Enhanced Beauty:
Popular Cosmetic Surgeries
by NISSA HALLQUIST
There’s no doubt that looking and feeling confident has always been a way to make a good impression, and cosmetic surgery can be a quick and easy route to achieving your ideal image. Here’s the skinny on five of today’s most popular cosmetic procedures designed to enhance your body,what the procedure entails, who it’s designed for, and estimated recovery time for each.
Liposuction
Liposuction is meant to slim and reshape the body through the strategic removal of fat. Through small incisions, fat is vacuumed out with a cannula, or thin tube. The fat is liquefied for easy removal, through manual emulsification with the cannula (most common), fluid injection, or Ultrasound-Assisted Lipoplasty (UAL), which uses ultrasonic waves to break down the fat. The latter two techniques take a bit longer to perform, but tend to reduce trauma and recovery time afterward.
According to Dr. Hugh L. Vu, a board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in Stockton, the best candidate for this procedure is healthy, of overall normal weight with pockets of excess fat only in specific areas, and has firm, elastic skin that can rebound. (Overweight patients, even with no history, there’s still concern regarding potential heart, lung, or diabetes-related issues.) The patient should also have realistic expectations of the outcome. Dr. Vu recommends in-depth conversation with your surgeon before the procedure.
After surgery, the time needed to fully recover depends on the technique used. In general, you should be able to get back to work within a few days. While most swelling, bruising, and discomfort should dissipate in a few weeks, some residual swelling may exist for months. Afterward, proper diet and exercise is the most effective way to maintain your new body shape.
Breast Augmentation
In order to increase size and/or help to reshape the breasts, breast augmentation surgery currently uses saline or silicone-filled implants. Based on body type and implant size, there are various areas around the breast a surgeon may decide to insert the implants. From there, a pocket is made directly behind the breast tissue or under the pectoral muscle to accommodate the implant.
Under normal circumstances (there are some potential complications), the patient is up and around in a couple days, stitches come out in two weeks, sensitivity lessens in about three weeks, and then swelling should subside within five weeks or so. Following up with regular breast checks ensures that the implant is functioning properly.
According to Dr. Vu, as with liposuction, the ideal patient for this procedure should be relatively healthy and have realistic expectations regarding the outcome. “The best candidates for breast augmentation,” he says, “are women who are looking for improvement, not perfection, in the way they look.”
Wrinkle Reduction
Wrinkles are initially caused by repetition of muscle movement under the skin, and then become deeper as the skin loosens over time. Minimally-invasive injections that reduce the effects of both have become exceedingly popular and successful.
Ideal for new and/or smaller wrinkles, Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox) inhibits the contractions of the muscles responsible. Dr. Shaukat Shah of Total Body Medi Spa in Stockton finds that Botox remains one of the most popular treatments, since, in addition to smoothing out ones that already exist, “it may actually prevent new lines and wrinkles from forming.”
For larger and more established wrinkles, soft tissue fillers like collagen, fat, hyaluronic acid (Restylane or Juvederm), and microspheres (Radiesse) can be injected into the skin to help temporarily restore volume and structure to the face. As one of the fastest growing areas in the cosmetic surgery industry, new injectables are coming out all the time, with constantly improving and longer-lasting effects. One in particular, Artefill, is actually meant to last permanently.
Anyone considering this type of treatment should not have any active skin infections or open sores, and needs to be aware of any drug or food allergies from which certain injectables are derived. Severe wrinkles may be dealt with more effectively with traditional facial surgery.
Skin Resurfacing
There are a number of procedures that can improve skin’s texture and appearance with little to no downtime. Microdermabrasion renews the skin with exfoliation from tiny crystals. Chemical peels improve the skin by penetrating the surface to reduce discolorations, scarring, and fine lines while at the same time stimulating collagen production to firm the skin.
Laser/light resurfacing offers a more targeted approach. Treatments such as Genesis reduce wrinkles, rosacea, and other imperfections without any side effects, even immediately afterward. Other treatments like Intense Pulse Light (IPL) therapy, or Titan, help to tighten the skin to such a degree that they are touted as non-invasive face lifts.
Factors that determine the ideal candidate for these procedures include skin type, coloring (darker skin can become discolored after a resurfacing treatment), and whether or not there’s a history of allergic reactions. In order to avoid infection, you’ll likely need to hold off if you have an active case of acne, if you’ve recently received radiation treatments, or been burned.
Any possible side effects, such as redness, generally disappear within hours of treatment. For maximum results, most of these treatments are completed as a series, with periodic follow-up treatments recommended as needed. Although temporary, the effects of the initial treatment can be maximized through proper washing, moisturizing, and regular sunscreen use.
Tooth Whitening
The most popular in-office treatment for professional tooth whitening is called ZOOM, which uses a combination of whitening gel and UV light to produce results in a short time. Other options include tray whitening systems, which are a bit more cost-effective and controllable sensitivity-wise. Dr. Todd Franklin, a cosmetic dentist in Lodi, prefers hydrogen peroxide gel treatments such as Ultradent’s Opalescence Extra Boost.
“It offers results comparable to ZOOM,” he states. “And there are no concerns about potentially negative tissue interaction with the UV light.”
For professional whitening at home, Dr. Ronald Noriesta of One Appointment Dentistry in Stockton has been impressed by the popularity and effectiveness of take-home systems like Crest Whitestrips Supreme. Since it uses a particularly high concentration of hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth, such kits are currently available only through a dentist’s office.
In order to avoid pain, inconsistent bleaching, and other complications, anyone considering tooth whitening should take care of other existing dental problems beforehand, including active cavities, tooth or gum recession, and extreme sensitivity. It should also be kept in mind that, while tooth whitening has come a long way, there are still some stains/discolorations that may be too deep to be completely removed.
After any professional whitening treatment, results can be maintained through proper cleaning, lowering the intake of the worst staining offenders (like coffee, red wine, and smoking), and using over-the-counter whitening strips, trays, or pastes as needed.
Interested in learning more about cosmetic surgeons in your area? Make sure to pick up the May issue for our Medical Profiles special section.
