Introduction to Plastic Surgery
Board Certified Plastic Surgeons
Board-certified plastic surgeons have the most training of any of the medical specialties who perform cosmetic procedures. These surgeons complete 4 years of medical school, one year of internship, three to five years of general surgery training and 3 years of specific plastic surgery training. Many also go on to complete one to two years of specialty fellowship training in areas such as hand surgery or craniofacial surgery.
If you are considering a plastic surgery procedure, it is best to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. He or she can answer your questions about the costs, risks and benefits of each surgical procedure. Also, ask to see before and after pictures of previous patients. For those interested in breast augmentation, the breast implants before and after photos are often sorted by patient height, weight, bust size and implant size so that each patient can see pictures that closely resemble their own body type. A surgery coordinator in the practice can view the pictures with you and discuss the variables that affect the outcome of surgery, such as incision location, size and shape of the implants and implant placement.
Plastic Surgery Procedures
Plastic surgery has grown in popularity in recent years. It comprises a combination of surgical procedures used to change or improve the aesthetics of a patient. Sometimes plastic surgery is used to correct deformities due to birth defects, disease or accidents. The two most commonly performed cosmetic plastic surgery procedures are rhinoplasty (nose surgery) and liposuction. Other commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures are facelift (face-lift), and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). Sometimes plastic surgery is performed on patients who have had massive weight loss due to and weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass surgery). The most common types of surgery procedures are breast augmentation with breast implants, breast lift, breast enlargement and breast reduction. Botox injections continue as the most common non-surgical cosmetic procedure. Overall, cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures increased by 33% from 2002 to 2003, with over 8.7 million procedures being performed.
Plastic Surgery is Not For Everyone
Each person's appearance greatly affects his or her self-confidence. It also influences how others perceive and interact with that person. Improving your appearance through plastic surgery can increase your self-confidence. Although the surgery can enhance your appearance, it may not be able to completely return you to your youth or create an ideal figure, face or body contour. Also, the way others treat you after surgery may not change or be exactly as you anticipated. It is important to think carefully about your expectations before having plastic surgery. Discuss these expectations with a qualified plastic surgeon, along with the other risks and potential benefits of surgery.
About the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery
The Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery website provides detailed information about plastic and cosmetic surgery, including information about who makes the best candidates for each procedure, the recovery time after surgery, the proper expectations and the plastic surgery cost. This site also describes how to best choose a plastic surgeon and the training and qualifications of the various types of physician specialties that perform plastic surgery. Information is included on liposuction, face lift, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty and other cosmetic surgical procedures. Non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as Dysport, other injectables and many other skin care treatments are also discussed. Hopefully this website can provide sufficient information, or can direct you to other sources of information, to allow the proper decision about plastic surgery.
For more information about plastic surgeons, visit Plastic Surgery Markets or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. For resource information concerning Breast Augmentation, visit Breast Resources.
MediaFact is an important online resource about drug side effects related to Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.