Archive for October, 2010
Introduction To Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgery is not a sharply defined area. An operation of any kind should achieve a good cosmetic result, even an appendectomy or a back operation for a ruptured disc. Also, many cosmetic operations have a functional as well as cosmetic aspect, such as upper eyelid surgery to improve the field of vision, or breast size reduction to alleviate neck, back, or breast pain.
By virtue of common usage, cosmetic surgery has become an acceptable term. There are some plastic surgeons, however, who prefer the term aesthetic surgery. Cosmetic is derived from the Greek word Kosmos, meaning order, beauty, or improving on beauty. Aesthetic is derived from the Greek word Aisthetikos, meaning to perceive by the senses, or pertaining to the senses of the beautiful.
There is nothing new about the desire to look younger or more attractive. Improving self-image is an acceptable concept in today’s health regime. Most American women discuss restorative surgery with their friends and family and they do not feel guilty about having such surgery performed. Of course, they do not usually advertise their operation and sometimes ask how they can camouflage the postoperative look so they can return to work as soon as possible.
Many factors account for the increasing popularity of cosmetic surgery. Contemporary culture in the United States is preoccupied with youthful appearance. Women who are threatened with the loss of a job because the look too old, may have cosmetic surgery for monetary reasons. Unfortunately, many employers value the look of blooming good health associated with youth rather than years of experience and a mature sense of responsibility. The baby boomers in the workplace are well aware of this. Now entering their fifties, this generation was the first to enjoy the many advantages of modern medicine. They enjoyed the protection of the polio vaccine and life-saving advantages of antibiotics. Fitness programs and better eating habits have contributed to their good health also.
Another factor that accounts for the recent increase in cosmetic surgery is the publicity it has received in newspapers, women’s magazines and the media. Prior to 1979, ethical plastic surgeons did not advertise. Then the Federal Trade Commission declared that this restriction created a monopoly, which was illegal. Now physicians, even those not trained in plastic surgery and advertise and they do. As a result, the number of people, particularly women, seeking cosmetic surgery has increased. So too, has the number of the qualified and unqualified practitioners.
Only diplomats of the American Board of Plastic Surgery are recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialists as specialists in plastic surgery. They have been trained in general surgery and subsequently in plastic surgery and therefore are qualified to operate on the entire body. Other groups of physicians operate above the collar bone on the head and neck. Dermatological surgeons perform chemical peels, a popular way to defeat the skin’s aging process.
Who pays for cosmetic surgery Being elective, it is usually paid for by the patient. Surgery to correct congenital deformities such as cleft lip and palate, deformities resulting from accidental injury and cancer deformities such as mastectomy may be covered by insurance. Some women forgo vacations and others spend practically no money on clothes for years so that they can save up for cosmetic surgery. Some borrow money; others sell a valuable piece of jewelry. Girls in their teens are sometimes given money to spend on a nose job for their 16th birthday.
Having Cosmetic Surgery Done – How Young Is Too Young
How young is too young for cosmetic surgery This is a question that is asked with a great deal of regularity, probably because there is not simply one answer.
However, if you are asking this question, whether you are a teenager who wants cosmetic surgery or their parent, then the simple answer is probably that now is still too young!
(I’ll assume that you are not one of those dreadful parents who are trying to get their kids to get cosmetic surgery…)
There are a number of factors that cause a person to wish to get cosmetic surgery, which can be outlined as follows
Your features, especially your facial ones, appear to have a flaw that makes you stand out from the crowd, but not in a good way. This could be a lack of balance or symmetry, the nose could be too large compared to the rest of the features, or perhaps the bum seems too flat for the size of the hips and waist.
In other instances, cosmetic surgery is felt to be an option for turning back the clock. The face lift is the most obvious example of this, but there are many other examples as well, including eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), breast lift surgery, hair transplant surgery and wrinkle removal.
Or maybe some feature has been damaged by an accident, for instance a broken nose, chipped teeth, a torn earlobe, and so on.
The final example of a reason that people may choose to get cosmetic surgery is where the patient actually looks quite normal, and what they want is quite simply to look more stunning!
All of these reasons for getting cosmetic surgery are quite legitimate, and there is no reason to consider one more valid than another. However, when it comes to teenage cosmetic surgery, we do have to be a bit more careful, and analyze the motives of the patient a little more.
Where a teenage feels that they are looking old for their years, this is probably the most concerning, and we should be careful that there is not an underlying psychological reason behind their wish for surgery. In the unlikely instance that a teenager is looking ravaged beyond their years, it will be better to be looking at the causes of this, rather than dealing with the cosmetic aspect.
Where a teenage potential patient knows that they look normal, but would like simply to look more beautiful, this is okay, and quite common, but they should be encouraged to wait. It is very normal for people to find that they grow into their appearance, and as we get older, many of us learn to love our imperfections, or at least accept them.
Surgeries that generally should be avoided while still growing include nose reshaping surgery, as very frequently a nose that seemed too big for the face when younger can seem more in proportion later on. For obvious reasons, breast surgery should definitely be a no-no until the mid-twenties at least. Cheek implants and similar should be discouraged until all puppy fat has gone, so again that is likely to be a bad idea until well into one’s twenties. When the youthful fat has disappeared, the features can suddenly gain definition that they didn’t have before.
There are those cosmetic procedures where it has become more acceptable, and even encouraged, to have while young. Ear pinning surgery is one of those, as it is one of the safer surgical procedures. Similarly, cosmetic dental work is often a good idea to have while young.
Where cosmetic surgery reaches its closest proximity to reconstructive plastic surgery, it becomes far easier to accept it as an option for young people. There is no compelling reason why a child should have a badly crooked nose as a result of an injury, or torn ear cartilage due to an earring being pulled out, and this should not be fixed until adulthood. This becomes more a matter for the parents to decide, finances permitting.
But in instances like these, it is quite possible that the benefits the child may get from the increase in confidence may pay dividends for their whole life. The important thing is that each separate case is looked at on an individual basis, and the benefits are weighed up against the risks and disadvantages. And of cause you will want to make sure that you are using a reputable cosmetic surgery clinic, and not just trying to find the cheapest prices.