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There was a time in the past when reconstructive plastic surgery meant a facelift or enhancement of breast size through implants. Celebrities also previously dominated the public face of plastic surgery due to the previously prohibited costs. In fact, there were very few people outside the circle of celebrities who were able to make use of these procedures. All of these previously held notions have changed considerably over the past decade. Strong advancements in medical science, an increase in the number of available procedures, and a change in social acceptance of cosmetic procedures has brought about a new view on the topic.
Rising Trends in the Use of Reconstructive Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
With the trend changing drastically over the course of the past decade or two, a large number of people are now opting for these procedures. The reason behind this rising trend can be attributed to three main reasons:
- Advancements in the medical science of plastic surgery have paved way for these procedures and methods to be more common place. New techniques, revolutionary new chemicals and materials, and advancements in the tools used during plastic surgery procedures has opened the door to safer surgeries and a greater number of available procedures in general.
- The second reason behind the increasing utilization of such practices is due to the fact that the cost and overall expense of such methods have dropped drastically. In the past, the cost of any average cosmetic or plastic surgery was so high that it was only deemed affordable for celebrities and the very wealthy. However, these procedures have become increasingly more affordable over the past decade. Today, those of us with average incomes can also afford the costs and expenses involved in these procedures.
- Cosmetic procedures are considered more socially acceptable today. While previously bordering as a controversial subject, it’s now commonplace for both women and men to undergo a variety of treatments.
Different Plastic and Cosmetic Surgical Procedures Available
Most people tend to think about Botox lip enhancements or breast augmentation whenever the term plastic surgery is being used. There are, however, a number of other cosmetic procedures that come under this term. There are as many procedures available now to cover nearly every aspect of the human body. We’ll discuss a handful of these available procedures:
Facelift
Facelift, also known as Rhytidectomy, is one of the most common procedures in plastic surgery. This procedure is mostly implemented to reverse the visible effects and signs related to aging. This makes the procedure very popular among people in their late 30’s and 40’s. The facelift process tightens the skin of the face, which smoothes wrinkles and skin imperfections, thus taking years off the physical apperance of facelift patients.
Eyelid Surgery, Browlift, and Cheeklift
Eyelid surgery, also known as Blepharoplasty, is a process that is simliar in general nature to a facelift as it removes the wrinkles and sagging skin that may be present around the eyes, however the process is much less invasive than a full facelift. This may include the skin region above the eyelids and below the eyebrows, or even the bottom eyelids. This surgical procedure is primarily aimed at enhancing the appearance of the region around the eyes of a person, making them look fresh and youthful. A browlift (refer to the next item) is often combined with eyelid surgery, which aides in the overall success and appearance of eyelid surgery. Additionally, another procedure know as a cheeklift, or threadlift, is performed to address excess tissue or bags along the cheekbone. This is often done in addtion to a facelift to fully address the appearance of the cheek area and nasolabial crease.
Forehead lift, or Browlift
A forehead lift or Browplasty is a plastic surgery procedure aimed toward the removal of wrinkled skin just above the eyebrows rather than the full face. This has proven to be a less expensice and better procedure for those who only want their forehead repaired, but is also performed in combination with eyelid surgery to enhance the results of that procedure.
Facial implants
Facial implants are commonly used for people with more noticeable disfigurations or those with certain areas of their face they wish to make more prominent or achieve a more dramatic change in general appearance. Facial implants also help make the features of the face more symmetrical and prominent, thus offering a more defined overall look and appearance.
Fat Injections
Fat injection is a revolutionary procedure used to minimize wrinkles, smooth skin, and restore volume. Fat is harvested from various areas of the body where it will not be missed (your love handles for example), purified, and injected in the areas to be treated. Harvested fat that is unused can even be retained in a frozen state for futher injections throughout the year, saving you additional time, expense, and discomfort.
Nose jobs
Nose jobs or Rhinoplasty is a very common procedure of plastic surgery that is used to reshape the nose. This can go a long way in improving the facial aspects of a person and making them appear more graceful and beautiful. This procedure can also be utilized to either lengthen or shorten the length of the nose. Even the height and the width of the nose can be adjusted.
