Choosing A Cosmetic Plastic Procedure:
Many of these procedures may also
fulfill true medical needs. You should understand that the circumstances
and experience of every individual will be unique.
If you're considering cosmetic plastic
surgery, please ask your plastic surgeon for further information about
the particular procedure and what you expect.
In addition, please note that all
surgery carries some uncertainty and risk, including the possibility of
infection, bleeding, blood clots, and adverse reactions to the anesthesia.
You can reduce your risks by choosing a qualified plastic surgeon and closely
following his or her advice, both before and after surgery.
ABDOMINOPLASTY(Tummy
Tuck)
Procedure: Flatten abdomen
by removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles of abdominal wall.
Length: 2 to 5 hours.
Anesthesia: General, or local
with sedation.
In/Outpatient: Either depending
on individual circumstances and extent of surgery.
Side Effects: Temporary pain.
Swelling, soreness, numbness of abdominal skin, bruising, tiredness for
several weeks or months.
Risks: Blood clots. Infection.
Bleeding under the skin flap. Poor healing resulting in conspicuous scarring
or skin loss. Need for a second operation.
Recovery:
Back to work: 2 to 4 weeks.
More strenuous activity: 4 to 6
weeks or more.
Fading and flattening of scars:
3 months to 2 years.
BOTOX INJECTIONS:
Botox®, a purified, botulinum
A toxin used to block nerve impulses and temporarily paralyze muscles that
cause wrinkles, is safe and effective for non-traditional uses in facial
rejuvenation according to a study presented today at the 70th Annual Scientific
Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) in Orlando.
Botox® can also be used in conjunction with surgeries such as forehead
lifts, facelifts, and eyelid surgery; to combat migraine headaches; and
to eliminate hyperhydrosis (excessive perspiration).
Effectiveness: "With Botox®,
patients get rid of wrinkles in a 5 to 10 minute procedure. Since there
is little or no discomfort, patients can literally return to their normal
routines immediately following the procedure."
BREAST ENLARGEMENT (Augmentation
Mammaplasty)
Procedure: Enhance the size
of breasts using inflatable implants filled with saline.
Length: 1 to 2 hours.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary soreness,
swelling, change in nipple sensation, bruising. Breast sensitive to stimulation
for a few weeks.
Risks: Lack of implant permanence
-- surgical removal or replacement of tthe implants may be required to treat
problems, including: deflation; the formation of scar tissue around the
implant (capsular contracture), which may cause the breast to feel tight
or hard; bleeding or infection. Increase or decrease in sensitivity of
nipples or breast skin, occasionally permanent. Mammagraphy requires a
special technique. (Note: Some women have reported symptoms similar to
those of immune disorders. Ask your doctor about these and other FDA concerns.)
Recovery:
Back to work: a few days.
Physical contact with breasts: 3
to 4 weeks.
Fading of scars: several months
to a year or more.
Duration of Results: Variable.
Implants may require removal or replacement.
BREAST LIFT (Mastopexy)
Procedure: Raise and reshape
sagging breasts by removing excess skin and repositioning remaining tissue
and nipples.
Length: 1 to 3 hours.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Sometimes inpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary bruising,
swelling, discomfort, numbness, dry breast skin. Permanent scars.
Risks: Thick, wide scars;
skin loss; infection. Unevenly positioned nipples. Permanent loss of feeling
in nipples or breast.
Recovery:
Back to work: 1 week or more.
Strenuous activities: 1 month.
Fading of scars: several months
to a year.
Duration of Results: Variable;
gravity, pregnancy, aging, and weight changes may cause new sagging. Results
may last longer or be enhanced when breast implants are inserted as part
of the procedure.
CHEMICAL PEEL (Phenol
and trichloroacetic acid [TCA])
Procedure: Restore wrinkled,
blemished, unevenly pigmented, or sun-damaged facial skin, using a chemical
solution to peel away skin's top layers. Works best on fair, thin skin
with superficial wrinkles.
Length: 1 to 2 hours for
full face.
