Combination Plastic Surgery Procedures - From Head to Toe

A very popular plastic surgery trend these days is to have several cosmetic procedures performed during one operating room session. Apparently this can save on costs and make for one massive recovery rather than several painful recovery periods over the space of a year.

People choose to do all different combinations of plastic surgery procedures at once, but some of the most common are the face lift, the neck lift, breast augmentation, and the tummy tuck.

Face Lift

A face lift is a procedure designed to get rid of many fine lines and wrinkles in the face. It begins with an incision made along the hairline or just behind the hairline. The skin is gently loosened from the muscles below.

The surgeon carefully repositioned and augments if necessary the underlying muscles and tissues, after which she pulls the facial skin upward and tight and removes the extra skin. The face is sewn back together at the incision point, placing the future scar in a very inconspicuous place.

While it may take a few weeks or months for the swelling to subside, the results are the most long-lasting of any cosmetic facial procedure and certainly produce a younger, fresher look for years to come.

Neck Lift

Nothing gives away your age faster than wrinkles and sagging in your neck. A neck lift can help hide that age by smoothing out your neck skin, giving you a younger appearance. The process is very similar to the face lift, except that the incision is made under the chin or jawline.

The skin is pulled upward and the excess skin is excised. The recovery period involves some rest and refraining from a lot of neck twisting or straining for the initial post-surgery period. Yet after the swelling and pain subside, you are left with a tighter looking neck that is reminiscent of much younger days.

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is very popular in combination with all sorts of other procedures, especially with breast lifts. Breast augmentation involves inserting breast implants on top of or under the pectoral muscles.

There are several different techniques used to do this so the incision might be made just under the breasts in the natural crease, through the underarms, or even in the naval. Silicone implants are pre-filled and often provide a more natural look and feel, but saline implants can be filled after they are inserted offering ease of adjustment.

The recovery includes a week off of work while you rest and the pain dissipates. The swelling will take a month or slightly longer to subside. The results are permanent unless a revision surgery is needed and most patients are very satisfied with their procedures.

Tummy Tuck

Finally, the tummy tuck is a way to get tighter, firmer, slimmer abs. The tummy tuck removes extra belly skin, can pull out unwanted fatty deposits through liposuction, and allows the surgeon to tighten the abdominal muscles by suturing them together. The results are much firmer and more toned looking abs that inspires greater self-confidence in bathing suit weather!

Popular Trends in Plastic Surgery

Although plastic surgery is becoming more and more commonplace, different people decide to have plastic surgery for different reasons. Some get surgery solely for cosmetic reasons, while others go under the knife to fix a problem. At any rate, plastic surgery is a widely accepted trend for many people.

First, we must look at the history of plastic surgery. Before surgical procedures became available, many women opted for nonsurgical gadgets to enhance their appearance. In the early 20th century, some women wore chin straps that were supposed to help sagging chins and jawlines appear firmer. A less popular contraption was a nose thinner-which is still in existence today, although slightly updated of course.

With the World Wars in the 20th century as well as increased surgical technology, facial surgery became much more feasible. At first used as a reconstructive process, surgeons soon realized the immense capabilities of plastic surgery-including facial operations for cosmetic reasons as well as the reconstructive processes.

Now, there are several burgeoning trends in cosmetic procedures. We shall examine several popular reasons for plastic surgery and the quest for beauty here:

Anti-aging. Many women (and some men) choose to undergo plastic surgery in order to appear younger. This can include anti-wrinkle injections, such as Botox; face, neck, and eyebrow lifts; as well as laser skin resurfacing to treat sun damage. The filler injections are wonderful ways to update the complexion in a nonsurgical way.

Weddings. Women want to look perfect for their wedding day. Thus, they can opt for lip augmentations for a puffy, kissable pout, as well as rhinoplasty and chin and cheek implants to create the face they want to be remembered in all of their wedding pictures. Lastly, laser hair removal is very useful if the bride is honeymooning on the beach or even any other location.

Post birth. After a woman has sacrificed her youthful figure to have children, it is natural to want her old body back. She may want liposuction or a tummy tuck to hide the stretch marks. Sometimes, women want breast augmentation after nursing their babies. Also, who wouldn't want a few Restylane injections to fix those worry lines after raising children?

