Every year, millions of people all over the world undergo a variety of plastic surgery procedures to improve both their appearance and self-confidence. According to statistics compiled by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2007, more than 11 million plastic surgery procedures were performed in the United States alone. While there are numerous plastic surgery procedures and new treatments are constantly being introduced to the market, all cosmetic surgery procedures can be divided into five major groups: breast surgery, body treatments, facial procedures, post-bariatric plastic surgery and combination treatments.
Breast Procedures
Among aesthetic surgery procedures for the breast, breast augmentation remains the most popular treatment. In the United States alone, more than 350,000 women pursue breast augmentation every year. This procedure can be performed with either silicone or saline breast implants. Depending on the size of the implants, body anatomy and aesthetic desires of each woman, implants can be placed within the breasts through incisions located under the breast, around the nipples, in the armpits or in the navel.
Other often-requested surgical breast procedures include breast lift, breast reduction and breast reconstruction. Breast lift is especially popular among mothers who desire to restore the youthful perkiness lost as a result of one or more pregnancies. Breast reduction is often pursued by women who feel that their breasts are disproportionately large or cause medical problems, such as poor posture and backache. Breast reconstruction is a complex treatment designed for women who have lost their breasts due to mastectomy.
Body Procedures
Body contouring procedures are treatments that can enhance the appearance of the torso, arms, legs, buttocks and intimate body areas. Among body plastic surgery procedures, the most popular treatments are liposuction and tummy tuck. Liposuction can be performed on a variety of body areas, including stomach, buttocks, thighs, arms and face. The purpose of this treatment is to remove relatively small, localized fatty tissue deposits. People who desire to remove both fatty tissue and excess skin from the stomach area are better off by undergoing the more comprehensive tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) surgery. Contrary to popular misconceptions, tummy tuck is not only for women, as many male patients pursue this surgery to achieve beautifully sculpted, masculine torsos.
Some of the lesser-known body contouring treatments are bra-line back lift, gynecomastia surgery, buttock lift and labiaplasty. The bra-line back lift procedure is highly effective in removing fat rolls from the upper back. Gynecomastia treatment is a surgical procedure for men who desire to remove overly developed breast tissue. Buttock lift, just like the name suggests, is a body contouring procedure that lifts sagging buttock tissue, creating a beautifully sculpted derriere. This procedure can be combined with buttock implants in order to achieve a more voluptuous figure. Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure for women who wish to achieve a more youthful look and feel of the labia.
Facial Procedures
Facial plastic surgery procedures include a range of treatments that beautify and rejuvenate the face. The most often requested facial surgical procedures are face lift and rhinoplasty. While face lift used to be a procedure pursued only by mature people, today even individuals in their 30s sometimes undergo some variation of a face lift. Younger patients typically choose the minimally invasive thread lift or liquid lift, while older people pursue mid-face lift or a full deep-plane face lift. Sometimes, face lift is combined with forehead lift and neck lift to achieve a beautifully rejuvenated yet natural-looking facial profile.
Rhinoplasty is a procedure that reshapes the contours of the nose. Because the nose is the central feature of the face, even slight changes to the shape of the nose can greatly enhance the aesthetic balance of the whole face. Other facial cosmetic procedures patients request more often include eyelid surgery, cheek lift, chin implants and ear surgery.
Post-Bariatric Procedures
With obesity rates on the rise, more and more people today undergo weight loss surgery to lose the excess pounds and achieve healthier lifestyles. However, massive weight loss often leaves Lap-Band and gastric bypass patients with a certain amount of excess skin. This aesthetic problem can be resolved through post-bariatric plastic surgery procedures. Often referred to as a body lift, post-bariatric body contouring surgery typically consists of several procedures.
One of the more popular combinations includes a lower body lift, thigh lift and buttock lift. Some patients also undergo arm lift and liposuction to further accentuate their newly slim body contours. Among female post-bariatric cosmetic surgery patients, breast lift with breast implants is also highly popular. The exact combination of procedures depends on the desires and body contours of each individual.
Combination Procedures
The latest advancements in plastic surgery technologies and techniques allow plastic surgeons to combine several cosmetic procedures into comprehensive, highly effective treatment plans. One of the most popular combination treatments is mommy makeover. This treatment plan typically involves a breast procedure, such as breast augmentation, and a torso enhancement procedure, such as tummy tuck. By combining these two treatments, mothers can regain their pre-pregnancy figures. To achieve the best possible results, it is usually recommended that women wait until after the last pregnancy to undergo a mommy makeover.