Anesthesia: None; sedation
& EKG monitoring may be used.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Full-face phenol peel may require admission for 1 to 2 days.
Side Effects: Both: Temporary
throbbing, tingling, swelling, redness; acute sensitivity to sun. Phenol:
Permanent lightening of treated skin; permanent loss of ability to tan.
Risks: Both: Tiny whiteheads
(temporary); infection; scarring; flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters,
cold sores. Phenol: Abnormal color changes (permanent); heart irregularities
(rare).
Recovery:
Phenol: Formation of new skin: 7
to 21 days.
Normal activities: 2 to 4 weeks.
Full healing and fading of redness:
3 to 6 months
TCA: New skin within 5 to 10 days.
Duration of Results:
Phenol: permanent, although new
wrinkles may form as skin ages.
TCA: variable (temporary).
COLLAGEN / FAT INJECTIONS
Procedure: Plump up creased,
furrowed, or sunken facial skin; add fullness to lips and backs of hands.
Works best on thin, dry, light-colored skin.
Length: 15 minutes to 1 hour
per session.
Anesthesia: Collagen: usually none;
local may be included with the injection. Fat: local.
In/Outpatient: Outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary stinging,
throbbing, or burning sensation. Faint redness, swelling, excess fullness.
Risks: Collagen: allergic
reaction including rash, hives, swelling, or flu-like symptoms; possible
triggering of connective-tissue or autoimmune diseases. (A skin test is
required before collagen treatment to determine whether an allergy exists.)
Both: Contour irregularities, infection.
Duration of Results: Variable;
a few months to 1 year.
DERMABRASION
Procedure: Mechanical scraping
of the top layers of skin using a high-speed rotary wheel. Softens sharp
edges of surface irregularities, including acne and other scars and fine
wrinkles, especially around the mouth.
Length: A few minutes to
1 hour. May require more than 1 session.
Anesthesia: Local, numbing
spray, or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary tingling,
burning, itching, swelling, redness. Lightening of treated skin. Acute
sensitivity to sun; loss of ability to make pigment (tan).
Risks: Abnormal color changes
(permanent). Tiny whiteheads (temporary); infection; scarring; flare-up
of skin allergies, fever blisters, cold sores.
Recovery:
Back to work: 2 weeks.
More strenuous activities: 4 to
6 weeks.
Fading of redness: about 3 months.
Return of pigmentation/sun exposure:
6 to 12 months.
Duration of Results: Permanent,
although new wrinkles may form as skin ages.
EAR SURGERY (Otoplasty)
Procedure: Set prominent ears
back closer to the head, or reduce the size of large ears. Most often done
on children between the ages of 4 and 14 years. (Occasionally covered by
insurance.)
Length: 2 to 3 hours.
Anesthesia: Young children:
usually general. Older children or adults: general or local, with sedation.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary throbbing,
aching, swelling, redness, numbness.
Risks: Infection of cartilage.
Excessive scarring. Blood clot that may need to be drained. Mismatched
or artificial- looking ears. Recurrence of the protrusion, requiring repeat
surgery.
Recovery:
Back to work or school: 5 to 7 days.
Strenuous activity, contact sports:
1 to 2 months.
Duration of Results: Usually
permanent.
EYELID SURGERY (Blepharoplasty)
Procedure: Correct drooping
upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by removing excess fat, skin,
and muscle. (Upper-eyelid surgery may be covered by insurance if used to
correct visual field defects)
Length: 1 to 3 hours.
Anesthesia: Usually locally
with sedation or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary discomfort,
tightness of lids, swelling, bruising. Temporary dryness, burning, itching
of eyes. Excessive tearing, sensitivity to light for first few weeks.
Risks: Temporary blurred
or double vision. Infection, bleeding. Swelling at the corners of the eyelids.
Dry eyes. Formation of whiteheads. Slight asymmetry in healing or scarring.
Difficulty in closing eyes completely (rarely permanent). Pulling down
of the lower lids (may require further surgery). Blindness (extremely rare).