After weight loss. For men and women alike, struggling with being overweight or obese can stretch out the skin. Once someone has reached his or her goal weight, it can sometimes be necessary to remove the loose extra skin. This can be fixed with tucking procedures. As well as stretched stomach skin, people might have leftover double-chin skin. A facelift can help solve this problem to fully celebrate a successful weight loss program.

Plastic Surgery Statistics

The growth in cosmetic plastic surgery is not limited to the shores of the UK. People all over the world choose this type of surgery to amend facial or body features about themselves. Long gone are the days when one was forced to accept there birth features for better or for worse. Nowadays plastic surgery transplants are also being carried out on young people.

Plastic surgery of course is not an operation that should be taken light heartedly. The pleasure of seeing ones body change into something more desirable or to your own liking, does not come without its costs and body discomfort during the healing process. It is therefore paramount that any such surgery is only taken out after thorough consideration. Where possible it is also wise to accept advice from those close to you, as there maybe alternative methods that could work out just as effectively. For example in the instance surgery is sought to help reduce weight a proper diet that is followed could just as well do the trick without the financial costs involved in surgery. Also do not forget plastic surgery does require aftercare and depending on the type of plastic surgery you intent carrying out, this could be a number of months.

So how many people actually carry out plastic surgery each year and what type of surgery do they undertake?

Well in 2006 over 11.5 million cosmetic surgery procedures were carried out in the United States of America alone, a 447 per cent increase in the amount of plastic surgery operations carried out in 1997.The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery's cosmetic surgery statistics are the most comprehensive collection of data available on the number of cosmetic surgical and no surgical procedures performed in the United States

Below is a breakdown of the 11.5 million plastic surgery operations carried out.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures

The top five most popular surgical procedures in 2006 include:

· Liposuction - 403,684

· Breast augmentation - 383,886

· Eyelid surgery - 209,999

· Abdominoplasty - 172,457

· Breast Reduction - 145,822

Cosmetic Non-Surgical Procedures

· Over 8 million minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, which require no surgery, were performed in 2006.

· The top five most popular non-surgical procedures in 2006 include:

· Botox - 3.1 million

· Hyaluronic Acid (Hylaform, Restylane) - 1.5 million

· Laser hair removal - 1.4 million

· Microdermabrasion - 993,071

· Laser Skin Resurfacing - 556,172

Non-Cosmetic Plastic Surgeries

· In 2006 over five million reconstructive surgeries were performed.

· The top five reconstructive plastic surgeries in 2006

· Tumor Removal - 3.9 million

· Laceration Repair - 312,844

· Scar Revision - 164,684

· Hand Surgery - 155,810

· Breast Reduction - 104,455

Ethnicity

· People of color accounted for approximately 23 percent of cosmetic procedures in 2006.

· Hispanics - 8% in 2006. The top three requested procedures for Hispanics in 2006:

· Breast Augmentation

· Nose Reshaping

· Liposuction

African-Americans - 7% of African-Americans got procedures in 2006; The top three requested procedures for African-Americans in 2006 were, nose reshaping, liposuction and breast reduction

Asian-Americans - 6% of Asians got procedures in 2006; the top three requested procedures for Asian-Americans in 2006 were nose reshaping, breast Augmentation, eyelid Surgery

According to cosmetic surgery statistics, a growing number of the cosmetic surgeons practicing today are unqualified for the procedures that they perform. Routine cosmetic plastic surgery procedures are sometimes messed up, with horrifying results. Just imagine your friend going in for a breast reduction or a tummy tuck, and never coming out alive. It is important to research any major decision that you are making, but cosmetic surgery statistics are unusually important.

Plastic surgery statistics

1. Lipoplasty (Liposuction) with 455,489 procedures performed, down five percent from last year. Interestingly, 21% of these procedures were ultrasound-assisted Lipoplasty (UAL)

2. Breast Augmentation with 364,610 procedures up nine percent from 2004. For the first time, we categorized saline vs. silicone augmentation. 83.4 percent of respondents used the saline device, 16.6 percent the silicone implant.

3. Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery) came in third with 231,467 procedures down 20 percent from 2004

4. Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) is the forth most common procedure with 200,924 procedures performed, an increase of 21 percent over 2004

5. Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) reported 169,314 procedures, up 12 percent from 2004.

