Enhance Your Beauty with cosmetic procedures

Want to enhance your appearance? If you’re looking to go beyond highlights and layers to usher in the new decade, then you’ll be pleased to know there are a number of technologies and techniques available.

That said, it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. Successful cosmetic results often depend on the communication between you and your doctor. The best candidate for cosmetic procedures is someone who understands it’s not going to change how you feel about yourself on the inside. It can enhance your own anatomy and give you a boost — but it’s not magic. Having realistic expectations and good communication with your doctor is the best approach to any kind of elective or cosmetic procedure.

According to the 2010 National Plastic Surgery Statistics, the most popular procedures are breast augmentation, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks.

Surgical/Invasive Procedures
The Mommy Makeover —  In San Antonio, a combination of tummy tuck, breast augmentation (or sometimes breast-lift) and liposuction is sought after by many mothers who have had multiple children.

Tummy Tuck — This surgical procedure aims to flatten and shape the abdomen and waist by removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles. The best candidates are in good physical condition with pockets of fat or loose skin that haven't responded well to diet and exercise.

Breast Augmentation — Women with small or unevenly sized breasts may consider this procedure to achieve a fuller, firmer, better-proportioned look through the placement of implants in the breast. Silicone implants are back but are now made of cohesive gel silicone. What distinguishes cohesive implants (also called “gummy bear implants”) is that the silicone gel is firmer, essentially a soft solid. If a cohesive implant is cut in half, there is no gross movement of gel, and the implant maintains its shape. This implant has a much more natural feel than saline implants.

Because of the long debate over the use of silicone, many women may still be confused about the safety of this newly approved implant. Before you take a stance "for" or "against" silicone, consult a breast implant doctor.

Since no device is foolproof, it is likely that the implants, both saline and silicone, will need to be replaced in the years to come.

Breast-Lift — A breast-lift is performed to return youthful shape and lift to breasts that have sagged as a result of weight loss, pregnancy, loss of the skin's natural elasticity or simply the effects of gravity.

Breast Reduction — This surgery is usually done to provide relief from physical symptoms and self-consciousness associated with large breasts. Performed under general anesthesia, the two- to four-hour procedure removes fat and glandular tissue and trims any excess skin to produce smaller, lighter breasts that are in a healthier proportion to the rest of the body. Breast reduction surgery is not recommended for women who intend to breast-feed.

Liposuction — Liposuction sculpts the body by removing undesirable fat from areas such as the abdomen, waist, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, chin, cheeks, neck and upper arms. Despite good health and a reasonable level of fitness, some people may still have disproportionate contours because of localized fat deposits. These areas may be due to family traits rather than a lack of weight control or fitness.

There are two common procedural techniques:

• The tumescent or super-wet technique requires an infusion of saline solution with adrenaline and possibly anesthetic prior to removal of excess fat.

• Ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty uses ultrasonic energy to liquefy excess fat prior to surgical suctioning.

• Laser-assisted liposuction produces a burst of energy that liquefies the fat as it enters the fatty tissue. It requires the use of tumescent solution prior to lipolysis and standard liposuction to aspirate the liquefied fat.

Super-wet is easier for the surgeon to perform, with less blood loss. Ultrasound-assisted is ideal for areas of fibrous fat like dorsal fat rolls or gynecomastia. Many surgeons do not use this technique, as the risks of seroma (clear fluid-filled pockets) and skin burns far outweigh the benefits.

Injection Lipolysis — Thus far, there is a lack of clinical research in the United States demonstrating the safety and efficacy of injection lipolysis treatments. The first FDA-approved clinical study is being conducted to determine the effectiveness of this technology.

Injection lipolysis, often referred to as lipodissolve or mesotherapy, involves injecting a mixture of chemicals into the skin and/or subcutaneous fatty tissue in order to dissolve fat cells. Neither the injection mixture nor the method of treatment is standardized, and the procedures are not approved by the FDA for any purpose.

Bariatric Surgery — Two weight-loss surgical procedures are commonly performed in the United States. The most widely available is gastric bypass surgery, where a stapling device is used to divide the upper stomach and create a small pouch at the upper end. Food leaves the pouch into a segment of the small intestine, which is brought up from the mid-abdomen and surgically attached to the stomach pouch. The new stomach pouch, which is about the size of your thumb, will hold less than a shot glass full of food. Restricting how much food is eaten is the main way gastric bypass works its weight loss magic.

There is also a “mini gastric bypass” procedure that is less invasive than regular gastric bypass surgery. It is performed laparoscopically and requires only a set of very small incisions. The surgeon inserts a tiny camera through one of the incisions to guide special instruments into the stomach and then creates a very narrow tube from a part of the stomach.

The next most common procedure does not require cutting the stomach or rerouting the intestine. Instead, an adjustable band or belt-like section of plastic known as a Lap-Band® is placed around the upper stomach to create a tiny stomach pouch. This creates a funnel-like narrowing that makes it easy to fill up the stomach pouch with small amounts of food, resulting in a sense of fullness.