Recovery:
Reading: 2 or 3 days. Back to work:
7 to 10 days.
Contact lenses: two weeks or more.
Strenuous activities, alcohol: about
3 weeks.
Bruising and swelling gone: several
weeks.
Duration of Results: Several
years. Sometimes permanent.
FACELIFT (Rhytidectomy)
Procedure: Improving sagging
facial skin, jowls, and loose neck skin by removing excess fat, tightening
muscles, redraping skin. Most often done on men and women over 40.
Length: Several hours.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Some patients may require short inpatient stay.
Side Effects: Temporary bruising,
swelling, numbness and tenderness of skin; tight feeling, dry skin. For
men, permanent need to shave behind ears, where beard-growing skin is repositioned.
Risks: Injury to the
nerves that control facial muscles or feeling (usually temporary but may
be permanent). Infection, bleeding. Poor healing; excessive scarring. Asymmetry
or change in hairline.
Recovery: Back to work: 10
to 14 days.
More strenuous activity: 2 weeks
or more.
Bruising: 2 to 3 weeks. Must limit
exposure to sun for several months.
Duration of Results: Usually
5 to 10 years.
FACIAL IMPLANTS
Procedure: Change the basic
shape and balance of the face using carefully shaped implants to build
up a receding chin, add prominence to cheekbones, or reshape the jawline.
Length: 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Occasionally overnight hospital stay.
Side Effects: Temporary discomfort,
swelling, bruising, numbness and/or stiffness. In jaw surgery, inability
to open mouth fully for several weeks.
Risks: Shifting or imprecise
positioning of implant, or infection around it, requiring a second operation
or removal. Excess tightening and hardening of scar tissue around an artificial
implant ("capsular contracture"), causing unnatural shape.
Recovery: Back to work: about
1 week. Normal appearance: 2 to 4 weeks. Activity that could jar or bump
face: 6 weeks or more.
Duration of Results: Permanent.
FOREHEAD LIFT (Browlift)
Procedure: Minimize forehead
creases, drooping eyebrows, hooding over eyes, furrowed forehead and frown
lines by removing excess tissue, altering muscles and tightening the forehead
skin. May be done using the traditional technique, with an incision across
the top of the head just behind the hairline; or with the use of an endoscope,
which requires 3 to 5 short incisions. Most often done on people over 40.
Length: 1 to 2 hours.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary swelling,
numbness, headaches, bruising. Traditional method: Possible itching and
hair loss.
Risks: Injury to facial nerve,
causing loss of motion, muscle weakness, or asymmetrical look. Infection.
Broad or excessive scarring.
Recovery: Back to work: 7
to 10 days, usually sooner for endoscopic forehead lift. More strenuous
activity: several weeks. Full recovery from bruising: 2 to 3 weeks. Limit
sun exposure for several months.
Duration of Results: Usually
5 to 10 years.
HAIR REPLACEMENT SURGERY
Procedure: Fill in balding
areas with a patient's own hair using a variety of techniques including
scalp reduction, tissue expansion, strip grafts, scalp flaps, or clusters
of punch grafts (plugs, miniplugs and microplugs). Works best on men with
male pattern baldness after hair loss has stopped.
Length: 1 to 3 hours. Some
techniques may require multiple procedures over 18 months or more.
Anesthesia: Usually local
with sedation. Flaps and tissue expansion may be done with general anesthesia.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary achy,
tight scalp. Unnatural look in early stages.
Risks: Unnatural look. Infection.
Excessive scarring. Failure to "take." Loss of scalp tissue and/or transplanted
hair.
Recovery:
Back to work: usually 2 to 5 days.
More strenuous activities: 10 days
to 3 weeks.
Final look: may be 18 months or
more, depending on procedure.
Duration of Results: Permanent.
LASER FACIAL RESURFACING
Procedure: Smooth the face
and smooth fine wrinkles using a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser device that
treats layers of damaged skin. Softens lines around the eyes and mouth
and minimizes facial scars and unevenly pigmented areas.
