your ears. This is done to ensure that no incision is noticeable on your cheeks.

As the cut is taken behind the ear, the incision stays completely inside the crease and away into the hairline so it’s completely hidden. Then, your cosmetic surgeon can realign your deeper tissues located under your skin and get rid of any excess skin.

By doing this, they’re able to smooth out any creases on your face and get rid of any jowls under the chin and neck. Naturally, out of all four of these procedures, there’s a slightly longer recovery time. However, after that’s passed, patients will notice a lot of improvement across their face.

2.) the Mid-Facelift

The mid-facelift tends to focus on the center of the face. This is particularly effective if you’re conscious about the sagging in your cheeks or the deeper wrinkles found around your mouth.

3.) the Lower Facelift

If you’re only concerned about saggy skin across the bottom half of your face (and as long as the upper half of your face is in excellent condition), a lower facelift is probably the best option for you.

However, only opt for this if you’re confident you don’t need any work done across the middle of your face- otherwise, you’ll get an unbalanced and unnatural look, and it’ll be obvious you’ve had cosmetic surgery.

4.) the Mini-Facelift

The best way to describe this lift procedure is by likening it to a smaller ‘full facelift’. This is an excellent way of eradicating any unwanted signs of aging before they become too ingrained.

The benefit of nipping these issues in the bud with a ‘mini-facelift’ is that it drastically decreases the likelihood of requiring more extensive surgery later down the line.

As part of the operation, the surgeon will use much smaller incisions. This is what makes this method less invasive. The surgeon typically makes these cuts across the hairlines above both ears and/or the creases surrounding the ears.

A ‘mini-lift’ will focus on tightening the skin around the cheeks and jaw. Once the surgeon has made these incisions, they’re able to lift and tighten the tissue surrounding the cheeks. This is essential if you’re hoping to correct any jowls and refine your jawline.

However, this lift procedure doesn’t offer any muscle correction. Therefore, the results aren’t permanent. The effects tend to last approximately five years. You might be interested to know, that depending on your own personal circumstances, this procedure may be able to be performed using just a local anesthetic.

However, it’s possible to entirely under while the operation commences. During your consultation with your surgeon, they’ll advise you as to which option is the best for you.

Will My Eyelids Be Operated On?

In short, no they won’t. Typically, people assume that having a facelift means operating on the entire face, including the eyes- and they’re not. Facelifts only tackle the lower two-thirds of your face (your cheeks and jawline).

This is because our facial anatomy massively differs depending on which part of the face you’re talking about. Therefore, a completely different set of techniques are necessary if you wish to operate on them.

Hence, if you’re looking to correct the appearance of your eyelids, you’ll need to opt for an eyelid lift. Conversely, if you’re looking to smooth any wrinkles found on your brow, you’ll want a brow lift.

If these other procedures are something you’d like more information on, we recommend speaking to your cosmetic surgeon about this during your consultation. This is the best way to explore all of the options available to you.

Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon

Like any operation, you want to be sure you can trust the surgeon who’s handling your procedure. This undoubtedly leads to the question: how do I choose a cosmetic surgeon?

After all, any facelift requires the doctor to understand the sophisticated methodology necessary to pull off a lift procedure. Plus, they need to possess extensive knowledge of facial anatomy.

Unfortunately, not all cosmetic surgeons get taught about facelift procedures as part of their residency training. Therefore, if you’re considering going under the knife, it’s crucial you do your homework before settling on a surgeon. We recommend asking these questions to help you with your research:

Ask any potential surgeons about their training and experience in facial cosmetic surgery. Ask questions regarding their depth of experience, years of great results evidenced by many before and after photographs and patient testimonials. Inquire as to how many facelift procedures they’ve performed.

If they have experience conducting this procedure ask if it’s possible to see a few before and after snaps. This is essential if you wish to evaluate the quality of their work.

You should also make sure the surgeon specifies the gender they’re most familiar working on. This is because the facial anatomy varies massively between the two sexes.

We also urge you to undertake the following tasks:

Read reviews from previous patients.

Don’t limit yourself to one consultation, shop around and book to see a few surgeons before making your final decision.

Try to find out which surgeons, doctors select for their facelifts.

Last but not least, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to opt for a board-certified cosmetic surgeon. This dramatically increases the chances of hiring the services of a thoroughly trained and experienced surgeon.

How Do I Prepare for My Lift Procedure?

You won’t have to worry about this too much because your plastic surgeon will give you a list of pre-op instructions. This will most likely include all the medications you need to stop taking before your lift procedure.

This is necessary because of certain drugs that thin the blood. This consequently causes more bleeding during surgery- naturally, this could forge a more dangerous situation.

Other practicalities you need to prepare for include; arranging for someone to take you home afterward because you’ll be unable to drive. We also recommend getting a friend or family member to stay with your for at least the first 48 hours after your surgery (in the rare event you experience any complications.

TOP TIP: If you’re worried about the swelling you’ll experience during the aftermath of your lift procedure, try eating a low-salt diet. Previous patients have said this helped them minimize the swelling.

What’s the Recovery Process Like?

You’ll be pleased to hear that despite the complexity of a lift procedure, the recovery time is relatively quick. Typically, most patients are up and running within two weeks of their operation.

However, you’ll have to delay any strenuous exercises for about a month. Please note these time frames are usually shorter if you opt for the mini facelift. You should also be aware that every individual will heal slightly differently, so be sure to listen and follow any instructions your surgeon gives you regarding your aftercare.

Usually, most patients are primarily concerned with how long it’ll be before their face looks aesthetically presentable. This is certainly understandable because unlike most other operations, you can’t cover up your face as easily as you go about your day!

Naturally, bruising and swelling is completely normal after a lift procedure. These side effects tend to look their worst two days after surgery. After a couple of days pass, the bruising and swelling will gradually cease and will be barely noticeable in around 10 to 14 days.

