Cosmetic Surgery

Being attractive has always been a dream of every woman. Nowadays, it is becoming a
preference for men as well. Hence, cosmetic surgery is increasingly becoming popular to fulfill
the esthetical needs of society. The procedures conducted in cosmetic surgery are meant purely
for those who want to improve their appearance. With the rise in its popularity, it has become
highly expensive as well. This article will highlight the popular types of cosmetic surgery, in the
United States, along with their pros and cons.

Common Types of Cosmetic Surgeries in the US

Several cosmetic procedures are currently in high demand in the United States. These are:

Breast Enhancement Surgery

Breast enhancement or augmentation is an extremely popular cosmetic surgery procedure among
women in the US. It is a procedure that enhances the size and appearance of the breasts by
adding implants or grafts of fats under the breast tissue. It is also known as augmentation
mammoplasty. The fat graft addition increases the size and overall texture of breast by one size
which is usually within the body’s normal limit of metabolism. Many women believe that it
gives them a feeling of confidence in themselves. Since it is a surgical procedure, it has its
advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include:

 It transforms the genetically malformed breasts into an ideal form

 It gives your body an ideal hour-glass figure for a longer time
 Gives a better cleavage and adds volume
 Increases the self-confidence1

The disadvantages are:

 The implants require a follow-up and monitoring for any signs of rupture
 Normal surgical complications can occur and scarring can be seen
 It can give a fake appearance to the breasts if the implants get improperly placed
 The feeling of your breasts can change that can give you a stretched feeling

Liposuction
It is a cosmetic procedure for the removal of fat from any part of the body that is excessive in fat.
This performed normally in the hips, thighs, buttocks, face, and belly areas. It is also known as
lipoplasty. In this method, a cannula-tube is connected with the target area and the fat is sucked
out by the vacuum. It can also be done through laser intervention where the fat is liquefied via
laser. The advantages include:

 The man’s breast-fat, due to gynecomastia, can be removed by liposuction

 The edema due to lymph accumulation can be resolved
 Benign fat tumors can be removed
 Gives the body a natural fat-free look and gives confidence

The disadvantages of liposuction are:

 Complications of anesthesia and cannulation can occur
 Uneven fat removal
 Change in the sensation of skin and numbness
 Laser burn possibility
 Fat embolism can happen

Nose-reshaping
This is a cosmetic procedure utilized for reshaping of the nose. It is also known as Rhinoplasty.
It corrects the symmetry and shape of the nose to make it look naturally ideal. Any defects in the
nasal bone, cartilage, or skin can be corrected by this procedure. If the target region is small, less
tissue is added or removed and vice versa. Hence, Rhinoplasty aims to reconstruct the nose
according to the facial symmetry. The pros and cons are equally distributed as well. The main
advantages of nasal-reshaping are:

 Birth deformities of the nose can be corrected

 Bumps on the nose can be removed
 Quick recovery after nasal reconstruction
 Breathing hindrance can be cleared by reconstructing the nose
 Enhanced self-esteem with symmetrical nose

The cons to be considered include:

 Surgical discomfort can be there
  There are chances of nasal bleeding and infection
 Scarring can be seen sometimes
 Numbness due to anesthesia can be permanent

Blepharoplasty
The word blepharo means ‘eyelid’ and plasty means ‘to form’. It is commonly known as eyelid
surgery. The excess tissue above eyelids gives it a double eyelid appearance. This excessive
tissue can be easily excised and removed. The excessive sagging skin above eyelid due to aging
is eliminated and the underlying ocular muscles are smoothened to create firm looking eye as
well as an increased vision range. Both upper and lower eyelids can be enhanced by this
procedure. This procedure is very popular in the US nowadays. The main advantages of this
technique are:

 It clears the puffiness around the eyes

 All the fine lines the outer edge of the eyes are smoothened
 Hooded eye appearance is completely replaced with a natural one
 Elimination of drooping eyes enhances the field of vision
 The tension in the eye muscles is relieved and a sense of comfort is achieved
 Increase in self-confidence

