Cosmetic surgery is often performed to improve appearance and boost self-esteem. Cosmetic surgery is not the same thing as reconstructive surgery, which focuses on repairing or replacing body areas that have been altered due to injury, disease or other surgical procedures. Cosmetic surgery offers a host of physical and emotional benefits, but does pose some serious risks, as well. For this reason, only a highly experienced surgeon should perform cosmetic surgery.
Function
The primary goal of cosmetic surgery is to improve the shape and appearance of the body, thereby improving self-esteem and self-confidence. Unlike other types of surgery, cosmetic surgery is not limited to a specific region or technique. Cosmetic surgery aims to improve or replace physical features that are considered undesirable or deformed. This goal is typically reached by removing fat or bone, adding fat or other substances, such as silicone, to create fullness, or through the use of injections or chemicals intended to remove layers of skin or paralyze various muscles. Most cosmetic surgery is performed in a hospital setting, and may require days or weeks of recovery, but less invasive procedures are sometimes performed in a doctor's office with the patient going home when the procedure is complete.
Types
Nearly every part of the body can be a site for cosmetic surgery, but the face is the most common location. On children, the most frequently performed types of cosmetic surgery are repair of a cleft lip or palate and ear-pinning procedures. Various types of cosmetic surgery exist, and the options are almost limitless. Popular procedures include mammoplasty, rhinoplasty and facelifts, with men frequently opting for tummy tucks, eyelid surgery and hair transplants. Liposuction, which is sometimes performed as an outpatient procedure, is popular among both men and women. Other types of cosmetic surgery include breast augmentation and reduction, brow lifts, scar removal or reduction, chin surgery, neck lifts and otoplasty.
Benefits
Cosmetic surgery provides both physical and emotional benefits, and recipients of cosmetic surgery often claim they feel better, look younger and are more confident following their operation. Cosmetic surgery can fix physical deformities or imperfections and boost self-esteem, while enabling some people to develop the social confidence they never had before. Cosmetic surgery, such as ear pinning, can offer children the opportunity to fit in with peers and save them from the shame and embarrassment many of these children may otherwise feel.
Considerations
Cosmetic surgery, which is often used to erase or delay the signs of aging, may actually accelerate the natural aging process. To compensate for this, some people may choose to undergo repeated operations. However, too many cosmetic procedures may result in an unnatural appearance and poor outcome. Cosmetic surgery is also extremely expensive in many cases, with the cost of a standard facelift in the United States ranging from $5,000 to $12,000. Although many surgical offices offer some amount of financing, more expensive procedures can run $15,000 or more. It is important to discuss all factors of your surgery before agreeing to work with any specific surgeon or hospital. Fees, complication rates, and procedures performed vary significantly from surgeon to surgeon. It is also wise to plan well in advance for your procedure and recovery. Although some people may recovery quickly from even the most complicated operations, others may require weeks or months of limited activity before returning to work.
Warning
Cosmetic surgery, even when done in a hospital setting, carries some degree of risk. Although rare, serious complications do occur, most frequently in diabetics and those with certain other health conditions. Minor complications include swelling and pain, while more severe complications can result in infection, scarring, nerve damage, or even death. Risk of complications is higher when cosmetic surgery is performed in a surgeon's office as opposed to a hospital setting. It is important to choose only an experienced cosmetic surgeon and to make certain that any in-office procedures are performed only in facilities accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities.
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