Location and Fees

The above clearly shows plastic surgery is not something that is limited to the rich and famous. Where actually was all this plastic surgery carried out. Well again statistics showover forty-eight percent (48.3 percent) of cosmetic procedures in 2005 were performed in office-based facilities; 27.9 percent in freestanding surgicenters; and 23.8 percent in hospitals. Americans spent just under $12.4 billion on cosmetic procedures; $8.2 billion was for surgical procedures, and $4.2 billion was for nonsurgical procedures.

In conclusion, if you are considering a surgical or non-surgical procedure it is important that you consider your reasons for wanting the procedure, your expectations of the results the procedure may bring, as well as making sure that you have all the information you need to make a properly informed decision about whether to go ahead. As can be seen from the chart above, cosmetic plastic surgery can be expensive financially, let alone the recuperation time needed.

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Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery - What Are the Most Popular Procedures?

Cosmetic procedures vary in range and price making them more obtainable for a wider selection of the population. This means that they are also becoming more common. But what are the most popular plastic or cosmetic procedures that are being performed today? Yet despite these surgeries, the 'non surgical face lifts' such as anti aging skin care and wrinkle cream are becoming even more popular nowadays.

Among the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures performed (both invasive and non-invasive) are: breasts implants, face lifts, eye lifts, facial implants, breast lifts, upper arm lifts, lower body lifts, lip augmentations, liposuction, tummy tucks, Botox injections, dermabrasion, chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, treatment of leg veins, nose reshaping, and hair replacements though there are certainly more procedures than this that are performed quite routinely.

Perhaps it's the routine nature of these procedures or the fact that they are quickly becoming the rule rather than the exception but we are seeing younger and younger women opt to have elective cosmetic procedures performed instead of trying the nonsurgical wrinkle cures or treatments first.

The reasons these procedures are performed range from some degree of vanity to deep seated self image issues. If you have trouble with your reflection and feel that it is impairing how you feel about yourself, then you may want to consider either some serious lifestyle changes are cosmetic surgery to bring about the changes you desire to see reflected in your mirror.

You'd be surprised how some of the small changes can have such a large impact on how you view yourself. It is a good idea to start small though rather than going in for a total reconstruction. You might even discover that you do not need cosmetic surgery but will be content (if not delighted) with the results of something as simple and non-invasive as losing five pounds or trying out a new hairstyle. Little changes can go a long way when viewed in the proper light.

Among the most common of these procedures are: liposuction, tummy tucks, eyebrow lifts, face lifts, and rhinoplasty. It is important to remember though that each of these procedures for wrinkle reduction carries no small degree of risk. It is best to be completely informed. If you find a doctor that will tell you that there aren't any risks involved you need to find another doctor. The risks may seem minimal but it is important that you realize they do exist. One of the risks that you need to be aware of going into the procedure is the risk that the procedure will either not work at all or leave things in worse shape than when they began.

Death is another possibility from any of these treatments and procedures - even those that are non-invasive. You should note that death is a very rare outcome but one that is possible, as it is with any procedure. The growing demand for cosmetic procedures is one reason that the prices are becoming more and more reasonable.

So there you go.

As these procedures are affordable to a wider selection of the population we will see better procedures created as well as more of these procedures performed. If you decide this is the path for you there are many cosmetic surgery options available to choose from. Be aware of course that the non surgical or natural face lift approaches, in the form of wrinkle cream serums and anti aging skin care products are an alternative to surgery or even Botox that you can also consider.

After all, the ideal treatment for getting rid of wrinkles and any other concerns relating to beauty and aging skin is both non invasive and safe.

Matthew Jones helps you to find the anti ag

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Top Plastic Surgery Procedures in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles

In Southern California, especially in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, plastic surgery is no longer a luxury but a way of life. Men and women of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles use plastic surgery to enhance their facial features or to achieve the figure that they always wanted, but could not achieve with just exercise or dieting.

Many factors have contributed to the popularity of plastic surgery in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, including:

o Plastic surgery has become socially accepted way of improving one's self.

o Plastic Surgery financing and a relative fall in plastic surgery procedure costs or fees has made cosmetic surgery more affordable.

o Advances in plastic surgery techniques have made plastic surgery recovery speedy, minimizing time loss from work or school.

o Advance in plastic surgery anesthesia have made plastic surgery procedures less painful and their recovery more comfortable.

o Plastic Surgery has transcended all social, and cultural barriers. Today's Beverly Hills and Los Angeles women who have plastic surgery come from all ethnic backgrounds- Caucasian, Hispanic, African-American, Asian, and Middle-Eastern.

