Types of Plastic Surgeries

Plastic surgery is a popular remedy to help reshape and transform the many imperfections with which people are faced. Men and women of all ages seek out plastic surgery to ward off signs of aging, reduce the look of scars or change the way Mother Nature intended them to look. There are complications that can arise, and recovery time needs to be considered before taking the next step.

Rhytidectomy

A popular type of plastic surgery is a face lift, or rhytidectomy. This is often performed on individuals over the age of 45. People choose face lifts because they want to smooth out wrinkles, eliminate sagging skin and improve elasticity. A face lift procedure helps the appearance of the face by firming it up and raising the sagging skin. Some things that cannot be changed with the face lift include fine lines, creases, scars and age spots. A face lift is often considered a complicated form of plastic surgery. There can be a great deal of swelling and bleeding involved with a face lift. Recovery time can take up to 8 weeks before swelling is reduced and the restructuring of the face can be visually observed.

Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty is a type of plastic surgery that removes excess fat, muscle and sagging skin around the lower and upper eyelid. As people age, some experience excessive puffiness and extra skin around the eye area. This type of surgery is often done in conjunction with other types such as a forehead lift or face lift. Blepharoplasty is a minor surgery and patients are generally released after coming out of anesthesia. Recovery time is between 3 to 5 days.

Liposuction

Many people seek liposuction to get rid of stubborn fat in the abdominal, underarm and inner thigh region. Most people who seek out this type of plastic surgery are those who have attempted to lose fat in these areas through diet and exercise but have been unsuccessful. Liposuction involves an invasive method, where fat deposits are removed and the area is re-contoured and reshaped as much as possible. A tummy tuck is often performed along with liposuction to remove excess skin if necessary and reform the stomach area. Recovery for liposuction can be a few days, but when combined with a tummy tuck, it may take a few weeks until complete recovery.

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is performed to enhance and reshape the breasts. The surgery is often performed on women who want larger breasts, but men often seek out this type of plastic surgery if they have sagging or dimpled breasts. During the procedure, breasts may be reduced or reshaped in size and evenness. Breast implants may also be inserted or removed at this time also. The recovery for breast augmentation varies but generally takes 4 to 6 weeks.

Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is another term for a nose job. This is a type of plastic surgery that many seek out to change the appearance of their nose. The nose could be larger than they like, be crooked, have narrow nostrils or be out of proportion with the face. Rhinoplasty may involve corrective surgery enhancing skin elements or it could involve breaking portions of the nose to reconstruct and regrow bone in the nasal area. There can be intense bruising and swelling of the nose and face with rhinoplasty, and recovery can take up to 6 weeks.