However, we often find lots of our patients feel comfortable leaving the house after about a week’s worth of recovery. Rest assured, your cosmetic surgeon will be able to advise you on when it’s safe for you to apply makeup to cover up any bruising.

Finally, we just want to mention how important it is to protect your face from the sun, especially after a facelift. This is because your skin is far more susceptible to burning (even after several weeks pass). Plus, keeping away from the sun will help your scars to heal.

We recommend wearing UV-protection sun-glasses, a high-factor sunscreen on your face, and a wide-brimmed hat if you’re planning to venture into the sunshine.

How Long Will the Effects of a Facelift Last?

Unfortunately, no matter how skilled or experienced your surgeon is you won’t be able to eradicate the signs of aging as time goes on completely. However, a good-quality facelift conducted by an industry professional should aim not only to tackle the ‘problems’ you have now but to also adapt as the years progress.

This means that although nothing can stop the natural aging process, a facelift should always make you look years younger (in comparison to if you hadn’t of had the surgery). However, if you want to prolong the effects of your lift procedure you should consider doing the following:

Maintain a healthy weight. This is essential because significant fluctuations in your size can cause your skin to stretch out again. Therefore, increasing the likelihood of your skin to sag.

We also recommend adopting a thorough skincare routine. This is also imperative for keeping your skin healthy and reducing the appearance of aging. If you’re unsure which products to use, we suggest speaking to your surgeon. They’ll be able to steer you in the right direction.

Would You Like More Information About the Facelift Procedure?

If this article has prompted questions about any lift procedure, please feel free to reach out and contact us. Once you’ve filled out the contact form, one of our team of friendly professionals will get in touch with you soon as soon as they can.

Rest assured, no question is too big or too small- so please send in all of your inquiries. Also, if you enjoyed this blog post, we’re confident you’ll love our other articles. Over on our blog, we cover handy hints and tips on everything from cellulite to breast enhancement surgery. Enjoy!

If you’re reading this, then you’ll know that a rhinoplasty is surgeon-speak for a nose job.

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures in America and rated among the top 6 procedures last year. According to a recent survey by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 148,143 procedures were performed in 2016.

With nose jobs being so popular, anyone who’s interested will want to do their research. Look through photos to see what surgeons can achieve, and find out what a rhinoplasty is like before, during and after the event, or take a look at this video where Dr. Andrew Miller discusses recovery from a rhinoplasty procedure:

Reality TV would have you believe that rhinoplasties are agony to recover from. We’re here to dispel that myth and give you the lowdown on what to expect during your rhinoplasty recovery. It’s not as bad as you may think!

Why Get One?

While it’s true that many people who opt for a rhinoplasty are unhappy with the appearance of their nose there are some other reasons people might get a nose job.

Rhinoplasties can sometimes correct breathing problems or damage from a trauma to the nose. Others have a birth defect that a rhinoplasty can correct.

Whatever your reasons for having plastic surgery, it’s very important to thoroughly research your chosen procedure. Find out how to prepare, what your surgery involves, what the risks are, and how best to recover afterward.

Remember that there are pros and cons to any surgical procedure. If you have any concerns at all at any stage of the process, always discuss these with your surgeon.

What Happens During a Rhinoplasty?

Every Nose is Different

The rhinoplasty procedure is unique for everyone, as each person’s requirements vary, and every nose is different.

Depending on the individual, you can have either open or closed surgery.

Closed surgery is where the surgeon operates internally, through your nostrils. Or you may have open surgery, through an incision at the base of your nose, with your surgeon readjusting the bone and cartilage that way.

Anesthetic Stops the Pain

You’ll be under general anesthesia where you’re asleep and out for the count.

This means that, during your rhinoplasty, you won’t feel pain while your surgeon works on you.

The type of anesthetic you’ll receive depends on your particular needs and procedure, and also on your surgeon’s preferences. If you have any specific requests, discuss them with your surgeon beforehand.

How Long Does it Take?

A rhinoplasty can take between 1-2 hours if it’s a simple op, though complex surgeries could take up to 4.

The type of anesthetic you have will also impact the procedure length. Local anesthetic means less time as you’re already awake throughout, whereas general anesthetic means they’ll have to monitor you as you come round.

Your surgeon will discuss your options and duration with you during your consultation.

Your Rhinoplasty Recovery

Now, you’ve had your rhinoplasty, and it really didn’t hurt much, which was awesome. So what comes next?

Unfortunately, you’re not going to walk out the door after your op and be able to show off your dream nose straight away.

It’s going to be a bit of a caterpillar-to-butterfly transformation, but those are some of the best kinds, right? Exactly.

Swelling

The first thing you’re going to notice as you start your recovery is that your nose is pretty blocked and swollen. You’ll probably still have in the splints that your surgeon used during the procedure, plus loads of internal packing and dressings.

You know that bunged-up feeling you get when you’re sick and your sinuses are all blocked? That’s sort of what it feels like. It’s not painful, but it is uncomfortable.

You’ll also probably feel like your nose is huge. It’s not, by the way, but the swelling in your nose and face will make you think it is.

At Allure Plastic Surgery, your packing is removed the day after your procedure. Once they’re taken out, the pressure is released and you’ll feel like you’re floating on air, plus you’ll be able to smell stuff again! Splints may stay on until around days 5-7 post-op.

The best way to counter this at first is to lay or sit in your bed, with your nose higher than your chest, for optimal blood flow and minimized swelling and bruising.

During your rhinoplasty recovery, don’t do intensive exercise for 2 weeks after surgery. Things like lifting weights, swimming and running are a no-no. But you can do light walking, though probably just around your house and yard is best in the beginning. Why?

Well, on the street or at the park, think animals, kids, and balls. You don’t want anything to jump at, strike, or fly at your nose before it’s healed. It’ll really hurt, and it can easily shift your stents and delicate nose out of place.

Now you can start to see glimpses of that beautiful nose you’ve been coveting! But once the dressings are off, you’ll notice something else.