Length: A few minutes to 1
hour. May require more than 1 session.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient,
unless combined with other surgical procedures that require hospitalization.
Side Effects: Temporary swelling,
discomfort. Lightening of treated skin. Acute sun sensitivity. Increased
sensitivity to makeup. Pinkness or redness in skin that may persist for
up to 6 months.
Risks: Burns or injuries
caused by laser heat. Scarring. Abnormal changes in skin color. Flare-up
of viral infections ("cold sores") and other infections (rare).
Recovery:
Back to work: 2 weeks. More strenuous
activities: 4-6 weeks. Complete fading of redness: 6 months or less.
Return of pigmentation/light sun
exposure: 6-12 months.
Duration of Results: Long-lasting,
but does not stop aging. New wrinkles, expression lines may form as skin
ages.
LIPOSUCTION (Suction-Assisted
Lipectomy)
Procedure: Improve body shape
by removing exercise-resistant fat deposits with a tube and vacuum device.
Can be performed using the tumescent technique, in which targeted fat cells
are infused with saline containing solution with a local anesthetic before
liposuction to reduce post-operative bruising and swelling. Common locations
for liposuction include chin, cheeks, neck, upper arms, above breasts,
abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles.
For larger volumes of fat or for
fibrous body areas, ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) may be used. UAL
is a new technique in which a ultrasound probe is inserted beneath the
skin to "liquify" the fat before it is suctioned.
Length: 1 to 2 hours or more.
UAL: 20-40 percent longer than traditional liposuction.
Anesthesia: Local, epidural,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Extensive procedures may require short inpatient stay.
Side Effects: Temporary bruising,
swelling, numbness, soreness, burning sensation. Tumescent: Temporary fluid
drainage from incision sites. UAL: Larger incisions for cannula.
Risks: Asymmetry. Rippling
or bagginess of skin. Pigmentation changes. Skin injury. Fluid retention.
Excessive fluid loss leading to shock. Infection. UAL: thermal burn injury
caused by the heat from the ultrasound device.
Recovery:
Back to work: 1 to 2 weeks.
More strenuous activity: 2 to 4
weeks.
Full recovery from swelling and
bruising: 1 to 6 months or more. Use of tumescent technique or UAL may
decrease post-operative bruising and swelling.
Duration of Results: Permanent,
with sensible diet and exercise.
MALE BREAST REDUCTION (Gynecomastia)
Procedure: Reduce enlarged,
female-like breast in men using liposuction and/or cutting out excess glandular
tissue. (Sometimes covered by medical insurance.)
Length: 1 hour or more.
Anesthesia: General or local.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary bruising,
swelling, numbness, soreness, burning sensation.
Risks: Infection. Fluid accumulation.
Injury to the skin. Rippling or bagginess of skin. Asymmetry. Pigmentation
changes (may become permanent if exposed to sun). Excessive scarring if
tissue was cut away. Need for second procedure to remove additional tissue.
Recovery:
Back to work: 3 to 7 days.
More strenuous activity: 2 to 3
weeks.
Swelling and bruising: 3 to 6 months.
Duration of Results: permanent
NOSE SURGERY (Rhinoplasty)
Procedure: Reshape nose by
reducing or increasing size, removing hump, changing shape of tip or bridge,
narrowing span of nostrils, or changing angle between nose and upper lip.
May also relieve some breathing problems. (May be covered by insurance.)
Length: 1 to 2 hours or more.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation,
or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary swelling,
bruising around eyes, nose and headaches. Some bleeding and stiffness.
Risks: Infection. Small burst
blood vessels resulting in tiny, permanent red spots. Incomplete improvement,
requiring additional surgery.
Recovery: Back to work: 1
to 2 weeks.
More strenuous activities: 2 to
3 weeks.
Avoid hitting nose or sunburn: 8
weeks.
Final appearance: 1 year or more.
Duration of Results: Permanent.
