The procedure is relatively simple and requires the surgeon to make an incision across the lower abdomen, from one hip bone to the other. Then the fat and excess skin are removed and the muscles of the abdomen wall are tightened, and the remaining skin is stitched back in place. The incision is made within the bikini or un- derwear line so the scar in most cases is covered up by clothing. The procedure usually takes several hours to complete and the healing process can take weeks or even months before reaching full recovery. Usually a patient must remain at home for 2 to 4 weeks with no strenuous activity for 4 to 6 weeks. Also it’s not uncom- mon for scars to be quite visible for 3 months or more after the operation and may take up to a year or two to fully flatten out and lighten in color, though they may never fully disappear.

A tummy tuck is a major cosmetic surgery that is car- ried out under a general anesthetic and patients can ex- pect to have some discomfort after the operation, that will include swelling of the abdomen and pain in the ab- dominal area.

Risks

Risks may include blood clots, infection, and scarring.

Cosmetic nose reshaping is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries. The procedure can increase or decrease the size of the nose, change the angle between the nose and upper lip, narrow the span of the nostrils, and also change the tip or bridge of the nose. Both men and women seek out this procedure and not only can it alter the look of the nose, it can also rectify breathing problems and reconstruct defects from injuries or birth defects.

The procedure involves reshaping of the bone and cartilage and takes approximately 2 hours to complete. There are two main types of approaches to nose reshaping surgery. Either the work is done through the nostrils, which leaves no visible scarring on the outside of the nose; or the surgeon can make a small incision at the bottom of the nose across the tissue that separates the nostrils. With the second procedure there is the possibility of some scarring at the base of the nose. Recuperation time is usually a few days and patients can return to physically undemanding and light work within 7 days.

In most cases the procedure is carried out under a general anesthetic but some less complicated procedures can be done with local anesthetics.

It is usually performed at a specialized surgery or a hospital. The healing process can be a drawn out process with some swelling being present for a few weeks and even months in the tip of the nose.

Risks

With rhinoplasty, complications are infrequent and usually minor. These include: infection and damage to tiny blood vessels, causing red blotches on the nose;
nose bleeds.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that removes fatty deposits from different parts of the body. This is one of the cosmetic surgeries that is popular with both men and women. Liposuction is most commonly carried out on the hips, thighs, stomach, underneath the chin, the underarms, and the breast areas. Men most often have the waist areas treated, or what is commonly referred to as the “love handles.”

Liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss but can help remove those stubborn fatty deposits that seem to be impossible to get rid of with exercise and that naturally appear with age. Healing and recovery is usually done at home and takes between one to two weeks, though swelling and bruising can last from one up to six months.

There are three main types of liposuction techniques:

• tumescent technique

The tumescent technique involves the injection of a large quantity of a medical solution into a fatty area. The medical solution is a combination of drugs that numb the area, as well as shrink the capillaries, and prevent blood loss. After the injection, a small incision is made into the skin and a tube connected to a vacuum is inserted into the fatty mass. The fat is then suctioned out.

• super-wet technique

Similar to the tumescent technique, the super-wet procedure uses a smaller amount of the injected medical solution. After the injection, a small incision is made into the skin and a tube connected to a vacuum is inserted into the fatty mass. The fat is then suctioned out.

• ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty

In ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty, a special tube that produces ultrasound energy is used. This ultrasound energy breaks down the walls of the fat cells, turning them to liquid. The fat is then suctioned out.

Liposuction procedures are carried out under a general or local anesthetic and most often in specialized clinics and hospitals.

A new twist in liposuction is becoming extremely popular and is now available in Prague. Lasers are used either to assist the classic techniques, or by themselves. In both cases, the laser heats the tissue below the skin surface to stretch, smooth out, and reattach the collagen and connective tissue. In addition, the laser seals damaged blood vessels to help prevent bruising, eliminates the need for some bandages, and helps reduce the risk of uneven skin.

Risks

As with any type of surgery there are always certain risks and possible complications. With liposuction these may include rippling or sagging of skin, pigment changes, skin damage, excessive fluid loss leading to shock, infection, burns, and cardiac arrest.

modern cosmetic surgery as we now know it started predominantly in the US in the 1960s and 70s.

Not so long ago plastic and cosmetic surgery were purely seen as a foray of the rich and famous, mostly of whom resided in Hollywood. What many people do not know is that plastic surgery has a long and rich history. For instance, skin grafts for reconstructive work were being used in India as early as the 8th century BC. However, it was not until the advent of anesthesia that plastic surgery took its tentative steps forward, as up until then any surgery on healthy tissue involved great pain. It was during World War I and II that modern plastic surgery really came in leaps and bounds as doctors such as Dr. Vilray Blair, who was the first chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, pioneered many of the modern procedures while treating the injuries that soldiers suffered during that sad period of time.

Modern cosmetic surgery as we now know it started predominantly in the US in the 1960s and 70s. At first there was some stigma attached to having various nips and tucks and other adjustments made; but much has changed over the past 25 years and plastic or cosmetic surgeries are no longer seen as taboos but as relatively easy and quick ways of improving one’s appearance and of increasing self-confidence.

When talking about cosmetic surgery it is important to note that these procedures fall into two main categories, invasive and non-invasive. Invasive cosmetic surgery means that the surgery is generally done under some type of anesthetic and that the medical procedure penetrates the skin or a body cavity. Examples of invasive plastic surgeries include nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), facelifts, breast augmentation or enlargement (augmentation mammaplasty), and liposuction (lipoplasty). On the other hand, non-invasive surgery is defined as a medical procedure that does not mechanically penetrate nor break the skin or a body cavity. Examples include laser skin resurfacing, chemical peeling, collagen treatments, and Botox injections.

With private clinics popping up over the last 25 years and with plastic surgery becoming big business, according to statistics released by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2007 there were some 11.7 million surgical and non-surgical procedures done in the US alone. Another interesting development is that it’s not only women seeking out these improvements.

According to the same statistics, 91% of the patients were women; but more telling is the fact that there was a 17% increase in the number of men having surgery between 2006 and 2007, while there was only a 1% increase amongst women. These statistics only prove that plastic and cosmetic surgeries are an ever-more present and accepted phenomenon in our society, with many famous and prominent people openly admitting to having a few improvements here and there.