Worldwide, the numbers of people opting for plastic surgery have gone up significantly in the past few years. Interestingly, people in the much younger age groups (teens to early 20s) and older than 50s are increasingly opting for both reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. This article answers the all-important questions like: What is plastic surgery? Who needs it? How to get it?
What is plastic surgery?
Your first impression on hearing the term ‘plastic’ is something that is fake. This is somewhat true – it is a type of surgery that creates a different appearance or ability to function, based on the kind of procedure one has undergone. The term derives its name from the Greek word ‘Plastikos’ which means ‘to mould’ or give form to a substance or shape.
There are two types of plastic surgeries:
1 Reconstructive plastic surgery: This is a surgery that corrects defects in the face or other areas of the body. You might have heard of doctors correcting cleft lips – that’s plastic surgery. Or an ear deformity, or injuries arising from animal bites or burns. Even repairing the missing breast area of a woman who has undergone a mastectomy is reconstructive plastic surgery. This kind of plastic surgery helps to save lives and improve function, while building self esteem and giving the person a chance to feel more natural as part of society.
2 Cosmetic surgery: This is a plastic surgery that alters a part or many parts of the face, or the body, to satisfy a person’s ideas of the ideal appearance. They are most commonly performed on facial features such as the nose, eyebrows, jawline and chin, while body parts to go under the knife are the breasts (augmentation or reduction), abdomen and hips (liposuction or reshaping), arms, thighs and back (fat removal and sculpting), skin (hair removal by laser beam and sanding to improve the appearance of scars), etc.
Who needs it?
Any person who cannot function normally due to a defect in their features, or who is dissatisfied with the way they look, can undergo plastic surgery. Though plastic surgery used to be a largely adult-led industry, today a lot of teenagers also undergo a variety of cosmetic procedures like rhinoplasty (nose jobs), or chin and jaw reshaping, breast augmentation, fat removal, and so on.
Are you ready for it?
It seems simple enough to do – if you are unsatisfied with the way you look, you can just book an appointment with a top cosmetic surgeon and get the procedure you need. It may work out that way, but…there are a couple of steps in between.
The doctor will first understand your motivations for the procedure. If it is a reconstructive surgery, or if the procedure is required for normal functioning in daily life, the surgeon will study your health reports till date and the medication you are on at the moment. Next, they will explain the procedure, possible side effects, the pre-procedure care you need to take, post-procedure phase, time before effects are visible, and so on.
The same drill goes for cosmetic procedures, but any responsible surgeon will try to get to the heart of the matter first. What is plastic surgery if not a means to attain perfection, you might think. But therein lies the problem – some people get addicted to getting plastic surgery, and are caught in a never ending series of procedures. It starts small, then goes on to bigger and repeat procedures. Some doctors have a psychologist on board during the consult if a very young patient walks in, or if a person is in emotional agitation about getting the operation. In both cases, some amount of counselling is required to understand why the surgery is so important to you. This discussion can throw up deep seated issues about body image and one’s idea of their own appearance.
Being clear about why you are undergoing the surgery is most important before you decide to go ahead with it.
How does the surgeon choose the procedure?
As mentioned above, the surgeon studies the problem area in detail to assess the extent of work needed. They may even take X-rays and blood work to ascertain the full extent of the intended procedure. The doctor has to be doubly careful about performing procedures like liposuction on those who are borderline overweight for the operation, or who have lax skin or who have existing illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, renal failure, etc. Some people are just not the right candidates for liposuction and fat removal, and the doctor may decline to conduct the procedure till certain parameters (such as reduced weight and improved skin tone, for example) are met first.
If all is found well in the testing and case history, the surgeon recommends the most suitable treatment for you and explains how it works and how the results will show themselves.
Choose the right doctor
Though modern medicine and a variety of technologies are available for a range of cosmetic procedures, it all ultimately rests in the hands of a skilled doctor. The more experienced the doctor, the better the surgery outcomes.
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