Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Plastic Surgery 101

By Ricardo Gibson

Here is some breaking news. Most of those celebrities are not really that pretty. Some have been under the knife more than a cutting board. Still, they seem to look better and better as the years pass. This is because plastic surgery has advanced in leaps and bounds.

The world of plastic surgery is filled with a lot of assumptions and myths. Does it hurt? Does it last? Will I look like this person in a magazine? There are so many questions, that it is hard to know where to start answering them, but we will try.

The plastic surgery you read about really only represents half of the field. The other half, reconstructive surgery, is less glamorous, but more important. It is used to return a body to a normal state. Doing skin grafts on a badly burned patient is reconstructive plastic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery is a procedure you decide to get voluntarily. Your ears stick out and you finally decide to do something about it. Feeling better about your appearance is not a medically necessary reason, so it is a voluntary surgery. In the world of medicine, voluntary surgery is referred to as elective surgery.

A surgical procedure involves trauma to the body. When you pierce the skin, you are doing damage. While plastic surgery is designed to ultimately create a better look, there are risks. Any surgery has risks, so make sure to discuss them with your surgeon first.

A very common question has to do with recovery time. Simply put, how long are we talking? It depends on the procedure. Botox injections take an hour. A full facelift can take two to four weeks for bruising and swelling to go down.

Does plastic surgery hurt? Minor procedures like Botox injections do not. More significant procedures like a facelift will. The more trauma to the body, the more pain, swelling and bruising. Your doctor will prescribe you pain medication.

I want to look like Angelina Jolie? Plastic surgery will enhance your look, but it cannot turn you into someone else. A good strategy is to use virtual plastic surgery software to see estimated before and after views of your surgery.

What about the doctor behind the mask? A licensed plastic surgeon goes through a lot to reach their position. How about medical school and then five to seven years of post graduate training? The also continually keep up on new developments.

The cost of plastic surgery is also a bit issue with patients. The fees range widely depending on where you are and what type of procedure you are getting. Make sure to get a written estimate of the fee of the surgeon and any other costs as well.

As you can probably tell from the tone of this article, many of your questions are best answered by your doctor. The doctor should be willing to take the time to answer all of them. If not, find someone else. - 15438

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