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It wasn't that long ago, when the world was exposed to cautionary tales about the death-related dangers of liposuction surgery. Society was also further dissuaded by the look of windblown face lifts and leaking silicone implants, leading to the belief that it is better to grow old gracefully. As if shocking stories weren't repelling enough, the price for most cosmetic plastic surgery procedures kept most people at an economic distance.
However, in recent years, the field of cosmetic plastic surgery has accumulated a wealth of new patients. The stigma from the past is better left in the past. However, what has changed?
Medical Advancement and the Growing popularity of Plastic Surgery
The field of cosmetic surgery has developed a variety of treatment options, attracting people from all walks of life. Essentially, plastic surgery is much safer, more refined, less invasive and more accessible. Treatments are highly individualized for patients to achieve desired results.
As a result of safer procedures, patients can elect to combine treatments, thereby reducing recovery time. For example, a patient can undergo facial plastic surgery, along with a neck lift or forehead lift. Results are also more natural.
The Growing Popularity of Plastic Surgery: Convenience of the Outpatient Facility
Many plastic surgery procedures can now be performed in an outpatient facility. The growing number of outpatient facilities not only creates more options, but appeals to comfort. With the variety of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures available, patients can fore go the hospital stay and look forward to a condensed recovery period at home. By avoiding the traditional hospital setting, many cosmetic procedures are also much more affordable.
The Growing Popularity of Plastic Surgery: Non-Invasive Procedures
Numerous non-invasive cosmetic treatments appeal to accessibility for all. A long list of dermal fillers and injectables are currently available to treat wrinkles, fine lines and return a supple glow to the skin. Injectables are effective and fairly inexpensive. Most injectable treatments take about 15 minutes.
Skin resurfacing techniques are another popular non-invasive alternative to surgery. Dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, chemical peels and laser treatments can be used to reduce wrinkles, fine lines, sun damage and scars. The cost for skin resurfacing varies, with some available for under $200.
The Role of the Baby Boomer Generation and the Rise of Plastic Surgery
A common theory that contributes to why plastic surgery has grown in popularity recently involves the aging baby boomer generation. This particular generation has been exposed to the idea of plastic surgery since childhood. Baby boomers are also an active group of people. They may want appearance to match lifestyle.
The Growing Popularity of Plastic Surgery in the Workplace
Pressure in the workplace may be another source of motivation for why plastic surgery has grown in popularity. Generally, the younger employee exudes and air of youthful confidence and drive. The older employee is associated with being jaded and worn out. These stereotypes are entirely unfair, but also an unfortunate aspect of what shapes our perception.
The Growing Popularity of Plastic Surgery: Dating and Relationships
Divorce is on the rise. People get married, divorced and remarried. The relationships of contemporary society involve an entirely different dynamic. Dating is now common for all ages. In the world of dating, appearance is often linked to confidence. Many people choose plastic surgery as a means for restoring confidence.
Even though we are in the middle of the summer (or maybe because we are), you may have decided to get serious about getting rid of those unsightly fat areas that diet and exercise just won't. But with different methods of fat removal available, which one is right for you? It may be tempting to think that a non-surgical method such as LipoDissolve which offers low cost and no recovery time is best, but let's examine the facts first.
Traditional liposuction is still the gold standard to which all other methods of fat removal must be compared. Done through small incisions near where the fat is to be removed, a small thin hollow tube (cannula, about the width of a pencil or less)) is placed underand the dislodg the skin. By moving the cannula in and out repetitively, fat is broken loose and then vacuumed out. This is the preferred method among board certified plastic surgeons for removing larger amounts of fat tissue and has been used in the United States for almost thirty years.All liposuction today is done with the tumescent or wet technique which keeps blood loss to only about 1% of the total fat removed. Liposuctioned fat volumes removed today are kept around five or six liters in a single operation to keep the risk of complications low. Serious side effects with liposuction are very rare. The most common problem with liposuction is skin irregularities but this problem is kept limited when done by skilled and experienced hands. Very good results can be obtained in the neck, stomach, waistline, outer thighs, and knees. More modest results are seen in the arms, back, inner thighs, and buttocks.
Liposuction done with the aid of a laser, also known as Smart Lipo, is one of the newer FDA-approved types of liposuction. A laser is inserted through tiny incisions in the skin. When the laser is fired, it melts the fat purportably tightening the skin at the same time. Smart Lipo has not been proven to produce better results than traditional liposuction but may be an alternative for removing smaller fat areas. This is certainly the way it is currently being sold, particularly to non-plastic surgeons which make up a significant percent of the targeted market. Because the removed fat volume is more limited, serious side effects are unlikely. Smart Lipo to be real advantage, to me, is whether it can be used in the office under local anesthesia for smaller fat problems. This is where it would offer an advantage over traditional liposuction.
Lipodissolve, also known as injection lipolysis, uses a mixture of emulsifying chemicals (lecithin and cholic acid) which are injected under the skin to the targeted fat areas. This is a non-FDA approved treatment method although in my experience has proven to be safe. I have not seen any of the complications that are widely reported. Lipodissolve should not be viewed as a comparative treatment method to liposuction. It is best viewed as a fat removal technique when any form of liposuction is a bigger solution than the problem justifies. It is done as a series of injection done in the office over three or four months.I have found that it works well for small fat areas in the neck, jowls, bra rolls, stomach, flanks, thighs, and knees. Small areas, no bigger than the size of a hand, is the concept of a treatable fat area. Liposuction, like all plastic surgery, is an issue of value...what result do you get for what you pay. It is also a great method to touch-up any excess areas of fat after a liposuction procedure.
Liposuction and LipoDissolve remove fat differently and therefore should be used for different fat problems. Small areas may be taken down with LipoDissolve, larger areas require traditional liposuction.