» Cosmetic Surgery F.A.Q.
1. How to choose your cosmetic surgeon?
2. How should you make a decision?
3. What should you be aware of?
4. How to get fully informed about the procedure?
5. Do clinics use visual software or presentations previous to the surgery?
6. Is it expensive to become beautiful?
7. Local anesthesia or narcosis?
8. Could you give me some information about the healing process? How long will it last?
9. "Insistent" adhesives
10. Whom should I choose?
» How to choose your cosmetic surgeon?
- The number of
plastic surgery clinics - along with their advertisements - are increasing rapidly.
After coming to a decision to undergo
plastic surgery, or any kind of a
cosmetic intervention, it
is not easy to choose your surgeon. Doubtless, a wrong decision will probably not result in a satisfying
outcome. it might even lead to irrevocable changes far from improvement.
» How should you make a decision?
- Maybe the best way to make a decision is to listen to the recommendations of others. You may have
friends or colleagues who have visited a
plastic surgeon, and they will share their experiences with
you if you ask them. If you too are satisfied with the result you can easily acquire the phone number
and name of the doctor.
- If you don't know anyone who has been to a
plastic surgeon you may respond to an advertisement.
In this case it is suggested to visit a few
surgery clinics and consult with more than one doctor.
The basic price of a pre-examination is fairly low, and it is important to get a personal impression of
each doctor in order to choose the one you trust most.
» What should you be aware of?
- Always look for a copy of the specialist diploma in the office of the cosmetic surgeon. If you can't
see the diploma anywhere ask the doctor to present it.
- It is important to observe the time and attention the surgeon gives you. The treatment will be
effective only if the doctor is fully aware of your condition and your plans, and handles you as
a partner in planning the operation. Perhaps your surgeon will point out a weak spot in your plan
for the operation. Consider the advice, because
cosmetic operations are not stereotyped interventions,
the details of each treatment are personalised.
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» How to get fully informed about the procedure?
- The doctor should inform you about the risk factors, possible side-effects and drawbacks of the
operation after the first examination. Every surgical intervention has its risks!
The patient must
always be fully informed about them. When deciding on an operation, the outcome should be weighed
against the possible risks not only by the patient, but by the doctor too. You can estimate the
foresight of
your plastic surgeon by observing his questions. Your
cosmetic surgeon should ask you
about other illnesses, drug-hypersensitivity and other questions about your
general health condition.
» Do clinics use visual software or presentations previous to the surgery?
- If it is possible ask for a computer-generated picture of the anticipated outcome. This can help
you to visualize the results of the operation. Don't be too dazzled by "before-after" photographs
or computer-generated images though, because these only help to choose the type of operation, but
do not guarantee the same, satisfying result.
» Is it expensive to become beautiful?
- Usually women with inferiority complexes or other psychological problems choose to undergo treatments
that may bring drastic changes to their life. They feel rather uncomfortable with their appearance
regardless of their looks. That is why they rush to a plastic surgeon to reshape their bodies and
smoothen their wrinkles. Nowadays, aesthetic
plastic surgery treatments are more popular than ever
before. From small interventions to complete makeovers, every wish can be fulfilled if the patient's
purse is large enough. Small and simple treatments may be cheap, but full makeovers are very expensive
in the UK. The most popular treatments are breast augmentation, face lifting, liposuction (fat removal),
rhinoplasty (nose correction) and otoplasty (ear correction).
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» Local anesthesia or narcosis?
- You can choose any of several methods of anesthesia when undergoing
plastic surgery. Just like any
other surgical intervention,
aesthetic surgery is also painful. The degree of pain caused by the
intervention depends on the type of
surgery, on its depth and on the vastness of the treated area.
The pain tolerance of patients may also vary. Surface anesthesia is used in cases where only the
skin
is affected by the intervention. The thickness of the skin is not identical in different body parts;
therefore the usage of a
special anesthetic mask is required in case of treatment of deeper areas covered
with thick skin. An alternative to this is the traditional injection. If the injection is done properly,
only the first shot causes pain, other sensations (further injections, the intervention, etc.) will be
blocked by the anesthetic. This method provides patients with the fewest side effects and unwanted
complications possible.
Local anesthesia cannot be used in cases which require larger operations.
Surgical interventions on the arms are done under nerve blocking anesthesia (conduction anesthesia).
Blocking the nerves of an arm makes it completely numb and insensitive to everything. Spinal anesthesia
is usually used during the operation of the legs, the hip and the stomach. This method kills pain by
blocking sensation in the nerve trunks. The patient is awake during the intervention, but does not feel
anything whatsoever. The sensation comes back after the active anesthetic agent has ceased to affect.