What are the most popular plastic surgery procedures for Women in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgery Statistics the most popular plastic surgery procedures among women in Southern California, including Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, are breast augmentation, liposuction, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and tummy tuck. Non-surgical plastic surgery procedures such as Botox injection, chemical peel, and laser hair removal have surpassed surgical procedures in prevalence.

To achieve the perfect body, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles women are working out, eating right, and having plastic surgery. Young women who never developed full breasts are having saline or silicone breast implants to augment and enhance the size and shape of their breasts. Mothers whose bodies have gone through changes with pregnancy are having tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast augmentation with breast lift, in order to regain their youthful figure.

To achieve facial harmony and youth, women are seeking Facial Plastic Surgery. Procedures such as nose reshaping and eyelid surgery are now being performed with minimal downtime and discomfort, and with an emphasis on attaining a natural look.

What are the most popular plastic surgery procedures for Men in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles?

The most popular plastic surgery procedures among men in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles are nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction, hair transplantation, and male breast reduction. Professional men find facial plastic surgeries such as eyelid surgery, nose reshaping and hair restoration, necessary for maintaining their competitive edge in the Sales world. Like women, men are also seeking liposuction to shape their bodies. This gives them the confidence and self esteem to exceed in business as well as in their personal lives.

Dr. Sean Younai is a Board Certified Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon with experience in all aspects of breast enhancement surgery, including breast augmentation with saline or silicone breast implants, breast lift or mastopexy, correction of breast asymmetry, breast implant revision surgery, breast implant exchange, and capsulectomy.

Are You a Candidate for Cosmetic Surgery?

The decision to have cosmetic surgery is very personal and includes many aspects to consider before going under the knife. Whether the procedure being considered is a facial procedure or a body plastic surgical procedure, your expectations need to be realistic before going any further. Plastic surgery can be one of the most rewarding decisions when the patient has been properly informed, is in good health, and has a good relationship with their Plastic Surgeon.

Here are a few steps to follow when considering Cosmetic Plastic Surgery:

• Health - Your overall health should be good. If there are any questions regarding your prior medical history, or you have a family history that includes complications from anesthesia, you should consult with your general doctor first. Patients using hormone replacement therapy should consult with their physicians prior to having any surgical procedure that includes the use of general anesthesia due to the increased risk of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). Many cosmetic plastic surgical procedures are performed under local anesthesia which decreases risks for patients concerned about the use of general anesthesia.


• Tobacco Use- You should stop any and all tobacco use at least 2 or 3 weeks prior to any surgical procedure and continue to refrain from any tobacco use well after any surgical procedure. Tobacco use has been proven to inhibit the body's ability to heal. Sure, you will eventually heal, but it will be seriously delayed and could even cause your incisions to be more noticeable when they do heal. In many cases, patients who continue to use tobacco products before and after surgical procedures have delayed healing, prolonged bruising, and even increased risk for infection. This rule includes second-hand tobacco use. Patients who have recovered in the presence of other tobacco users show the exact same symptoms as those who are first-hand tobacco users. If you aren't honest with your surgeon regarding your tobacco use, he will "see" the truth during your recovery.


• Weight - Patients wishing to have a tummy tuck or liposuction in order to lose weight are disillusioned. Neither of these procedures help with weight loss but rather body contouring. If you have a few pounds you wish to shed and are considering facial procedures, you should do so prior to your surgery. Losing weight after a facelift can ruin your great result in many cases.


• Mental Stability - Patients should take a close and honest look at their mental stability prior to having plastic surgery. Are you going through a divorce? Have you had a recent life changing event? Plastic Surgery is not a tool to use to get your boyfriend back or to help you get that job promotion. The decision to have a cosmetic procedure can help boost self-esteem, confidence, and should be your decision. You should not have cosmetic surgery to please someone else.