Bruising

Just to be clear, the bruising doesn’t hurt. But it might look kind of bad for the first week or so, as it goes from dark purple and begins fading to green, and then yellow.

For some people, the bruising that comes during the recovery phase is barely an issue, though for others it’s downright obvious. Again, it all depends on the person, so it’s a wait-and-see thing.

You might see bruising on your nose and around your eyes, too, from the surgery.

For the first 48 hours, use ice to minimise the bruising and swelling. The discoloration will probably last between 10 days and 2 weeks, but soon it’ll be gone and like it never happened.

You’ll forget all about it as you see the fruits of your labor coming into focus!

Wound Care

This one’s pretty basic: you need to keep your wound clean.

A great way to do this is to soak a Q-tip in hydrogen peroxide, and gently apply it to any scabbed blood until the scabs dissolve.

Sounds kind of gross, we know. But it’s really important to make sure you don’t get infections during your rhinoplasty recovery stage, and also so your face and nose feel as comfortable as possible.

This sort of cleaning will only be necessary for up to the first 5 days. After that, the bleeding should stop so you won’t need to worry about it anymore.

Of course, wound care is something you’ll discuss with your surgeon. You won’t be able to shower and wet your face because of the dressings and packing, so make sure you’re armed with all the information you need to keep wounds clean and dry.

Dry Mouth

This is something that isn’t really stressed much, but dry mouth is a thing during recovery. When your nose is totally out of action while the packing’s in and the swelling’s going down, the only thing you can breathe through is your mouth.

Since you’ll be doing a lot with your mouth – eating, breathing, talking – it will get pretty dry. Soft and moist food will definitely help in the beginning, and during the day you can drink lots to counter it.

The time dry mouth is worst is at night.

Again, this is not something that’s painful, it’s just uncomfortable. But if you take the proper steps to reduce it early on, you’ll thank yourself later.

You’ll want to increase the moisture in the air, and a great way to do this is to have a humidifier running through the night while you’re asleep.

During your rhinoplasty recovery, having a jug of water beside you in the night is a necessity. You might find yourself waking up at first, as your body adjusts to this new nightly state, so take sips of water to relieve your dry, scratchy mouth and throat.

Though this isn’t painful, it may be irritating. But you’ll be getting ever-closer to nose perfection, and a dry mouth is going to be so worth it.

Sensitivity

This may sound obvious, but your nose is going to be pretty sensitive for a little while.

During the recovery stage, things will feel uncomfortable and you might be tempted to touch, gently massage, or apply pressure to your nose.

Don’t.

While you may suffer discomfort, contact with your nose is only going to delay the healing process and prolong your recovery time.

It’s easier said than done, but when you feel the urge to prod or poke your nose, go do something to distract yourself. The quicker your recovery period is over, the quicker you’ll see the transformation you’ve been waiting for.

Ongoing Recovery

For those first 5-7 days, your rhinoplasty recovery phase will be limited by the nasal stents and packing. Once those are out, you’ll need to take further steps to aid the healing process.

Be aware that it takes 4-6 weeks for your nasal bones to heal solidly, so you’ll still need to treat your nose with caution.

Moisturize With Saline

The lining of your nose, or the nasa mucosa, will need to heal after your surgery and to do that it needs moisture.

Carry a saline nasal spray with you everywhere, and use it at least 3 times a day, but more if you need to. A saline spray helps to replenish the moisture content of the nasal lining.

Saline also helps to helps to curb swelling, and keep the lingering wounds inside your nose clean, which will speed up the healing process.

The internal scabbing during the recovery stage can take up to a month to heal, so be aware of that and treat your nose accordingly.

Don’t Blow Your Nose

This is going to take a lot of self-control, but don’t blow your nose during your recovery phase.

Many surgeons advise that a gentle nose-blow after 3 weeks is okay, but the emphasis is on the word ‘gentle’.

You’ll often be advised not to put any pressure on the sides of your nose, which can be frustrating, as that means that there won’t be a buildup of pressure inside. And use your saline spray first, to soften up the scabs inside.

Still, it is only for just over a month. Chances are you’ve been waiting for your rhinoplasty result for quite a while, maybe even years, so a month is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Remember that; it’ll help.

Flying

If you’ve had your surgery far away from home, your surgeon will likely advise you that you can fly home after 7-10 days.

By this time, internal and external nasal splints will have been removed, as will the packing. The swelling will mostly have gone down, and any oozing or dripping will have usually stopped within the first couple of days.

Take your saline nasal spray with you on the flight and be sure to use it more than you would on the ground. Most of us get dry noses on a flight, even without a major trauma to them, which is essentially what a rhinoplasty is.

The nasal cavities can dry out on a flight, so keep them moist with lots of saline to combat it and ease discomfort.

It’s good to be aware that flying can induce general swelling in many people, and this can include your nose.

If you find swelling is something you’re prone to, after your initial flight home it may be a good idea to hold off flying for a few months until things have calmed down internally.

The Transformation

Finally.

Your time has finally come.

You’ve been through the surgery, the discomfort, the period of looking like you’ve had a few rounds in the ring with someone a lot bigger and heavier than you. But the day has finally come.

You look in the mirror and see, for the first time, a perfect new nose without any traces of telltale yellow bruising, or the swelling that you thought would never go away.

Like the caterpillar who hid away in his chrysalis for a month and emerged as a beautiful butterfly, your nose has finally undergone its transformation to a thing of beauty on your beaming face.

Talk about a transformation. With your new look and constant smile, your nose won’t be the only thing that’s changed.

Loved this article? Click here to find out the most popular plastic surgery procedure in New York.

Rhinoplasty, also referred to as a “nose job” or sometimes “nose reshaping”, is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries today. Rhinoplasty modifies the proportions of your nose to give you the facial appearance you desire. Rhinoplasty is also performed at times to correct impaired breathing caused by structural defects within the nose and at other times to correct facial damage from an accident or other such occurrence.

