Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Overview

What is cosmetic plastic surgery?

Cosmetic plastic surgery is performed in order to change one's appearance. For some, it may mean redesigning the body's contour and shape, the elimination of wrinkles, or eliminating balding areas. Others may choose varicose vein treatment or breast augmentation. There are a number of cosmetic surgery procedures that men and women can choose from in order to create an image that makes them feel more confident and comfortable with their appearance. In 2003, more than 15 million people had cosmetic surgery.

Although health insurance rarely covers the cost of cosmetic procedures, the number of individuals deciding to undergo cosmetic plastic surgery continues to grow. The top five cosmetic surgeries included liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, nose reshaping, and facelift. More than 1.4 million women had one or more of these surgeries in 2004.

Further, it is not just women who are opting to enhance their appearance through surgery. Statistics show that the number of men having liposuction - the removal of fatty tissue - has increased 500 percent since 1992. In addition, the number of men having facelifts has more than quadrupled.

What are the most common plastic surgery procedures?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the most common cosmetic procedures (invasive and minimally-invasive) are listed here by their common or descriptive names. The medical term for the procedure is enclosed in parentheses.

breast augmentation or enlargement (augmentation mammaplasty)
breast implant removals
breast lift
buttock lift
chin, cheek, or jaw reshaping (facial implants or soft tissue augmentation)
dermabrasion
eyelid lift (blepharoplasty)
facelift
forehead lift
hair replacement/transplantation
lip augmentation
liposuction (lipoplasty)
lower body lift
nose reshaping (rhinoplasty)
thigh lift
tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)
upper arm lift
Botox injections
cellulite treatment
chemical peel
plumping/collagen or fat injections (facial rejuvenation)
laser skin resurfacing
laser treatment of leg veins

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