Plastic Surgery Advice

People with a weight problem have been looking into ways to lose the weight and keep it off. Sometimes they have success, but it takes tremendous amounts of discipline that keeps them on a very strict diet.  Many times when they reach a plateau -where they stop losing weight-frustration sets in and they go back to their old ways of eating.   Furthermore, many people have weight problems due to genetic conditions that cause them to gain weight.  Morbid obesity is a dangerous condition for anyone, and people who are in good health could benefit from weight loss surgery that utilizes the lap band.

Weight loss using the lap band has been very successful, and many doctors in Australia and Europe have used this technique during the initial phase of human trials. Lap band weight loss surgery works by placing an inflatable Slapstick band around the upper part of the stomach.  This creates a small gastric pouch that eliminates the need for the doctor to reconnect the stomach to the intestines. The Lap-Band procedure is done laparoscopically.

This surgery uses a Slapstick band, plastic access port, and a connecting tube.  The band has a plastic ring in the inside that is filled with water once it has been placed around the upper part of the stomach.    From there, water is injected into the lining, causing it to expand and partially close the opening of the stomach.   Weight loss surgery through the lap band helps to limit how much food passes into the stomach.    The access port is attached to the band, and water can be injected or removed from the ring as needed by using a needle and syringe.

When the doctor first inserts the lap band during weight loss surgery, the passage at the top of the stomach is cleaned. The lap band is then put into place and secured using a special interlocking mechanism. The access port is then implanted just beneath the skin and the ring is then filled with water.  The doctor will add or remove water as he or she see fits based on how the patient’s weight loss regimen is going after the weight loss surgery with the lap band.

Weight loss surgery with the lap band has had encouraging results but patients need to work with their doctor in administering the use of lap band to narrow and widen the stomach entrance.   Patients will see an average weight loss of eighty to one hundred pounds using this technique.  As everyone is different, more or less weight can be lost depending on how strictly the patient follows the diet the doctor advises and how their body adjusts to the tightness of the band.   While weight loss using weight loss surgery with the lap band takes longer than other procedures, patients will lose the most pounds during the first three months. 

Lap band weight loss surgery can be helpful for people who are morbidly obese and willing to have a healthier lifestyle.

Women have been going under the knife, under the laser or facing the needle for years to enhance their looks and fight the hands of time. But, they’ve got company at the clinic these days because men are seeking help through plastic surgery too. Men are looking for a smoother more refined look in their face and want to look lean and sexy too. And, there’s nothing wrong with that. Hundreds of thousands of men sought some type of cosmetic procedure from eyelid surgery to Botox in 2007. So what are the guys doing?

The most popular procedure among men according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) 2007 statistics is the nose job. Historically, a small petite nose on a man exudes weakness and femininity. Guys want a strong, think Roman statue, nose. Interestingly enough, eyelid surgery is the second most popular with liposuction coming in third. Bags and wrinkles under the eyes really age a face and make you look tired. Getting rid of them changes the whole landscape of the face and really brightens it up. Liposuction means you don’t have to live with the saddlebags anymore. It also helps contour the abdominal region. One procedure that is uniquely male is gynecomastia or male breast reduction. This is the fourth most popular and with good reason. Enlarged breasts in men are not uncommon and they cause all kinds of physical and psychological issues. Male breast reduction surgery allows men to reclaim some self-confidence and make them feel like men again.

But, it’s not just the surgical procedures that are popular. Guys are opting for the non-invasive cosmetic procedures as well. Again, according to the ASPS, 6% of the Botox procedures performed in 2007 were for men. Yes, men are rushing to the clinic for a lunch hour pick-me-up too. They are also having micro dermabrasion, getting peels and going under the laser for hair removal and skin resurfacing.

Gray hair may make a guy look distinguished and even sexy, but wrinkles and age spots no way. Just like women, men do things that damage the skin like not wear sunscreen and smoke. Oh, and they probably eat a diet of higher in saturated fat and trans fats. As they age, the only way to reverse the damage is with a cosmetic procedure. It’s not just the professional, the guy in the suit who works on Wall Street, seeking cosmetic help. The guys climbing telephone poles, the guys driving tanks as well as the CEO are all paying more attention to their appearance and doing what they can to turn back the hands of time.