If you are considering undergoing a nose job, there are few things you should consider to qualify you as a good candidate for rhinoplasty; we also have some tips to review for your consultation with your rhinoplasty surgeon.

Important note: it is of utmost importance that you are completely honest with your surgeon in every way. Your surgeon will ask you about previous surgeries, medications you are taking or have taken, known allergies to medications or anesthesia, alcohol, tobacco and drug use, diet, etc. It is your responsibility to provide honest and accurate information to your surgeon. Being dishonest about any of these could result in a less than ideal outcome, or worse.

Are you a Suitable Candidate for Rhinoplasty?

You may be a suitable candidate for rhinoplasty provided your facial growth is complete and you are physically healthy. Ideally you should be a non-smoker, and you must have realistic goals in mind for the improvement of your facial appearance. If you fit this description, read on for some additional tips on what you should ask your surgeon during your nose job procedure consultation visit.

1) General certifications, training and experience:

Ask your surgeon to kindly provide his training and certification credentials as well as his overall surgical experience. Where did he train, what are his certifications and how long as he or she been performing plastic surgery procedures? There are a variety of certifications for plastic surgeons, so it is recommended to do additional research after your consultation so you are familiar with the credentials of your surgeon of choice.

2) Rhinoplasty specific surgical expertise:

Ask your surgeon how many years he has spent performing rhinoplasties as well as how many total nose jobs he has completed during this time. Ask your surgeon specifics on their success rate – what percentage of patients are happy with the procedures and consider their nose job a success and how many have required revisions? How many revisions ultimately lead to happy patients? You may also consider asking how many nose jobs they perform on a weekly or monthly basis as well as what percentage of overall procedures they perform are rhinoplasty as opposed to various other surgeries. This will give you a solid idea as to how often your surgeon is performing the same procedure and keeping their rhinoplasty skills sharp.

3) Revision policy:

Ask your surgeon if the results are not what you wanted, what is their policy on revisions? It is important to be clear on this matter, as one surgeon may perform a revision free of charge if you are not fully pleased with the outcome for a variety of reasons, while another surgeon may only perform revisions based on certain criteria. Also ask the timeframe for revisions – how long after your procedure do you need to wait before a revision is possible should you require one?

4) Rhinoplasty questions directly related to you:

You may ask your surgeon their experience performing rhinoplasty on your ethnicity and how that may affect the outcome. Does your surgeon specialize in male or female nose jobs, or does she have equal experience and success with both genders? If you are considering additional plastic surgery procedures in the future, ask your surgeon how your current rhinoplasty may affect these potential future procedures and if now is the proper time for a nose job.

5) RhinoplastyTechniques:

Ask your surgeon to explain some of the techniques she utilizes in rhinoplasty procedures. Specifically, ask if he or she uses minimally invasive techniques to reduce scarring. Another question to ask your surgeon as well as research yourself is the choice between an open and closed rhinoplasty and which technique your surgeon will use for your procedure. Open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty are two techniques surgeons use in reshaping the nasal tip. Open rhinoplasty techniques use an incision along the columella, which is the soft tissue between your nostrils, while closed rhinoplasty implies that all incisions will be inside of the nostril. Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages to each technique. Some noses are more apt for closed techniques and others better suited to open techniques. Ideally, your surgeon should feel comfortable with both techniques and apply the best one for your nose during your procedure, based on your unique anatomy.

6) Expected results from your rhinoplasty:

Have a point-blank discussion on what to expect with your procedure as well as what may go wrong. As mentioned above, it is very important that you have reasonable expectations on the outcome of your procedure. You must FULLY convey these expectations to your surgeon so he or she may confirm the likelihood of these or correct any expectations that may not be likely or even possible to achieve. Listen carefully to what your surgeon says and adjust your expectations accordingly before deciding to continue with the procedure. Also ask what can go wrong with your procedure and how likely is it to happen. Minor issues are uncommon but do happen and serious issues are rare; however, your particular physical structure or medical history may open up further risk or adversely affect the outcome. Again, be honest and listen very closely to your surgeon and make sure you are 100% comfortable with potential issues that may arise before moving forward with your procedure as you and only you must live with the end results.

7) Rhinoplasty recovery:

Ask specific questions regarding the recovery process of your nose job. Will the recovery process be painful? What types of medications will I need to take? How long will I need to take off school or work? What physical activities must I avoid and for how long? Should I avoid travel or flying? How will this affect my daily routine over the course of the recovery period? Will I be able to wear eye glasses or contact lenses directly after surgery? Your surgeon will lay out a recovery plan and what to expect in the hours, days and weeks after your surgery. Should you make the decision to undergo a nose job, make sure to follow the your surgeon’s instructions closely in order to ensure optimal results.

8) Personal responsibilities in order to assure the most successful surgical outcome for my rhinoplasty:

 It is very important for patients to follow all instructions given by your surgeon both before and after surgery. Your surgeon will give you specific direction on how to properly prepare for your surgical procedure as well as what to do post-op. The list will include various directions on eating, drinking, and sleeping requirements prior to your surgery as well as potential medication additions or changes that may be required.  Post-operative direction will include what medications you will be required to take, eating, drinking, and sleeping instruction, and also what issues and concerns to look out for once the operation is complete and your body is in the process of healing.

9) Before and after photos:

Ask to see before and after photos with your surgeon and ask him to explain the procedures as you look through the patient pictures. You will learn a great deal about rhinoplasty by viewing before and after pictures of the procedures and you will learn more about your surgeon, including his level of passion for his work and caring for his patients. Make sure you ask her to show you examples of noses that are close to yours as far similarity to your current nose as well as similarity to your expected outcome.

You may view a large gallery of before and after rhinoplasty photos of Allure Plastic Surgery patients here. 