Surgical interventions of the chest and the head need to be done under narcosis. Some patients choose
narcosis because their fear of needles (injections). Obfuscation is reached with the combination of
pills and gases.
» Could you give me some information about the healing? How long will it last
- Incisions and cuts that are caused by surgical interventions are closed with stitches. The rapid
development of medicine has improved the
quality of the materials used for suturing. In case of aesthetic
plastic surgery, the patients do not want the signs of the intervention to be visible. The advances made
in
surgical technology result in limited callus (scar) development.
Modern wound suture materials must
be biocompatible, thin, smooth and strong. An ideal suture would only hold the wound together until it
heals and after that it would dissolve without leaving any decomposition products behind. No such material
that works perfectly in every case has yet been found, that is why surgeons use different suture materials
for different cases. Modern absorbable suture materials are provided with disposable suture needles.
These materials cause the least damage to the skin, because their cross-sections are identical.
Suture materials can be divided into two large groups. Traditional suture materials must be removed after the
wound has healed. These threads are very strong and their tensile strength remains unchanged throughout the
healing process. These materials, being foreign substances, can cause immune reactions while inside the wound.
In contrast to these, the modern absordable suture materials dissolve inside the wound.
In contrast to these, the modern absorbable suture materials dissolve inside the wound. Their tensile
strength is maintained for a
few days, or weeks - depending on the material they are made of - and after
this time they slowly dissolve. This makes post-operational stitch removal unnecessary.
Their tensile strength is maintained for a few days, or weeks - depending on the material they are made
of - and after this time they slowly dissolve. This makes post-operational stitch removal unnecessary.
The healing of a wound also depends on the stitching techniques used by the surgeon. Nowadays the
traditional technique, the so-called interrupted suturing is rarely used because it causes the development
of visible callus (scar) patterns. Under-skin suturing techniques used by plastic surgeons leave only a
dim line behind that is barely visible, providing the best aesthetic outcome possible.
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» "Insistent" adhesives
- Besides the suturing and clamping techniques, a new method of tissue adhesion is also gaining popularity. The appearance of new adhesives has brought a significant breakthrough to plastic surgery. Strong adhesion and biocompatibility are the most important requirements that adhesives must meet. It is much easier to stick wounds together, but this method cannot be used in every case, because it provides a weaker fixation of the wound. A large advantage of adhesives is that the wound can be closed without the need for anesthesia. The fixation of deeper wounds is a much harder task, but the constant innovation in biotechnology and tissue adhesion results in the development of newer and more efficient types of adhesives, like cyanoacrylate adhesives which provide strong and secure adhesion in a very short time. These cyanoacrylate tissue adhesives are mostly used for the sealing of skin wounds.
The
human body heals wounds with the help of natural proteins. Researchers have noticed this fact and
have developed protein-based tissue adhesives that are more natural. These adhesives remain intact until
the wound heals. As soon as the healing process ends, the body will start to dissolve the adhesive with
the help of enzymes. No foreign
materials will remain inside the body after the adhesive dissolves. The
only problem with these protein-based products is that the solidification takes more time compared to
cyanoacrylate adhesives.
» Whom should I choose?
- The relationship between a patient and a doctor must always be built on confidence and trust. Plastic surgeons treat patients who would like to alter their look, because they aren't satisfied with their appearance, and whether apparant to everyone or only to their own eyes, this imperfection can cause complexes. That is why the success of the intervention is so important to these patients.
When you meet your
plastic surgeon for the very first time, it is important to ask your surgeon to show
you the
diplomas and certificates that prove he or she has the ability and license to perform the
requested operation. You should not be afraid to ask questions even if you think they sound a bit
strange. Ask about the details of the procedure and don't forget to ask about the possible risks and
side effects. If it is possible, ask for a
computer-generated picture of the expected outcome. This
will make the expected alteration visible and provides you with an opportunity to make slight changes
to assure yourself the most satisfying outcome. It is advised to consult the
plastic surgeon a few times
before the operation to see how thoughtful, responsive and co-operative he or she is. It is important
to know the exact cost of the intervention before it takes place in order to prevent inconveniences and
misunderstandings. "The most expensive" is not equal to "the best"! A cheaper intervention can bring the
same (or even better) result as an expensive one. Consulting
several plastic surgeons about the
intervention you plan can also help significantly in choosing your doctor.
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