Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. The word “plastic” is derived from the Greek plastikos meaning to mould or to shape; it is not connected with the synthetic polymer material known as plastic.

Aesthetic plastic surgery involves techniques intended for the “enhancement” of appearance through surgical and medical techniques. It is specifically concerned with maintaining and restoring normal appearance, or enhancing it beyond the average level toward some aesthetic ideal. Media and advertising play a large influence why a lot of people are willing to undergo plastic surgery; however researchers believe that some plastic surgery obsession can also be linked to psychological disorders like Body Dysmorphic Disorder. It is a disorder in which a person is obsessed in achieving physical perfection. People with this disorder are so preoccupied with their looks that it takes over their lives.

In 2006, nearly 11 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States alone. Nearly 12 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2007, with the five most common surgeries being liposuction, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty nasal surgery, and eyelid surgery. In Europe, the second largest market for cosmetic procedures, cosmetic surgery is a $2.2 billion business.
Here is a list of most prevalent aesthetic/cosmetic procedures done.

Laser skin resurfacing
Browplasty;
Blepharoplasty (“eyelid surgery”) e.g. Asian blepharoplasty;
Otoplasty (“ear surgery”/”ear pinning”): Performed on both children and adults to decrease social anxiety and is done for purely cosmetic purposes and does not improve hearing.
Midface lift (“cheek lift”);
Rhytidectomy (“face lift”);
Fillers injections like collagen, fat;
Chemical peel: minimizing the appearance of acne, chicken pox, and other scars as well as wrinkles, solar lentigines (age spots, freckles), and photodamage in general.
Cheek augmentation;
Rhinoplasty (“nose job”);
Lip enhancement;
Chin augmentation;
Mastopexy (“breast lift”);
Mammoplasty/Breast augmentations (“breast implant” or “boob job”);
Reduction mammoplasty (“breast reduction”) done to reduce back and shoulder pain in women with gigantomastia and/or for psychological benefit men with gynecomastia;
Abdominoplasty (“tummy tuck”);
Buttock augmentation;
Buttock lift (“Brazilian butt lift”);
Suction-assisted lipectomy (“liposuction”);
Labiaplasty;

Many people ask the wrong questions to their cosmetic surgeon. You need to make sure you ask this very important question upon consultation, “What is the chance of real damage, and if it happens, what might the extent of it be?” Ask to see their book of before and after pictures. You may also wish to see and speak with the surgeon’s other patients in person to see the effects in your naked eyes. Prepare a list of questions, it does not matter how many or how trivial or stupid you feel they are. Always remember, this procedure is most of the time irreversible and you’re the one that will live with the results so take all the necessary precautions as possible.

For further questions about breast implants/augmentation, rhinoplasty or plastic surgery in general, kindly log on to: http://www.drcalvert.com. If you’re in Los Angeles or Beverly Hills, you can make your appointment online. You can also submit your questions online and we’d be glad to answer your questions truthfully within 24-48 hours! Stay beautiful and have a good day!

Breast Augmentation: What are the Risks and Rewards?

Breast augmentation risks range from normal surgery risks to augmentation specific horrors. If you are considering breast implants, do your homework about the risks and rewards of surgery. Depending on your reasons for wanting the procedure, the benefits may or may not outweigh the risks.

For most women who live their lives in bodies they are not satisfied with, the humiliation of small or deformed breasts is too much to live with if it can be helped. Maybe the women were teased growing up, or some other painful memory haunts them. No matter what the reason, the desire to correct their flaws is strong and unending. For these women, cosmetic surgery far outweighs the risks of surgery. If this scenario applies to you, think before acting. Before going under the knife, you should know the risks.

As with any surgery, there is a risk of complications from anesthesia, bleeding, infection, slow healing, and scaring. The risks of those complications happening with a breast augmentation surgery aren’t any higher than with any other type of surgery, so long as the surgeon is good, you have followed all the pre-op instructions and proper sterilization procedures are followed.

Breast Augmentation specific risks are many, though relatively rare. Capsular contracture, that is, hardening of the scar tissue surrounding the implant, is arguably the most common complication. Breast droop, deflation, displacement and rupture of the implant is also not unheard of. Wrinkling of the implant is more common, as well as more noticeable, in women with naturally sparse breast tissue.Skin irregularities, such as puckering, can occur with breast augmentation surgery. Desensitized breasts, nerve damage and complete nipple numbness have also been reported.

More serious risks include hematoma, which is pooling of clotted blood in the breasts. Seroma, another serious risk, is the pooling of watery blood around the implant. Though very rare, symmastia is another risk to consider. Symmastia happens when the implants move and merge into one mass.

The best way to avoid these complications is to find a good surgeon. For the best plastic surgery, Beverly Hills is the place to look. Make sure your surgeon has full credentials, a great history, mal-practice insurance, references and hospital privileges. Your surgeon should have a healthy respect for your wishes and be able to guide you in the right direction. He or she should also be able to answer any questions about the risks and benefits of breast augmentation.