• Choose the Right Surgeon for You - The Aesthetic world is full of phonies. Our media is full of Plastic-surgery-gone-wrong stories due to the growing numbers of unqualified surgeons performing cosmetic procedures. Finding a qualified Plastic Surgeon is simple when using two great resources: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Both of these organizations require their members have the real board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. In addition, the members must adhere to strict codes of ethics and meet continuing medical education requirements. A good rule of thumb advice would be to choose 3 qualified plastic surgeons and consult with all three before making your selection to schedule surgery. Do not choose your surgeon based on price: less is not always more.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery is one of the fastest growing industries because of the many benefits and rewards if has to offer whether reconstructive plastic surgery or a minor touch up to turn back the clock. Your road to plastic surgery can be very positive as long as you are prepared for the recovery process necessary for a great result. Make sure you have a good relationship with your surgeon and feel comfortable with the surgeon's staff as you will rely on their care before, during, and after your surgical procedure.

Commonly Performed Plastic Surgery Procedures

Plastic surgery in is not just for celebrities any more. There is great variety of plastic surgery procedures that a plastic surgeon can offer. When looking at the trends of plastic surgery, it becomes clear that certain procedures are much more popular than other ones.

Breast augmentation using silicone or saline implants is one the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures. Women who are unhappy with the size of their breasts or would like to restore the breast volume which was lost following pregnancy turn to a plastic surgeon for breast enhancement.

In some women with droopy breasts, in addition to breast augmentation, a breast lift would need to be performed in order to achieve a better shape. Silicone breast implants recently became FDA approved for cosmetic breast augmentation in the United States. Silicone breast implants offer the advantage of a more natural feel and there is less risk in the implant rippling.

A tummy tuck is another commonly performed procedure. Staying in shape and having a flat stomach has been promoted in today's society. Exercise and diet do not always allow for a flat stomach, especially in people who lost weight or in women following pregnancy. These people typically have stretched abdominal skin which can only be removed with surgery. During a tummy tuck loose abdominal muscles are also tightened which further flattens the stomach.

Liposuction is similar to tummy tucks and is also a frequently requested procedure. It can be performed alone or in combination with other procedures such as a tummy tuck. Liposuction will remove areas of fat accumulation such as in flanks, thighs, neck, back, and abdomen.

Rhinoplasty (also referred to as nose reshaping or nose job) concludes the list of most commonly performed procedures. Both men and women turn to a plastic surgeon requesting to improve the shape of the nose. Most commonly, patients complain of a bony hump, wide nose, or droopy tip. Some patients request to improve their breathing. In many patients, rhinoplasty is combined with other procedures such as breast augmentation or liposuction.

As the popularity of plastic surgery is increasing, it becomes very important for any person considering surgery to do research to ensure that your surgeon is skilled and safe.

Costa Rica Plastic Surgery - High Quality, Low Price

Long known as a gorgeous and exciting travel destination, a surprising fact is that Costa Rica plastic surgery, and other medical procedures performed here, are the draw for 14% of all visitors. Over 90% of these visitors are from North America, due to its proximity and the ease of traveling to Costa Rica.

So the obvious question: Why is Costa Rica plastic surgery is drawing so many people?

The most obvious answer would be cost. Costa Rica plastic surgery costs as much 50-70% less than it would in the United States, Canada, or Western Europe. This is the case because Costa Rica is still a third world country in the sense of per-capita GDP, despite being much more developed than its neighboring countries. What this means is that wages are lower for doctors, nurses, and other health care practitioners, and the cost of living is much lower here. Moreover, government subsidized healthcare helps keep the cost of private healthcare low.

Perhaps most relevant to Americans is the relative lack of malpractice suits. As a result of being the most litigious country on the planet, healthcare costs have skyrocketed in the US to compensate for malpractice insurance. Malpractice suits in Costa Rica are rare, and those that succeed usually just cover medical expenses.

The idea of not having recourse in the event of malpractice is something that scares many people who have thought about having cosmetic surgery in Costa Rice. However, if you are looking at standards of safety in the top ranked private institutions of Costa Rica you would see that their success records are on par with, if not better than, the majority of hospitals in the US.