Lip Augmentation
Fat injections, Juvederm injections, silicone injections, lip implants, and lip lifts are various procedures you may undergo to improve the appearance of your lips and mouth area. Lip augmentations vary from a few minutes of time during an in-office visit to more indepth surgical procedures.
Skin Peel, or Chemical Peels
A skin peel, often referred to as a chemical peel, is truly one of the most affordable and easy ways to maintain a youthful appearance, and it’s actually good for your skin. The process removes the damaged surface of your skin and can also removes pre-cancerous areas of your skin in the process.
There are plenty of other surgical as well as non-surgical procedures apart from the ones we have mentioned here. Some of the very common non-surgical procedures include Botox, dermal fillers, microdermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing and many others.
Rise in Plastic Surgery
There has been a steady rise in the number of people electing optional plastic surgery. Multiple statistics and figures indicate a constant rise in the number of people that are choosing to undergo such procedures for enhancement of their physical attributes. Statistics show that there has been a 2% increase in the number of people who have opted for such procedures in 2016 when compared to the numbers in just the previous year, and this is only in the United States. Worldwide statistics definitely show a major increase in that percentage as well.
Plastic Surgery and Gender
Woman have historically been the gender majority for cosmetic surgery, however there is also a gradual rise in the number of men opting for such plastic surgery procedures. It is a common belief that such procedures are only reserved for women, but men are also opting for such procedures for a number of reasons. Apart from the anti-aging benefits of such cosmetic enhancements, there has been an increase in the number of men opting for breast reduction procedures. In fact, the number of such men has spiraled upward in the past year, and the trend keeps moving in the upward direction this year as well. Various implants for males are on the rise as well, such as pectoral implants. Hence, contrary to popular belief, men too are using the benefits of such surgical procedures to enhance various aspects of their bodies.
Apart from the many applications of these procedures in the enhancement of body features, plastic surgery also has numerous uses in the field of medicine. The most common use of such procedures is in the treatment of skin burns. The procedures are effective in reconstructing burned areas of the body of a patient through skin grafting. In cases of burns on the face, facial reconstructive surgeries become very important in modifying the skin to give the patients a reconstructed look.
Costs of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgical Procedures
Even though they are no longer in the unaffordable range like the days of the past, such surgical procedures can still be considered expensive. When you consider the costs of various other common expenses however, cosmetic procedures quickly fit into the budgets of many people. We commonly splurge on cars, “toys” such as boats, ATV’s, and snowmobiles, vacations, jewlery, and various other items we consider “common luxuries”. Now, plastic surgery procedures easily fall in the realm of affordable common luxuries.
Procedures range from $1,000 to $20,000 USD depending on the type of surgery as well as the doctors involved and the geographical location of the doctors. There are a number of other factors that may also have an impact on the cost of these programs such as the location of the hospital or clinic among others. Interested parties must also take into consideration the costs and expenses needed after a plastic surgery. Medicines, recovering procedures, as well as help with household chores and general errands all add up to the overall cost of a plastic surgery procedure. Hence, it is not only important for people interested in such surgical procedures to keep in mind the expenses for such procedures, but also other related expenses before and after the surgery. This will help calculate the total expense of the entire procedure and ensure that they are better prepared in terms of financial affordability.
There are a number of safety and precautionary measures that patients must ensure to take in order to avoid any negative impacts and side effects of these surgical procedures on their bodies. Your doctor or surgeon will have these precautionary measures detailed out for you before any procedure is implemented; patients must adhere to these restrictions strictly and follow the instructions laid out by the surgeons to the letter in order to ensure they achieve the desired effects of the plastic surgery they opt for. This will also help prevent the occurrence of any negative impacts that these procedures may have on their bodies.
Social Norms about Such Surgical Procedures
“Plastic surgery just doesn’t have the stigma anymore that used to be associated with it,” says Dr. Andrew Miller of Allure Plastic Surgery. “As long as the procedure gives a natural result it is certainly now acceptable in society to undergo a procedure to improve your appearance. Just be sure it’s being done for the right reasons. Just because something is prominent on social media does not mean that it is OK for you to do.”
To learn more about these procedures, please contact Allure Plastic Surgery in New York by calling (212) 661-2563 today.