Weight loss with the Lap-Band is much more gradual than with gastric bypass since the balloon inside the band is inflated over the weeks and months after surgery, increasing the restriction to eating in accordance with the patient’s needs.

Body Contouring after Major Weight Loss — Plastic surgery after massive weight loss is another procedure increasing in popularity, helping patients achieve a more pleasing body image by removing excess skin and fat deposits that haven’t responded to the weight loss regimen. The result is a more normal appearance to the body, with smoother contours.

Noninvasive body sculpting is shaping up to be the next frontier in body contouring. Traditionally, plastic surgeons have relied on variations of liposuction procedures to treat problematic fat tissue, but they may soon have a new, noninvasive technology at their disposal. Though not approved yet by the FDA for use in the United States, focused ultrasound devices aim to achieve targeted reduction of fat tissue by focusing ultrasound energy that causes permanent disruption of fat cells without damage to the epidermis, dermis or underlying tissues and organs.

This technology is not intended as a replacement for liposuction, but as a complementary body-contouring procedure that could appeal to a much broader audience because of its noninvasive nature.

“Fringe” Procedures — Less common cosmetic surgery procedures, or “fringe” procedures, such as buttock implants, vaginal rejuvenation (tightening) and bicep or tricep implants, make for splashy headlines but are really not performed frequently. Some plastic surgeons do not perform butt, calf or biceps implants, instead preferring fat-grafting techniques. If you’re considering this type of surgery, it’s a good idea to thoroughly investigate the risks of the procedure.

Facial Cosmetic Surgery
Neck/Face-lift — Skin of the face and neck loses elasticity as one ages. Underlying muscles also lose tone. This loss is magnified through sun exposure, weight gain or loss, gravity and stress. These factors may act together and accentuate the appearance of wrinkles, creating a tired look.

A standard face/neck-lift helps improve the most visible signs of aging by removing and redistributing excess fatty deposits, tightening underlying muscles and removing sagging skin. Incisions are made in inconspicuous places such as behind the hairline and in natural folds of the face and ears, and scars fade to near invisibility in time. Surgery can also be performed with an endoscope for smaller incisions. The standard face-lift addresses the lower one-third of the face and the upper neck.

MACS-lift — Another approach gaining traction in the United States is the Minimal Access Cranial Suspension (MACS) lift. This innovative face-lift procedure, developed by two Belgian surgeons, allows for the correction of sagging facial features through a short, minimal incision, elevating them vertically by suspending them from above. The results of the MACS-lift are very natural, while the traditional face-lift will often result in a "windswept" look.

Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty) — By removing excess fat, skin and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids, blepharoplasty can rejuvenate puffy, sagging or tired-looking eyes. It is typically a cosmetic procedure but can also improve vision by lifting droopy eyelids out of the patient's field of vision. The procedure may be performed in an office with local anesthesia and lasts as little as 45 minutes. Blepharoplasty cannot be used to raise the eyebrows or reduce the appearance of wrinkles, crow's feet or dark circles under the eyes, but brow-lift and BOTOX® treatments can achieve these results.

Laser Vision Correction — Are you ready to experience freedom from glasses and/or highlight the results of your blepharoplasty? Whether you're nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, laser vision correction, also known as LASIK or refractive surgery, offers life-changing results in just minutes. The procedure is quick and painless. Most patients can return to work within one to four days, depending on which procedure is performed.

Brow-lifts — Brow-lifts can revitalize drooping or lined foreheads, helping you to look less angry, sad or tired. Using either traditional or minimally invasive (endoscopic) methods, brow-lifts involve the removal or alteration of the muscles above the eyes to smooth lines and raise the eyebrows for a more youthful appearance.

Rhinoplasty — One of the most common plastic surgery procedures, rhinoplasty is performed to reshape, reduce or augment a person's nose, remove a hump, narrow nostril width, change the angle between the nose and the mouth or correct injury, birth defect, or other problems that affect breathing.

Many surgeons are using computer imaging. While no computer can take into account a patient's skin elasticity, bone structure, blood supply and healing ability, the technology helps patients and doctors communicate more clearly prior to surgery. The trend in rhinoplasty, or “nose jobs,” is cartilage preservation and support to prevent an overdone appearance a la Michael Jackson. Computer imaging is now available so doctors and patients can communicate more clearly about potential results. It's important to realize that a computer image may not match reality and represents no guarantee of outcome.

Chin Surgery — Also known as mentoplasty, this is a surgical procedure to reshape the chin either by enhancement with an implant or reduction surgery on the bone. Many times a plastic surgeon may recommend chin surgery to a patient having nose surgery in order to achieve facial proportion, as the size of the chin may magnify or minimize the perceived size of the nose. Chin surgery helps provide a harmonious balance to your facial features so that you feel better about the way you look.

Cosmetic Procedure Resources:

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

(312) 981-6760
www.cosmeticsurgery.org

The American Academy of Dermatology

(866) 503-7546
www.aad.org

American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

(703) 299-9291
www.facial-plastic-surgery.org

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

(888) 272-7711 
www.surgery.org

The Food and Drug Administration

(888) 463-6332 
www.fda.gov