Different Types of Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery usually falls into one of two categories. It can be ‘reconstructive’ surgery where it is performed as a result of abnormalities of certain areas of the face and body which may have come about as the result of congenital defects, diseases and infection or as the result of tumours.

Or, by far and away its most widespread use is some kind of surgery being carried out for simply ‘cosmetic’ purposes in order to improve a person’s appearance in order to increase their self-esteem. Below is a brief guide to the kinds of cosmetic surgery procedures which are the most common today.

The Face

There are many different types of cosmetic surgery which can apply to any area from the neckline upwards. These range from the relatively simple to the more complex and more costly procedures. Simple procedures would include things like Botox injections, facial peels and laser hair removal.

Many of these types of procedures these days are often carried out in licensed and fully regulated beautician parlours. However, more complex procedures are performed in specialised cosmetic surgery hospitals under general anaesthesia. These can include nose reconstruction, chin implants, neck lifts, eye lifts, protruding ears surgery, complete face lifts and wrinkles removal to name just a few.

The Chest

Although some men may go in for cosmetic surgery on their chest area, the overwhelming majority are women who will either want a breast augmentation carried out which will involve implants being inserted to increase the size of their breasts or to redefine them or they may have a desire to want their breast size reduced.

The Stomach

The most common forms of cosmetic surgery in the stomach area are a ‘tummy tuck’, liposuction and having stretch marks removed. A tummy tuck involves removing excess skin and fat around the abdomen which is often the result of childbirth or where a person gets older and their skin and flesh loses its elasticity.

Liposuction, on the other hand, involves the insertion of a needle into the fatty tissue inside your body from where the fatty deposits are sucked out. It is one of the most frequently requested procedures and is not limited to the stomach as many people will also have liposuction performed on areas such as the buttocks, arms, chin, neck, back and thighs.

Stretch marks are often as the result of child birth or excessive weight gain or loss and can be removed using laser surgery although this is often expensive.

Below The Waistline

Although cosmetic surgery tends to focus more on areas above the waistline, there are still many procedures which are carried out below the waistline. The buttocks are a popular area for cosmetic surgery. Mostly it’s carried out to remove fat and to make a person’s buttocks more appealing but there are also implants you can have fitted to flesh out and to improve the shape of your buttocks.

Excess weight on the thighs and getting rid of it by liposuction is also a popular procedure. However, whether it’s reshaping your calves or some people even having their toes lengthened to make their feet more appealing, there is probably not one area of the body which hasn’t been subject to cosmetic surgery at some time or other.

Choosing The Right Surgeon

The crucial thing to remember is that virtually anybody can set themselves up as a cosmetic surgeon and it’s vital that you do your research and find yourself a professionally qualified and reputable one. Not only is cosmetic surgery expensive, if you make the wrong choice, things can go drastically wrong and not only can you end up looking worse than you did before but you might also suffer grave health consequences.

Cosmetic surgery has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who swear by it. However, it has also ruined the lives of an equally high proportion of people and there are no guarantees that any physical transformations resulting from surgery will live up to the patient’s expectations. Therefore, whilst not attempting to deride the industry, it’s also important to consider psychological reasons for wanting a particular type of cosmetic surgery and whether or not a person’s self-esteem can be improved in some other way without the need to go under the knife at all.