So beauty blemished once, forever lost. In spite of physic, painting, pain and cost
-William Shakespeare
Written over four hundred years ago, William Shakespeare’s words still have a poignant ring of truth about them, even today.
Youth and beauty are fragile as glass, and as fleeting as a brilliant burst of sunshine on a cloudy day. However, one thing Shakespeare never envisaged is that, whilst not actually being able to turn back the clock to our youth, we have in our power to at least tell Mother Time to go wait in the other room for a few years.
Cosmetic surgery is certainly a temptation to those of us desirous of holding on to that brief yet powerful sceptre called beauty, for a little while longer. Like many things in life though, there is often a price to pay to regain some of our former glory and cosmetic surgery certainly gives us pause for thought.
Let’s have a quick look at some of the pros and cons of daring to trick nature with a little cosmetic enhancement by reviewing a few of the most common surgical procedures.
Breasts
When considering breast surgery options it is easy to come to the conclusion that no one was ever born with a perfect set of breasts. Breast augmentation, reduction and lifting are just a few of the treatments available to enhance the appearance and comfort of your breasts. Done correctly by a qualified plastic surgeon, a ‘boob job’ can make a dramatic difference to a person’s self confidence and appearance.
On the downside, even with the best surgical attendance, any elective surgery contains risks including:
- Infection
- Asymmetry
- Numbness
- Capsular contraction
- Scar tissue
- Risks with anesthesia
Ensuring your surgeon is board certified, researching evidence of his past work and reviews from former patients is a great way to begin your journey to beautiful, shapely breasts.
Face and Neck
Trying to delay the effects of aging to your face and neck can seem a little like digging a hole in sand. For every handful you take out, another handful falls back in. There are many instances however, where sun damage, smoking, genes and dietary habits can result in a face and neck which is showing premature signs of aging and this is where cosmetic surgery is ideal.
Rhytidectomy, better known as a facelift is often done jointly with a neck lift to bring a seamless correction to both areas. Often, however, patients are happy with their facial aging but have found that their neck is the area which is causing them to look haggard. This may be due to genetics, sun damage or weight gain/loss. Whatever the cause, a standalone neck lift may be the best remedy.
Whilst face and neck lifts are now commonplace procedures, there are still numerous risks and complications to be considered. Here are just a few of the more serious ones:
- Nerve damage
- Infection
- Asymmetry
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Skin necrosis
Selecting a board-qualified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience in this field is the best way to minimise the risk of complications. Having realistic expectations regarding the final results is also vital. Many people don’t understand that face and neck aging is a multi-faceted process and because of that, one procedure may not address all your concerns.
Rhinoplasty (Nose job)
Many of us will know at least one person whose life has been changed by rhinoplasty. It is a very safe procedure and usually has predictable results. Your surgeon may be able to offer you a digital image of yourself with your new nose prior to surgery to see how it fits in with the symmetry of your other features.
As above, the risk of bleeding, infection and patient dissatisfaction, whilst small, do exist and a board certified, experienced surgeon will be the best expert to minimise complications.
Fat – Liposuction
People often talk about having a ‘spot of liposuction’ done. This is trivialising a major procedure which, in the hands of inexperienced surgeons, has even caused death. The heavier you are and the more fat that is removed, the greater the risk to your health.
Consider liposuction, not as a weight loss tool but more to remove areas of fat which are out of proportion to the rest of your body. Try dieting and exercise first, after all, think of the money you will save!
Complications and risks of liposuction include:
- Numbness
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Risk of puncture
- Lumpiness and/or asymmetry
- Fat embolism
- Kidney and heart problems
- Long and often painful recovery
- Death
In the right hands, elective surgery can be a life-changing miracle to someone whose confidence or self-esteem are marred by a particular feature or area of their body. Thorough understanding of a procedure along with intense researching and interviewing of surgeons are the best methods to ensure a favourable outcome. In the hands of an expert you could soon be presenting the ‘new beautiful you’ to the world.
Best of luck!
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