The disadvantages are few:

 Itchiness and dryness may follow the procedure
 Can cause temporary double vision
 Small whiteheads may form in the surrounding areas

Tummy Tuck
Many individuals have low self-confidence due to excessive fat in their abdominal area. These
people cannot get rid of the fat despite doing exercises and following diet plans. The tummy tuck
is a rescue procedure for such individuals. It removes the fat as well as gets rid of the stretch
marks. It is also known as abdominoplasty. The abdomen walls and muscles become well-toned
and comparatively flat 2. The aging skin is saggy. This skin is made taught by the tummy tuck
procedure. If a person’s overall health is good, he or she can easily opt for it. The pros of the
tummy tuck are as follows:
  It will make the tummy flat and firm
 It will give a youthful overall appearance
 The waist is reduced according to an individual’s desired limit
 All the skin imperfection in the tummy area are wiped out
 The stretch marks and scars are eliminated in combination with other adjuvant measures3
 It is useful for both male and females
 Psychological confidence is enhanced

The cons of the tummy tuck are:

 A specific diet plan to follow to adjust with the procedure results
 Surgical complications may follow this procedure
 Pregnancy after this procedure may hinder long-term results

The Rise of the Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures in the US

The minimally invasive cosmetic techniques are used for the shaping and contouring of certain
areas of the body. Over the last two decades, a rise of about 200% in the use of minimally
invasive cosmetic procedures is reported. These procedures are utilized mainly on the facial
areas. The dermal fillers such as Botulinum Toxin Type A, soft tissue fillers, chemical peels,
laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion are the top five among these. Still, minimally
invasive procedures have short-term results as compared to surgical cosmetic procedures.

Cosmetic Surgery & Patient Satisfaction

It is well known that cosmetic surgeries are the highest in the US. This is because the level of
satisfaction towards cosmetic surgeries is extremely high here. Many patients were asked for
their feedback following cosmetic surgeries. It was found that almost 98% of the patients with
breast augmentation surgery were satisfied with it and preferred to opt for this procedure again.
Furthermore, 91% of the patients with Rhinoplasty preferred it again. Cosmetic surgery is
favored by the patients because of the long-term effects that it produces. It was found in another
study that the patients with a high level of dissatisfaction with their looks were the ones that
opted for surgical procedures4.

Recent Trends of Cosmetic Surgery in the US

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) discloses the annual statistics of cosmetic
surgeries performed in the United States. In 2018, the trends in cosmetic procedures drastically
increased. The observed trends in the US included these main points:

 The breast augmentation procedure was on the top amongst all the cosmetic procedures
 There was a total increase of 4% in the utilization of breast augmentation
 Liposuction was the second most needed procedure in the cosmetic surgery
 An increase of 5% was seen in liposuction from the year 2017 to 2018
 Nasal reconstruction was the third most utilized cosmetic procedure but its need declined
2% in 2018 as compared to the year 2017
 Eyelid surgery demand reduced 1% from 2017 to 2018 and was the fourth most
commonly used procedure in 2018
 The fifth most common cosmetic surgical procedure was abdominoplasty with almost
equal utilization in both years
 The demand for the non-invasive removal of fat increased by 6%
 The need for hair transplant also spiked to 18% in 2018
 An overall increase in non-invasive cosmetic procedures was observed as compared to
the invasive ones

Conclusion
Nowadays, people perceive cosmetic surgery procedures in two ways. One popular belief
empowers the people to accept their physique and be happy with it. The other belief is the
dominant one and urges to improve one’s self-confidence by enhancing the appearance. This can
be observed by soaring levels of cosmetic surgery throughout the world. The long-term results
produced by the cosmetic surgical procedures will always give them an upper hand over the non-
invasive cosmetic procedures that provide short-term results and repeated follow-ups.
References