What is Aesthetic Surgery | beautyondemand

Common Forms of Aesthetic Surgery

Liposuction

Liposuction is the removal of fat deposits using a tube inserted beneath the skin; fat is then sucked out using a vacuum-like device. The procedure is often performed on the abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, and upper arms. Of the 323,605 liposuctions performed in 2005, 89 percent of the patients were women. Recovery times range from one to four weeks, but it may take up to six months for all the swelling to go down.

Breast surgery is the removal of fats, tissue and skin due to several causal factors. Three incisions are made and the procedure does not guarantee the preservation of sensation within the areolas. The first incision is one that completely surrounds the areola, the next that extends from the edge of the areola to the crease under the breast, and the last, underneath the breast following the natural curve of the woman's breast. During the procedure, the nipple and the areola remain attached to the underlying tissue and then reattached at a higher position, whenever possible. If the tissue remains attached, the woman may be more likely to maintain sensation after surgery (Kovach, Low & Serletti).

Rhinoplasty

Some of the indications that you may be a good candidate for rhinoplasty are:
• your nose appears too large for your face
• there is a bump on the nasal bridge when viewed in profile
• your nose seems too wide when viewed from the front
• the nasal tip droops or plunges
• the tip is thickened or enlarged
• your nostrils are excessively flared
• your nose is off-center or crooked
• previous injury has made your nose asymmetrical

Methodology

The surgical techniques employed will depend primarily on the goals established by you and your plastic surgeon. In many instances, all of the incisions will be placed inside your nose, where they will not be visible. If the base of the nose is narrowed or the nostrils reduced, small wedges of skin at the base of the nostrils will be removed. Incisions are hidden in the natural crease where the nostril joins the cheek.
Sometimes a very short incision is made across the vertical strip of tissue that separates the nostrils, called the columella. This technique is called an "open rhinoplasty." Whatever incisions are used to reshape your nose, they will ultimately be very inconspicuous.

Breast Augmentation/ Reduction

Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure. It is a non-invasive, convenient method to reduce hair growth.
• Laser hair removal is an ongoing process that requires multiple sessions because it only affects actively growing hair, and not all hair follicles are active at the same time. In addition, high energy levels are avoided so as to minimize the risk of injury to the adjacent skin
• Occasionally patients may experience slight redness of the skin or mild swelling around the hairs
• Sunscreen is recommended for any area treated that may be exposed to the sun
• Patients with darker skin may not respond well due to inadequate discrepancy between skin and hair colors
• Blonde or gray/white hair is less responsive due to lack of ample pigment in the hair

Depending on the area being treated, the process may take anywhere from several minutes to several hours to complete. The most commonly used lasers utilize a low energy laser beam. This beam passes through the patient’s skin and is attracted to the pigment of the hair. The energy passes down the hair shaft and is absorbed by hair follicles that are in the active growth phase, thereby disabling the hair follicle in the deeper layer of the skin. The hair follicles that are in dormant phase are not affected by the treatment. In most cases, minimal pain should be experienced and no anesthesia is required.

Botox
Botox works to relax the contraction of muscles by blocking nerve impulses. The result is muscles that can no longer contract, and so the wrinkles relax and soften. It usually takes two to four days to see cosmetic improvement and the effects tend to last from four to six months. Most patients require retreatment to remove wrinkles and lines as they begin to reappear, but after each injection the wrinkles return as less severe as the muscles are trained to relax. Botox procedures do not require anesthesia and usually take just a few minutes to perform. The protein is injected into the muscle using a fine needle in order to minimize discomfort and maximize accuracy. It is recommended that patients avoid alcohol for about a week before the procedure. (Crosta P., 2009)

Non-Surgical

Surgical

Hyaluronic Acid/ Soft Tissue Fillers
Hyaluronic acid injections can be used as a dermal filler to improve the skin's contour and reduce depressions in the skin due to scars, injury or lines.

Facial lines and features that can be corrected using hyaluronic acid implantation include:
• Frown lines that run between the eyebrows (glabellar lines)
• Smoker's lines which are vertical lines on the mouth (perioral lines)
• Marionette lines at the corner of the mouth (oral commissures)
• Worry lines that run across the forehead (forehead lines)
• Crow's feet at the corner of the eyes (periorbital lines)
• Deep smile lines that run from side of the nose to corners of

the mouth (nasolabial furrows)
• Cheek depressions
• Redefining lip border
• Acne scars
• Some facial scars
• Hyaluronic acid therapy is becoming a popular choice as a temporary

filler for facial augmentation.

It is a safe, non-surgical procedure that conveniently softens facial lines and furrows. It also has the added benefit of not requiring skin testing before use. Products available include Hylaform®, Restylane®, Perlane® , Juvéderm™, Esthélis®. Captique™, Prevelle™, Puragen™, and Elevess™.
• Tiny quantities of hyaluronic acid are injected through very fine needles, boosting the skin's own hyaluronic acid. Depending how many lines are treated, the treatment takes 20 minutes to an hour, with minimal discomfort (especially with products that contain local anaesthetic agents).
• The effects can be maintained by small ‘top-up’ treatments as required, generally about twice a year.

Fig 1A Liposuction Procedure. Retrieved from http://www.hghhelp.info/antiagingblog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/liposuction.jpg

Fig 1B Breast Augmentation. Retrieved from http://www.plasticsurgerypulsenews.com/13/uploads/articlephotos/254/caridi_03.jpg

Fig 1C. Rhinoplasty. Retrieved from http://www.orangecountyrevisionrhinoplasty.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/14539468928e429f2da74154ccea470c_L.jpg

Fig 1D. Botox Injection Procedure. Retrieved from http://www.advancemedicalsystems.com/data/content/images/botox-injections.jpg

Fig 1E. Laser hair removal procedure. Retrieved from http://www.thelaserbeautique.co.za/uploads/23169.jpg

Fig 1F. Soft Tissue Fillers. Retrieved from http://www.drwilderman.com/img/filler.jpg