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For residents of Chicago, plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures are quickly catching on as a desirable way to retain a youthful appearance. The most sought plastic surgery options in the Chicago area are breast augmentation, laser skin resurfacing, liposuction surgery, abdominoplasty and, of course, Botox.
If you're considering Chicago plastic surgery, read on for a full overview of each of these five popular treatments, including a hot tip on where you can find the best cosmetic doctors in Chicago.
Botox Injections
Botox is the most fashionable Chicago plastic surgery procedure. Though it's not technically a surgical procedure, the injected drug has caught on thanks to its minimal financial cost, limited physical investment and non-invasive procedure.
By limiting the ability of facial muscles to contract and display wrinkles or creases, Botox essentially paralyzes small portions of the face. This method not only reduces the appearance of wrinkles, but it can also prevent them.
Abdominoplasty Surgery
More commonly known as a tummy tuck, the abdominoplasty is a trendy Chicago plastic surgery procedure for mothers who have undergone multiple births or for individuals who are reclaiming their bodies after significant weight loss.
The goal of an abdominoplasty surgery is to remove excess skin, reshape the abdominal area and even tighten the abdominal muscles. It's not designed, nor is it effective, for overweight or obese patients.
Liposuction Surgery
Surprisingly, liposuction is actually quite invasive. The procedure begins when the surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a hollow, long needle into that cut. The needle is then used to both scrape away fat cells and suction them out of the body.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Because they're not invasive and yet more effective than chemical peels or microdermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing treatments are quickly becoming a more common Chicago plastic surgery alternative.
Most laser skin rejuvenation or resurfacing procedures only last between 10 to 20 minutes, but can go longer depending on the size of the area to be treated. Laser treatment can also be used for hair removal, tattoo removal and to treat scars or hyper pigmentation.
Breast Augmentation
Breast implants are essentially silicone or saline implants that are inserted over or behind the pectoral muscles. The goal of the procedure is to improve the appearance or increase the size of a person's breasts.
Finding a Doctor or Practice in Chicago
To find certified, high-quality, Chicago plastic surgery doctors, search the database available at the American Society of Plastic Surgeon's website.
Endoscopic plastic surgery minimizes incision size using an endoscope functions as a viewing device. It consists of a tubular probe fitted with a tiny camera and bright light, which is inserted through a small incision; and a viewing screen to magnify the transmitted images of the body's internal structures. The surgeon watches the screen while moving the tube through the surgical area.
Advantages of Endoscopy
Because it involves smaller incisions, endoscopy leaves very minimal scarring. To insert the probe, only a few incisions less than one inch long are required. For procedures such as breast augmentation, only two incisions may be necessary. Shorter incisions also reduce risk of sensory loss due to nerve damage. Also, bleeding, bruising and swelling may be significantly reduced.
Furthermore, the recovery period tends to be shorter with no need for an overnight hospital stay. Many can be performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia with sedation.
Special consideration and risks
The endoscopic plastic surgery approach has only recently been applied to procedures. There are some known risks, which vary in severity depending on the procedure being performed. These include infection, fluid accumulation beneath the skin (which must be drained), blood vessel damage, nerve damage or loss of feeling, internal perforation injury, and skin injury.
And, keep in mind that if a complication occurs at any time during the operation your surgeon may have to switch to an open procedure, which will result in a more extensive scar and a longer recovery period. However, to date, such complications are rare-estimated to occur in less that 5 percent of all endoscopic procedures.