Listen up guys. Before you go in search of a little youthful rejuvenation or body enhancement, make sure you do your homework. Verify your surgeon’s credentials and make sure he is a board certified plastic surgeon. If you opt for the non-invasive procedures, have either a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist do it. Surgery or not, things can go wrong. You don’t want to look so wide awake after your eyelid surgery that you can’t close your eyes.

If you’re thinking of getting cosmetic surgery then you need to make sure this is the right decision for you. In many cases people want to get breast implants because this is a very popular type of surgery, but you need to know what the risk factors are before doing this. Even though it seems easy to make a decision like this you need to think hard and long before going through with this type of surgery. It can enhance the way you look and possibly make you feel better but you should always understand there can be complications after surgery. Before you make your final decision you may want to speak with people who have had this surgery.

Get Free: Cosmetic Surgery Advice

Another important factor when deciding to have cosmetic surgery is to find a doctor that is competent and one that you feel comfortable with. You do not want to have a doctor who does not explain things well and does not let you know all the risk factors that are involved with having this type of surgery. There can be many benefits to going through the plastic surgery but you need to be aware that complications can arise. If you have a doctor that you feel comfortable with and you should have no problem having breast implants.

How to: Find a Doctor

Remember before you have cosmetic surgery you need to weigh-in all the risk factors that are involved. It is also important to find a surgeon that you feel comfortable with and one that explains everything step-by-step. Before having this type of surgery you should get a recommendation of several people who have used this doctor and have had this type of surgery. This will help you get a better idea of what to expect and you can see the results for yourself.

Plastic surgery generally refers to medical operations that mold or shape human features for esthetic or functional purposes. Contrary to what the name may indicate, plastic surgery has nothing to do with modern plastics. In this context, “plastic” is based on the Greek word “plastikos” which means to shape or to mold.

Among the most common plastic surgery procedures are the following:

The ABDOMINOPLASTY, more popularly known as the tummy tuck, removes excess fat from the stomach which serves to flatten and tighten the abdomen. The procedure takes two to five hours and patients can be back in circulation after two to four weeks. Common side effects include temporary pain, numbness, soreness and swelling.

BREAST ENLARGEMENT is a procedure that involves the insertion of inflatable saline implants into the breasts to enhance their size. The operation takes only one or two hours and the patient is back on his feet after a few days, although the breasts remain overly sensitive to touch for three to four weeks. Common side effects include temporary soreness and swelling, change in nipple sensation and bruising.

If breast enlargement is concerned with size, a BREAST LIFT is concerned with shape and is undertaken mainly to raise sagging breasts through the removal of excess skin and sculpting of the nipples and tissues. It is a one to three-hour long operations that sometimes leaves scars that heal after several months to a year or remain permanently. Patients are often back to work i a week or so.

A CHEMICAL PEEL restores wrinkled or blemished skin by peeling away the top players of the skin with the use of a chemical solution. Although this is usually an outpatient procedure, a full-face phenol peel requires a one or two-day admission. Among the side effects are acute sensitivity to the sun as well as permanent lightening of the treated area and permanent loss of the ability to tan.

COLLAGEN INJECTIONS, also known as fat injections, are used to plump up facial skin that has sunk due to age as well as to add fullness to the lips. It is a simple operation that can take 15 minutes to an hour and recovery is almost immediate.

DERMABRASION is a scraping procedure aimed at removing facial scars or wrinkles by scraping the top layers of skin with the use of a high-speed rotary wheel. It only takes a few minutes and patients can go back to work in a few weeks. Side effects include an acute sensitivity to the sun and the loss of ability to tan.

The United States is well-known for its state-of-the-art medical care, including plastic (or cosmetic) surgery. This being the case, why are so many people choosing to obtain their plastic surgery abroad?

The answer, typically, comes down to the “almighty dollar.” Plastic surgery abroad is often much less expensive than if it were to be performed at a medical facility within the United States.

Since, in the US, “money talks,” the insurance companies and the Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) either will not cover elective plastic surgery at all, or else will charge the patient an extraordinarily large deductable fee.

Of course there are exceptions to this problem. In many cases, a patient need not seek plastic surgery abroad at a less expensive cost if the reason for the surgery is medically necessary rather than elective.

For example, a child born with a cleft palate or a seriously injured burn patient will require extensive plastic, or reconstructive, surgery in order to achieve a more “normal” appearance and emotional healing. Insurance companies and HMOs will cover the cost of these surgeries since they are considered medically necessary.