If quality is your concern, take heart: there are numerous well-qualified and internationally certified surgeons and doctors in the Costa Rica plastic surgery industry. At the best hospitals and clinics you will find many surgeons who have been trained in the US, Canada, and Europe. The top-flight CIMA Hospital is associated with the prestigious Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. The Clinica Biblica hospital is accredited by the JCI, the international branch of the United States' most highly regarded and stringent healthcare accreditation agency. With the quality of healthcare here, and the success rate of procedures, your risk is minimal and no greater than in the US, all at a fraction of the price.

What kind of procedures does Costa Rica plastic surgery offer?

Pretty much anything you can get done in the States, you can have done in Costa Rica. Facelifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, butt implants, and more are all possible. You can even get LAPBAND surgery. As an example of the prices, you can have breast augmentation for around $2,800-3,500. Breast augmentation in the States would cost between $7,000-8,000 on average. The savings really add up if you have multiple procedures, as is common among many patients.

What's more, there are medical tourism agencies that offer package deals for patients' procedures with transportation to and from the airport as well as accommodations included. A unique spawn of the Costa Rica cosmetic surgery industry is the Recovery Retreat, a type of luxury accommodation that offers on-site nursing care for those recovering from their procedures.

With airfare between $300-600, Costa Rica plastic surgery is an excellent way to combine a vacation with affordable, high-quality cosmetic surgery. A great idea is to go to Costa Rica for a week of touring and having fun, then having your procedure and spending a week at a private, luxurious recovery resort. If you ever considered plastic surgery, Costa Rica offers an exceptional alternative to having it done in your home country and offers you an opportunity to participate in the growing phenomenon of medical tourism.

Click this link for more detailed information and tips on Costa Rica plastic surgery. Check out my site for more general Costa Rica travel information including attractions, activities, and more based on my experience living in this beautiful country.

Is Plastic Surgery Too Expensive?

Cosmetic surgery is much more affordable than in the past, when it was accessible only to the rich and famous. While medical costs in general continue to rise, technical innovations and competition have actually reduced the cost of most procedures in the past few years. The cost may seem expensive to some, but remember that this is for a change that could benefit a person every day for years to come.

For example, figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that, for the year 2007, the average breast augmentation cost was $3,348 and the average nose job was $4,197. These costs do not include the cost of anesthesia or operating room costs, but they demonstrate that cosmetic surgery, compared with other medical procedures, is much more reasonably priced.

Think about these costs in comparison with dental surgery, for instance. The average cost of ONE dental implant is between $1,500 and $4,000, so on average getting three dental implants would cost you more than a nose job!

Since cosmetic surgery is one medical area where insurance companies and HMOs are not involved, one has to wonder what the effect of a little competition would be on the rest of our health care system. A person needed complete replacement of all their teeth with a bridge attached through implants can expect to pay between $40,000 and $60,000! So complete replacement of teeth would easily cost a person more than a face lift, eyelid surgery, brow lift, liposuction, nose job and a tummy tuck combined!

While the cost of cosmetic surgery may seem like a lot, when you compare them to other medical costs, they start to look almost cheap! I found that, after calling a few plastic surgery clinics in my town, that there were several qualified surgeons to choose from, and you will probably have no problem finding several. I also found a few liposuction clinics that specialize in the procedure I am looking to have, so there are probably specialists for your procedure in your area.

Popular Plastic Surgeries for Summer

Cosmetic surgeries have become safer in recent years. More and more Americans are taking advantage of plastic surgery to help them regain confidence by getting their ideal physique. The warmer months are a popular time for these types of procedures, as men and women want to get that ideal beach body in time for summer vacation.

If you're not happy with the look of your body, then cosmetic surgery might be an option to consider. Here are three of the most popular of the summertime cosmetic surgeries:

Liposuction
Liposuction, also known as body contouring, is used primarily to treat lipodystrophy (protruding fatty deposits). Common areas for this type of surgery include abdomen, flanks, saddlebag areas and more. An inconspicuous incision is made where a small, hollow tube is inserted. As the surgeon guides the tube, unwanted fat will be sucked out.

Patients who get this procedure range from teenagers to the elderly, and works best on persons who have a good skin tone, and small excess fat pockets in certain areas. Patients find that it helps sculpt the body, giving back the body its firm, fit look.

Breast augmentation
Breast augmentation or breast implants enlarges the breasts, and commonly takes about one hour to complete. The most common types of implants are saline and silicone, and they are inserted behind the mammary. It's the surgeon's job to help you determine the implants' size, shape and other options.