10) Testimonials:

Hearing the words of other rhinoplasty patients that have worked with your surgeon is reassuring for you and provides tangible proof of your surgeon’s capabilities. Ask your surgeon for written testimonials that are ideally accompanied by before and after pictures. Ask if it would be OK to directly contact one or two patients for a short chat on their nose job experience.  It is rare that an experienced surgeon will not have at least one or two former patients that are open to having a conversation with another patient. Be wary of any surgeon that does not offer at least one patient that you may converse with.

11) Cost and financing:

This may be the very first topic you discuss with your surgeon and it is rightfully important to be clear on total costs. Make sure your surgeon explains exactly what it is included in their quote, as well as what is or may not be included such as revisions, lab work, post-operative check-ups, etc.

12) Finally, why NOT get a nose job?:

This is an interesting question and you may learn a lot from your surgeon’s answer. Ask them why you should NOT get a nose job. This may lead to further discussions on your unique physical attributes that may negatively affect the outcome as well as emotional reasons behind the decision. It may or may not change your overall decision but it will surely be a good discussion to have with your rhinoplasty surgeon.

After your surgical consultation, you should feel relaxed and comfortable with your surgeon. You should not feel as though questions were skimmed over or not answered fully and you should certainly not feel pressured into a decision. If the surgeon is pushy, does not take his time to answer your questions to your satisfaction, or seems more concerned with getting you to make a decision and/or sign up for additional procedures, than walk away and find another surgeon. This is someone whom you are placing your trust, your appearance and your health with and you need to be certain that they are the best person for your procedure. If you feel your surgeon is being evasive or unwilling to answer your questions fully then look for another.

Dr. Miller and Dr. Heller use their years of experience performing and refining their rhinoplasty techniques to give each patient exceptional results. If you are ready to enhance your facial appearance with surgical correction of your nose, give Allure Plastic Surgery a call (212) 661-2563 today to schedule your consultation with one of our experienced rhinoplasty surgeons. We welcome patients throughout the Manhattan, New York City, Staten Island, and Long Island areas and have a lengthy list of before and after photos of satisfied patients for you to view.

There was a time in the past when reconstructive plastic surgery was mostly an option for facelifts and the enhancement of a woman’s breast size through implants, mainly by celebrities who were in the public eye and able to afford their expensive costs.

Not too long ago, very few people outside the circle of celebrities in Hollywood were able to have these procedures performed unless they were for medical or surgical reasons, and in those cases, were likely covered by insurance. 

During the past decade, this trend has changed drastically, though, as more and more people are opting for these procedures.  While there are a number of reasons why this has occurred, two of the most prominent ones are:

# 1 – The advancements in the science and medical fields which have paved the way for these procedures and methods to be used to enhance a number of other body parts.  For example, one of the more popular procedures these days is a Brazilian butt lift, a surgery that wasn’t even desired by most women let alone offered by plastic surgeons ten years ago.

#2 – The number of non-surgical options available today allow for not only a greater range of choices but smaller costs when compared to the surgical options of the past.  In addition, the above-noted advancements have lead to more efficient tools and procedures, giving plastic surgeons the ability to offer more cost-effective surgical options thanks to their own cost-savings.

Fastest-Growing Plastic Surgery Procedures

Today, even average people can also afford the costs and expenses involved in these procedures and avail the benefits of modern medical science to improve their physical and medical conditions.

While most people here in New York, or anywhere in the world for that matter, think of tummy tucks or facelifts when talking about the plastic surgery options available, they’re not even the most popular plastic surgeries being performed today.  

Last year in 2016, nearly 1.8 million surgical procedures and approximately 15.5 million non-surgical ones were performed in the US and of them, breast augmentation, liposuction, nose reshaping, and eyelid surgeries were all ahead of #5 on the list – facelifts – when it comes to the top five surgical procedures while Botox, soft tissue fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion were the top choices for minimally invasive procedures.

While those are some of the most popular surgeries being performed, they aren’t the fastest growing surgical cosmetic procedures these days.  During the last year, more and more patients are choosing to have one of the following procedures to enhance their body and looks:

Lip reduction

While many of the patients we see who are looking to have their lips augmented choose to have them enhanced to make them appear bigger and more luscious, many patients are choosing to do the opposite instead, in some cases due to a previously botched surgery, while in others due to naturally large lips that they want to be reduced in size.

Even though lip enhancements have increased by 50% between 2000 and 2016, a recent New Beauty article reveals a cultural trend among younger patients (in their 20s and 30s) who live in Asia and prefer Caucasian facial features (narrow cheekbones, deeper eye sockets, and thinner lips) and are turning to plastic surgery to achieve that look.

Compared to last year, lip reduction procedures are up by 283 percent and while in opposition to the many, many fuller lips you’ll find on Instagram, are becoming a much more popular procedure.

Labiaplasty

Up 38 percent over last year, you won’t find nearly as many before and after pictures of this procedure, nor will you find that many patients confessing to having this surgery performed, especially when compared to something like a breast lift or tummy tuck.

While labiaplasty is generally a procedure that’s performed on women who’ve given birth or aged considerably since both of them can transform the labia majora, labia menora, perineum and natural beauty of the female genitalia, it’s become increasing popular with younger women who just aren’t happy with the appearance of that part of their body or need the surgery of hygienic or functional reasons.

Even though it’s not exactly the same procedure, a vaginal rejuvenation, or vaginoplasty, which aims to tighten the walls of the vagina, most likely due to natural childbirth, is another popular option a woman who’s not happy with her vagina can take thanks to the many medical and technological advancements that have occurred over the last few years.

Lower body lift

As gastric bypass surgery has become more popular as an option for morbidly obese individuals looking to lose an extreme amount of weight, so too has the demand for the arm lifts, thigh lifts and body lifts required to remove the excess skin left behind after all of the weight and fat has been lost.

The lower body lift, or belt lipectomy, typically offers a dramatic transformation of the mid and lower body by removing excess skin and fat from the abdomen, hips, outer thighs, and buttocks.  This procedure is commonly broken into components (tummy tuck, thigh lift, buttock lift) via a surgical procedure that’s performed in stages or a single session.

