Enhancing beauty
Cosmetic procedures include a wide variety of surgeries and treatments that are performed not for essential medical reasons but primarily to improve an individuals appearance. These procedures are performed by a doctor known as a cosmetic surgeon or a plastic surgeon. Because cosmetic surgery is typically not an essential medical procedure, it is often not covered by health insurance. In some cases, however, cosmetic surgery can be used to repair congenital defects or damage from an injury in order to improve a persons appearance.
Hundreds of procedures fall under the umbrella of cosmetic procedures. Some of the common ones include tummy tucks, breast implants, facelifts, nose surgery and liposuction. Not all procedures are surgical, however. For example, there are non-surgical treatments available to improve the overall appearance of the skin, such as microdermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels. In addition, some conditions -- like the disease vitiligo, for example, in which the skin loses colour -- can be treated with the application of makeup, self-tanner, skin dye, skin medication or light treatments.
When it comes to repairing the body after an illness, injury or congenital defect, surgeries to repair a cleft lip or cleft palate are common cosmetic procedures. Women can also get a breast reconstruction if they had one or both breasts removed because of breast cancer. Scars can also be repaired after skin cancer or an injury.
The benefits of cosmetic surgery come primarily in how people feel about themselves based on the improvement in their appearance. However, most types of cosmetic surgery carry some risks. For example, bleeding, infection and scarring are potential risks associated with any type of surgery. Breast implants have a potential to leak over time.
Liposuction can cause burns, numbness or accidental organ puncture. Each type of cosmetic surgery has its own set of risks, making it important to weigh those risks against the potential benefits of whatever procedure is being considered.
Cosmetic surgery continues to grow in popularity, with 15.1 million cosmetic procedures carried out in the United States in 2013, an increase of 3 per cent on the previous year.
Procedures are available for almost any part of the body, but the choice to undergo cosmetic surgery should not be taken lightly. The results are often permanent, so it is important to be sure about the decision, to use an appropriate practitioner, and to have the right motivation.
A surgeon may refer a patient for counseling before surgery if they believe there is an underlying problem that cannot be solved by the surgery, or if the patient shows signs of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).
BDD can cause a person to perceive that there is something seriously wrong with their appearance, when objective evidence suggests otherwise.
Reconstructive surgery is another type of plastic surgery. It aims to improve function and to give a normal appearance to a part of the persons body that has been damaged, for example, after a mastectomy.
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