Augmentation has given back women their self confidence and esteem, while drastically altering their appearance. Women choose this surgery as they are either dissatisfied with the size of their breasts, experiencing shrinking because of pregnancy and/or weight loss, sagging or one breast is larger than the other.

Tummy tuck
A tummy tuck, known formally as abdominoplasty, tucks in the protruding stomach to make the abdomen firmer and flatter. Skin and fat are both removed, and this tightens the stomach muscles. Depending on your specific needs, your doctor should be able to accordingly tailor the surgery.

Patients often include women who have just had a baby, and want their flat stomach back. The best candidates for this type of procedure are the ones who wait until they've dropped all their unwanted weight, as massive weight loss can complicate results.

The results, with the right diet and exercise and no major life chances, will be retained for years to come. Patients often get a boost in confidence after recovery.

Plastic surgery is nothing of which you should be ashamed. Many procedures can boost your confidence, and give you that beach body of which everyone will be envious.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6264043

Higher Risk Of Stroke

What did they find? Among these apparently healthy older adults, those who scored lower on verbal and memory tests had more strokes than those who had better memory and verbal fluency on testing. In fact, adults who scored in the bottom 20% on the memory test had a nine times greater risk of stroke compared to the highest scorers. The higher stroke risk persisted even after researchers controlled for factors such as educational level, race and sex.

A person can have build-up of plaque in their arteries for years before a portion of it breaks off and blocks blood flow, leading to a stroke. This plaque build-up can cause subtle cognitive and memory problems for months or years before a stroke finally occurs. Thus, memory problems may be a sign of plaque build-up in the arteries, or atherosclerosis – a forerunner to stroke.

What Does This Mean?

Memory problems, especially in people over the age of 50, should be taken seriously, especially if they occur in people at high risk of stroke because of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol problems or a strong family history. Once a stroke happens, it’s difficult to recover any function that’s lost. Memory and cognitive problems may be the only warning signs – and a clear signal that it’s time to see a doctor before a stroke strikes.

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Women and ACL Tears

How to Prevent ACL Injuries

Some fitness centers offer special training sessions to reduce the risk of ACL tears in women. These sessions combine exercises to strengthen the hamstring and quadriceps muscles with flexibility and balance exercises to improve the way the muscles respond to sudden movements.

Some coaches use plyometric jumping exercises to build strength and muscle control. This type of training offers an opportunity to master landing with the knees flexed instead of straight and rigid, as many women athletes do. This puts less stress on the ACL.

It’s best to do ACL conditioning exercises, at least in the beginning, under the watchful eye of a physical therapist or athletic trainer, particularly if you’ve had an ACL tear in the past.

Doing an adequate warm-up and stretching to increase flexibility further reduces the risk of ACL tears. Women athletes should avoid wearing shoes with cleats since they increase the risk of injury.

ACL Tears in Women: The Bottom Line?

ACL injuries are more common in women than in men, but an ACL conditioning program can help reduce the risk of a painful ACL injury – and keep you out on the field and in the game.

If you’re female and you’re athletic, you’re at higher risk for ACL tears. The ACL or anterior cruciate ligament is one of four strong, fibrous bands that stabilize the knee and minimize stress to the knee joint. The ACL has the important task of keeping the lower leg from slipping too far forward during leg movements. Unfortunately, the ACL ligament is also one of the most vulnerable ligaments to injury, especially in women.

ACL injuries are up to eight times more common in women athletes than in men. No one is sure why ACL tears in women are more frequent than in males. The risk of ACL injuries is especially high among female soccer players, because they’re constantly changing directions and doing twisting movements, which stresses the ligaments in the knee.

Are There Health Risks to Exercising Too Much?

Overtraining Can Keep You from Making Gains

When you exercise too much, your body responds by releasing the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol causes breakdown of muscle tissue so the amino acids can be used as fuel. If you’re trying to build lean body mass,

this can work against you. Moderate and high-intensity exercise both stimulate transient release of cortisol, but if you’re overtraining your levels will be chronically elevated – not a good thing for your muscles or your health.

Too much exercise also causes your body to hang on to fat, especially if you combine it with calorie restriction. Any time the body senses a fuel shortage, it adapts by slowing things down. This isn’t what most people want.