As more and more people are adopting a healthier lifestyle, this procedure has been more popular among those individuals who’ve lost an extreme amount of weight (often 100 lbs or more) without first having a gastric bypass surgery and even some patients who’ve not lost any weight at all as many of our tummy tuck patients opt for this procedure as well since it helps to tighten the skin in the thighs and buttocks.

Butt Augmentation

While there are many different types of butt enhancement surgeries for you to choose from, one of the most popular, if not the most popular, is the Brazilian Butt Lift.

Since it’s less invasive and easier to recover from as compared to a butt implant surgery, the BBL, as it’s known throughout social media, is not only the most popular butt enhancement surgery in our Manhattan office but one of the fastest-growing surgeries among all patients in the US.

Thanks to Kim Kardashian, Serena Williams, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj and songs like Ms. Booty, Big Booty Girls, and Baby Got Back, the last decade can easily be called the resurgence of the butt and the many different butt augmentation procedures available only help to spur their popularity.

Pectoral Implants

Up by 25 percent over the last year, and the only fastest-growing procedure dedicated solely to men, pectoral implants are typically an option for men who are unable to produce the chiseled chest they desire no matter how many bench presses or other exercises they performed to help define their chest muscles.

In many cases, pectoral implants are also a popular option for our gynecomastia patients who are left with malformed chests as a result of that procedure or men who’ve survived cancer surgery and have similar issues they want to scuplt and transform with a pectoral implant. 

Fat Injections

While the specific procedures discussed above are trending upwards, one of the most popular requests these days involves how the procedures themselves are performed.  

Although many of the reconstructive plastic surgeries you could have performed may use silicones and other chemical fillers, one of the most recent American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) data shows many patients are looking for a more natural alternative:  their own fat.

Since it can be used to perform a number of different procedures, from fat injections to breast augmentations, harvesting one’s own fat, typically from their abdomen by way of a liposuction, and then injecting that same fat back into another area of their body has become one of the most popular trends over the last few years.

In 2016 alone, the ASPS saw a 13% increase in minimally invasive fat injections, a 26% increase in fat grafts of the buttocks, and an astounding 72% increase in breast augmentations that used fat injections as opposed to traditional silicone or saline implants.

Facial plastic surgery

Aside from breast augmentation and liposuction, 3 of the top 5 surgeries performed in 2016 were facial plastic surgery procedures, which shouldn’t come as a shock considering it’s the most visible part of your body and the one which shows the signs of aging most often.

While eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, and facelifts are the most common facial plastic surgery procedures performed here in our New York City office the same as they are nationwide, there are many others our patients turn to in order to make improvements to their face.

As noted above, many of our patients are using fat transfers to address the wrinkles, sunken cheeks, and bags under their eyes while others are choosing to have cheek implants, chin implants, hair transplants, or cheek lifts to transform the look of their face.  

Non-surgical procedures

Out-numbering surgical procedures by a 7-to-1 margin, minimally invasive plastic surgery procedures are not only one of the most popular types of surgeries performed, but fastest growing as well.  

Considering many people are afraid of having surgery, especially an optional procedure like the one required of a facelift, many of them are going a different route by choosing to use non-surgical facial rejuvenation, fat reduction, and laser removal techniques instead.

Whether a skin peel to reduce wrinkles and sun damage, an acne treatment to reduce the appearance of acne scars or more traditional facial rejuvenation techniques like Botox, Ultherapy, Juvederm, and Fraxel lasers, many of the patients who come into our office in Manhattan would rather not go under the knife to get the look they desire.  Given the cost of these procedures is typically less than a surgical one, it’s no surprise either.

Thanks to Coolscuplting, mesotherapy, Cellfina, and Kybella, our patients have a number of non-invasive fat reduction options available to them which allow them to address the appearance of cellulite on their thighs and buttocks, double chin, ab sculpting, cellulite and fat shrinking needs without having to undergo a more costly surgical procedure.

In the past, our plastic surgeons had limited options when it came to helping our patients remove hair, spider veins, stretch marks, moles, and tattoos, but thanks to the advancements in laser technologies that’s no longer the case, providing our patients with an affordable and non-surgical procedure to address those concerns.

What’s The Next Big Trend?

While it’s difficult to predict what’s going to happen in plastic surgery over the next couple of years, we’d like to think we know a thing or two and have a pretty good finger on the pulse of what’s happening, and going to happen in the near future.

Even though none of these procedures will likely surpass the top 5 we spoke of earlier, don’t be surprised to hear your friends, family, and the media talking about some of these procedures and techniques over the coming years as they become more popular and widely accepted.

Designer Fillers

With Juvederm Voluma, to add volume to the midface and Juvederm Volbella and Restylane Lyft currently available to do the same to the lips, one of the biggest trends to look out for over the coming months and years are fillers designed specifically for certain areas of the face.

The Belotero line of dermal fillers already sports many different site-specific options and the introduction of Restylane’s Refyne and Defyne (for smile and laugh lines) will allow our patients a quick, affordable and minimally invasive method of dealing with many of the problem areas on their face.

While many of the neuromodulator injectables on the market today typically last 4 months, a new breed of already approved options is set to enter the market with the introduction of Revance, an application that’s rumored to last almost double that amount of time.

Just Add Dimples

As a young adult, you may have been teased about the dimples on your cheeks.  While they’re cute on a 4-year old, many of the people spent most of their lives being teased about the cute little dimples on their face won’t have to worry about that any longer thanks to one of the newest trends in facial plastic surgery – dimples.

In an attempt to accentuate their smiles, many patients are turning to a quick and simple in-office procedure, called dimpleplasty, which allows them to choose exactly where they want the dimple to be placed and through the use of small incision on the inside of their cheek to avoid scars on the face, have the dimples they’ve longed for.

Naturally, a dimple is created when there’s a small defect in the cheek musculature, causing the skin over this area to stick down to the underlying connective tissue, particularly when you smile and this dimple creation surgery can create that look in as little as 30 minutes under nothing more than local anesthesia to numb the area.