Conversely, procedures such as liposuction, breast augmentation, face lifts, rhinoplasty and other surgeries that are performed for the sole purpose of enhancing one’s appearance are rarely, if ever, covered by HMOs and insurance companies.

Thus, an increasing number of Americans are seeking plastic surgery abroad. Even if the patient must personally pay for the procedure, it is much less costly than it would be in the United States.

This is most often because of the low cost of living in other countries, meaning that wages for top-quality physicians and registered nurses are lower. Having plastic surgery abroad passes these savings along to you. Procedures in the United States are more expensive because our cost of living so is very high.

What about standards of care? If you decide to obtain your plastic surgery abroad, the price of the procedure will be less, but will the quality of your surgery and post-surgical care be as great as in the United States?

Whatever medical facility you choose, look for a surgical staff whose credentials state “Board Certified F.R.C.S.” (Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons) if the surgeon was trained in the UK, Australia or New Zealand.

When you have plastic surgery abroad at a qualified medical facility, you can be assured that you will receive the finest standard of care globally available, both in your surgical procedure and your post-surgical care.

Lets say the truth, cosmetic surgery tourism is about cutting down costs, of course you want a good doctor, with many experience and a lot of satisfied patients and of course you will certainly get that with surgeons in Colombia, but if we talk about prices we must tell the truth.

The cost of a breast augmentation in the United States can vary from $4,000 to $8,000 depending on the surgeon experience and the wait list the surgeon have from patients.

A liposuction can start from $3,500 ,

a nose job or Rhinoplasty can vary from $4,000 to $5,000

a Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is around $5,000

a Buttocks Implant could cost around $4,700

and finally a facelift can go from $6,000 to $8,000 and even more.

As you see those prices are good for the surgeons but not good for you, also you must take in mind that those costs does not includes the anesthesiologist fee, the implants fee (in the case of breast implants) and the medical facility fee. If you include everything you could get a higher price than you expected.

The average cost of a breast augmentation in Colombia is about $2,500 depending in the exchange rate, and usually that includes the anesthesiologist fee, the implants and the medical facility fee.

Here is a list of the most common procedures and their prices in Colombia, this is an estimate but will not change as much as they change in the USA or Europe.

Breast Augmentation        $2,500

Liposuction            $3,000

Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)    $4,500

Rhinoplasty            $2,200

Breast Reduction         $3,500

Eyelid surgery           $1,900

You are probably asking yourself: how is this possible? will they use low quality implants?, or will I get the surgery in place that does not comply with the basic rules of hygiene?, the answer to this is quite simple: It’s not that it is cheaper in Colombia but that in your country it is too expensive.

Yes that is the true!!, just think about it, how much does it cost to be a doctor in the USA?, medical school is extremely expensive. The average first year tuition at a private medical school in the 1998-1999 school year was $24,917. The average first year tuition at a public (state-supported) medical school for in-state residents in 1998-1999 was $9,263 and for out of state residents it was $22,391. In addition, there are fees, housing costs, meals, books, equipment, car expenses, etc.

The high cost of medical school has implications that are not obvious at first. Most medical school graduates have large financial debts when they graduate. In 1996 the mean educational debt of medical graduates who had to borrow money was $75,103. Some medical students don’t borrow money because they enter the military, which pays for medical school in exchange for a time commitment.

One third of graduates of private medical school have financial debt greater than $100,000.

As a result, many graduates tend to enter high-paying sub-specialties.

Now you will say, OK that explain why is more expensive in the USA but how about quality of surgeons?, well as you can check by yourself most of the surgeons in Colombia have made their specialties in the USA or Europe . It is just not matter of graduating from the medical school, a doctor must first get a specialty degree before he can practice as a professional surgeon.

About the quality of medical facilities you will be surprised of the fact that all the equipment used in specialized clinics (where cosmetic surgeons operate) are top-notch because the surgeons themselves wants that, and getting access to those equipment is not that expensive anymore for the specialized clinics in Colombia.

So as you can see and check by yourself in internet or by calling surgeons or clinics in Colombia, you can have more peace of mind about getting a cosmetic surgery procedure in Colombia. Remember It’s not that it is cheaper in Colombia but that in your country it is too expensive.