Exercising Too Much Can Decrease Your Immunity

People who exercise too much put themselves at greater risk for colds and flu viruses. Moderate amounts of exercise improves the function of the immune system, but if you overdo it, you could wind up with a nasty cold, or worse, the flu. Overtraining, especially if you don’t give yourself adequate rest time between sessions, suppresses immunity. One study showed that 13% of marathon runners became ill within a week of the race. Both high-intensity and high-volume overtraining can reduce immunity.

No Shame in Plastic Surgery

First was the realization of just how many people had done it behind closed doors. Celebrities began to tell the public the truth behind their ever-youthful looks.

Botox came on the scene and revolutionized cosmetic procedures. No longer did you have to go under the knife to see spectacular results and wrinkle reduction.

With more people opting for cosmetic correction the prohibitive prices came down and suddenly it wasn’t just the wealthy that could afford to alter the one thing that was causing a bad self-image.

Governments did their part by introducing tighter regulations on plastic surgeons and clinics in order to ensure a higher level of safety for the patient and the media stories following all of these events brought cosmetic surgery, once and for all, out of the darkness and into the light.

Reality TV since then has come out with a number of shows that follow ordinary people going through the process of extraordinary transformations. These shows have a wide viewing audience and detail the emotional journey of someone who starts out unhappy with their appearance and leaves with a greater sense of self-esteem and confidence.

While many people agree that happiness has to come from within, what these programs have examined is the fact that for many, this is not the reality of their life. By altering the outside they are able to finally transform on the inside. It’s a rewarding experience for those involved.

Nicole Kidman - The Plastic Surgery Doll

Another noticeable feature of Nicole Kidman is the barely discernible sagging skin around her jaw line and neck. The tautness of neck and the surrounding area is believed to be the product of non-surgical facial procedures such as laser skin resurfacing, thermage and other methods.

The most noted plastic surgery product of Nicole Kidman is her reshaped nose. It resulted to a defined shape as its tip is retracted and shorten with smaller nostrils. In addition to that, Nicole also embraces the Botox injection to keep her flawless skin. The fact that she has been shunning away from the sun as early as in her teenage years, it also contributed to the quality of her skin. The Botox approach has somehow an effective process as it indeed delays her aging and keeps youthful skin. It is very evident with a winkle free face.

She has truly perfected the craft of blending well plastic surgeries to boost her endow natural beauty, porcelain skin and physical attributes. At the age of forty, she looks ten years younger than her actual age. During the last film festival, she emerged so stunning that the journalists started to label her as a living doll. There are no traces of a forty year old – absence of wrinkles in her forehead, crow’s feet around her eyes, sagging skin and other signs of old age. It seems she has taken a bath in the fountain of youth that she simply surfaced with a youthful presence.

They always try to evade aging in all possible means to keep a youthful and flawless image and presence. Though there are smart celebrities who know well how to use plastic surgery to their advantage creating a perfect complement of glamour and enhance physical features. The best illustration of this is Nicole Kidman plastic surgery.

Modern Medical World

Another type of surgery plastic which one ought to consider is calf implants. This type of surgical procedure is often best handled by a professional who has much experience. Since few cosmetic surgeons may offer the procedure, researching which is the best choice for you is obviously a good start. To find a cosmetic surgeon who makes you feel comfortable, it is wise to ask questions, get familiar with the surgeon’s work, and ask what their educational background is. Such questions are a good way to open a solid rapport between patient and doctor in any situation. Surgery plastic is a medical field which ultimately involves the alteration of some aspect of the body to feel more comfortable and confident in one’s own skin. This is an important aspect of this particular medical field and thus knowing and being familiar with the cosmetic surgeon is an important part of ensuring a satisfactory result.

There are a number of professional and experienced healthcare professionals who make it their life’s work to provide their expertise and care toward helping their patients.

Firstly, the type of surgery in question is a good start. There are a number of surgical procedures, namely those which alter the appearance of the face, weight loss surgery, augmentations, burn surgery, scar revision, and a number of other areas. Regardless of the type of procedure to be performed, it is of the highest importance to seek out the care of a trusted cosmetic surgeon who is experienced in the specific procedure. If seeking ear surgery for example, it is important to find a surgeon who is experienced in the surgery and who perhaps focuses solely on that type of alteration.