Smaller, More Natural Breasts

Although many women are still unhappy with the look and shape of their breasts, it’s becoming more and more commonplace for them to choose a more natural looking end result as opposed to the bigger breast sizes we’re used to seeing. 

In fact, the largest group of women having breast augmentations are those who’ve had children and aren’t looking for larger breasts, but ones that can be restored to their pre-baby shape and form.  With more and more women choosing to get fit and lean this should come as no surprise, and a number of them are choosing to reduce the size of their nipples as well, again in accordance with the trend of a more natural looking bust.

Coolsculpting

Also known as fat freezing, this non-invasive alternative to one of the most popular surgical procedures, liposuction, is quickly becoming more and more popular with both our male and female patients.  Thanks to the fact our fat cells are more sensitive to cold temperatures than other types of body cells, this body contouring technique uses controlled cooling to target and crystallize your fat cells.

As a result of the Coolsculpting treatment, these crystallized fat cells typically die off and are naturally eliminated from the body.  In the weeks and months following the treatment, the remaining fat cells condense to reduce the layer of fat that was previously there.

Compared to the incisions and fat sucking required of a liposuction procedure, it’s safe to say this will become one of the more popular procedures, due to its cost as compared to the surgical options, fewer risks, and shorter downtime.

PRP Injections

As the list of procedures which use platelet-rich plasma continues to grow, so too, does its popularity.  Whether for use in a hair restoration, lip enhancement, vaginal rejuvenation, or facial recontouring procedure, PRP injections are prepared from one to a few tubes of your own blood, and after being centrifuged, are injected into the abnormal tissue, releasing growth factors that recruit and increase the proliferation of reparative cells.

Considering it’s your own blood that’s being used and the popularity of facelifts overall, one of the more common procedures these days is a vampire facelift.

In this procedure, the withdrawn and centrifugated blood is injected into the superficial layers of the patient’s skin with tiny needles to stimulate the body’s own natural healing and growth abilities to reduce wrinkles, add youthful volume, and improve the quality of your skin.

What Do You Think Will Be The Next Big Thing?

While we’ve tried our best to highlight some of the trends we’re seeing across the United States, as well as in our offices here in Manhattan and Staten Island, we’re always looking for the next big trend, procedure, tool or technology to help our patients achieve the look they desire.

That being said, we’re always interested to hear more about you, your needs, and what you think is going to be the hottest plastic surgery trend in 2018 and we’d love to hear from you.

To get in touch, just fill out the “Get Answers” form at the top of this page and one of our board-certified plastic surgeons will be in touch.

Our faces are perhaps the most important part of our identities. They represent who we are physically to everyone who comes into contact with us. Simply put, people remember faces.

However, faces are the part of our bodies that are most susceptible to change as we age. Our faces will naturally lose the tight skin, defined lines, and smoothness that we once knew. When this happens, our identity as we have known it for years can change right before our eyes.

What’s worse, it’s almost impossible to exercise our faces. If our arms start becoming flabby, we can work out and focus on tightening the skin and gaining muscle. But there’s simply no way to gain muscle in our face or work off excess skin. Our faces simply age and we’re left to deal with it.

If you’re reading this, you obviously know this isn’t 100% true. With modern medical procedures like facelifts, we can regain our once-youthful appearance in a matter of hours.

The thing is, a recent study has proven that the benefits of facelift procedures extend beyond the obvious physical improvements. In fact, facelifts can actually change how we interact socially with others and how they view us, both professionally and personally. Keep reading to better understand how the newly discovered additional benefits of facelifts can truly improve your life!

What is a Facelift?

A facelift is a cosmetic procedure that seeks to create a more youthful-looking face. Facelifts are so popular that over 120,000 Americans have the procedure every year. In fact, it is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed in the United States among both men and women. When properly performed, a facelift will:

• Tighten skin around the jawline.
• Eliminate creases in the nose and mouth.
• Remove sagging and excess skin or fat on the neck.
• Tighten the skin around the chin.
• Tighten facial tissue under the skin.
• Smooth out skin in the cheeks.
• Eliminate skin elasticity.

Overall, a facelift seeks to rejuvenate the face while keeping a natural and healthy appearance.

How is a Facelift Performed?

Facelift procedures generally take between two and five hours to complete, depending on the patient. It is an outpatient procedure, so no hospital stay is required. Small incisions are made in strategically hidden areas throughout the face that allow the surgeon to gently stretch back the skin and remove any excess.

Your plastic surgeon will sit down and walk you through the entire process; while it may sound scary at first, it is a tried and tested procedure that thousands of Americans have been enjoying for decades. Generally, the procedure demands around two weeks for a full recovery.

Physical Appearance

The most obvious benefit of having a facelift is an improvement in your physical appearance. Your face is the most important part of who you are. If you think about it, your face actually defines you as an individual in many ways.

As we age, our face — and thus our identity — changes. While everyone ages at different rates, no one looks young forever. It’s only natural to suffer from wrinkles, sagging skin, and droopy eyes. Thankfully, a simple facelift can restore your face to a more youthful appearance and help you look as young as you truly feel.

Here are some of the major benefits of having a facelift procedure:

Youthful Appearance: Plastic surgeons who specialize in facelifts are able to make your skin look younger, more rejuvenated, and healthier. After the surgery, your skin will look like it did when you were in your twenties!

Face Contours: Studies show that people generally rate individuals with distinct facial contours as more attractive than their peers. Defined jawlines without excess skin and smooth eyelids and cheeks are all objective signs of beauty. But these facial features are hard to maintain as we age. Thankfully, your face’s natural contours that you had in the past can be brought back out again with a simple facelift.

How You Feel:  Ever look in the mirror and ask yourself, “When did I get so old?” It’s okay, we’ve all been there.  Growing old doesn’t just change our skin; it changes the way we feel as well. Once we start to realize our skin is changing and we begin to feel older, others will notice as well. This naturally causes us to be concerned about our appearance and lose confidence in ourselves. Thankfully, facelifts have been proven to improve how patients feel as well as look. A facelift will increase:

Self-esteem and Confidence: Nothing boosts your confidence like knowing you look good. Disagree? Then why do we dress up for job interviews, weddings, and work? We want to express to the outside world that we are energetic, confident, and ready to lead by looking our best whenever we can. If it’s so accepted to improve our clothing to boost our confidence, why can’t we improve our skin as well?

Well, with a facelift, you can! It’s common knowledge that once patients see the results of their facelifts, their confidence gets an immediate boost. That old person you saw earlier in the mirror is gone; now you recognize that young and energetic person staring back at you.

Whether you want to start meeting new people again, call that old high school fling, or try for that new promotion, a facelift will give you the confidence you need to try new things in life and succeed.

Career Success: We live in a world where the confident succeed and the not-so-confident fail. Confident people are leaders, risk-takers, and game changers because they believe in themselves and are comfortable with the way they look and feel . Honestly ask yourself, have you ever seen an overweight politician? Most are attractive and healthy-looking, which helps them command respect and earn admiration. On the other hand, people who are unsure of themselves or wary of how others view them rarely jump at a chance to be in the spotlight.

After your facelift has you looking and feeling better than before, you can use that newfound confidence to propel yourself and your career to new heights. While you’re up in front of the office pitching your new idea, you can focus on your presentation and not on the way you look. You’ll know that everyone in the audience is wondering how you kept your skin looking so good for so long instead of staring at your double chin. If only they knew!

How Others View You – A New Study

As hard as it is to admit, people do judge us based on our looks. The older we look, the less capable and competent people think we are. Wrinkles and saggy skin are a loudspeaker, announcing our age to the world. The older we look, the more it causes others to think that we don’t have the same energy that we once did — but this isn’t the case!

Those who have facelifts understandably wonder what others think of them compared to before. Do they think we look healthier? Younger? More energetic? Perhaps not surprisingly, this information is extremely hard to come by; not many people have the courage to tell you they think you look worse than before or that perhaps they never noticed you before the procedure anyway. Thankfully, this mystery has now been solved. 

In April 2017, the Journal of the American Medical Association conducted a study seeking the answer to this very question, and their results were stunning. The study sought to determine if facelift procedures affected rates of attractiveness, success, health, and perceived age in random observers. Here’s how the study took place.

The Study: The surveyors took photographs of twelve different white females before and after their facelift procedures, making a total of 24 photos. The surveyors then randomly took six pre-op and six post-op photos of the twelve females.

They then showed these twelve photos to a group of 504 people: 165 men, 333 women, and 6 of unknown gender between the ages of 18 and 70. These 504 people were then asked to grade the perceived age, attractiveness, success, and health of each person in the photo.

Results: Across the board, the photos of the women taken after their facelift procedures were found to look younger, healthier, more attractive, and more successful. In fact, the average age of a post-facelift photo was estimated at 4.6 years younger than the pre-facelift photo. The study concluded that the random observer views a person more positively after their facelift procedure based solely on their looks.

What This Tells Us: This study tells us what former facelift patients already knew, but up until now could not prove: that facelift procedures make people look younger, healthier, more successful, and more attractive to the average person. Besides the physical and personal benefits, facelifts provide social benefits as well.

The Benefits of Facelift Procedures Go Beyond Physical Appearance

A facelift procedure will make you feel better about yourself, but with good reason! You feel more confident because you can tell that those around you perceive you as healthy, young, attractive, and successful.

Even if you do not feel more confident after your procedure, others will still be impressed by your youthful appearance. In the study, the participants based their observations solely on photos. Now imagine if that photo was accompanied by your newfound confidence.

After a facelift, you will stand taller, speak more clearly, and be more confident in your endeavors. Add to that the objectively proven benefits that a facelift will have on your appearance, and you have unlimited potential for newfound success and new relationships.

What This Means for the Future of Plastic Surgery

Society has increasingly begun to accept that plastic surgery provides benefits beyond merely physical changes. Some say that in the past, it was frowned upon to admit that we wanted plastic surgery so that others would think more highly of us. Those who wanted plastic surgery had to explain how they personally wanted to feel better and didn’t care what others thought.

But this is beginning to change, and the new study by JAMA cements the new wave of thinking. The evidence is there: attractive people are more successful in their careers, social life, and dating; in fact, attractive people are also more likely to be found not guilty at trial. The benefits of looking young and healthy are explored more and more every day.

Plastic surgeons are beginning to understand that their craft goes beyond physical appearance and ultimately changes people’s subconscious views of their patients. These thoughts aren’t solely limited to attractiveness, but encompass success and health as well. Their patients will actually achieve better outcomes in life because of the plastic surgeon’s work, and that is something that should be acknowledged and respected by the profession.

It’s Okay to Admit You Want to Change How Others Perceive You

It is as simple as that. If you want plastic surgery because you want people to think you’re younger, healthier, and more attractive overall, call a plastic surgeon today. The results of plastic surgery are no longer measured solely by the physical results of the procedure, and the motivations shouldn’t be either. It’s okay to recognize the subconscious results that plastic surgery will have on those around you. The truth is, whether or not you want people to think you’re younger, more attractive, and more successful, they’re going to, after a facelift.

Thanks to the recent study by JAMA, it’s been proven what many former facelift patients already knew: in addition to helping you look younger and feel better, a facelift will cause others to subconsciously believe you are healthy, attractive, and successful. The benefits of a facelift go well beyond the merely physical alterations and can have a deeper, meaningful impact on your life.

However, deciding to undergo a facelift is still a life-changing decision that should be given serious thought. This is especially true now that we know a facelift can improve our lives beyond simply helping us look younger. If you’re debating making the change to improve your life and how others view you, contact a plastic surgeon today to discuss your options.