Cosmetic surgery is exactly what it sounds like; plastic surgery performed for purely cosmetic reasons. The first documented cases of cosmetic procedures are from ancient Egyptian times, where people tried to preserve the appearance of the dead by minimizing how sunken their eyes and cheeks would appear.
Prof. Dr. med Peter Butler, M.D., Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, wrote a paper for The Lancet, where he estimated that cosmetic surgery had been around since 6000 B.C., with the first documented procedures being performed in ancient Egypt. However, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that the first plastic surgeons emerged and began documenting their work and experiments.
The first actual breast augmentation is believed to have been performed by Dr. Vincenz Czerny in 1899 when he used paraffin injections. In 1910, surgeon Robert Gersuny experimented with liquid-filled breast implants, but it wasn’t until 1962 that the modern era of cosmetic surgery really started when plastic surgeons began experimenting with silicone. In 1964, plastic surgeon Thomas Cronin approached the idea of a cohesive implant when he filled a soft, round silicone implant with fluid and then covered it in a thin layer of silicone gel.
Since then, plastic surgery has been on the rise from both men and women alike who put their bodies through plastic surgery procedures to improve their image. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 13 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in 2016. Furthermore, The Telegraph reported that spending on cosmetic surgery has risen from £2 million in 1993 to a whopping £3.62 billion in 2015.
Cosmetic surgery and other procedures within the beauty industry have been and continue to be a hot topic and trend in modern society. There’s no doubt that the industry will only continue to grow and evolve as time progresses, with new trends and ideas emerging every day.
Time flies
Though cosmetic surgery procedures have truly started to take off since the early 1900s, there has been a steady increase in the number of people seeking out these procedures. For example, The Telegraph reported that spending on cosmetic surgery has risen from £2 million in 1993 to a whopping £3.62 billion in 2015. Furthermore, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 13 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in 2016.
What are the most common types of cosmetic surgery? How many people have undergone them?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has documented the popularity and statistics of different cosmetic surgeries. According to their statistics, the most common cosmetic surgery is lipoplasty, more commonly referred to as liposuction. The second and third most popular procedures are nose reshaping and breast augmentation respectively.
Furthermore, according to ASPS’s annual report for 2017 on Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Statistics, they found that the number of people who chose to get plastic surgery procedures was on the rise. The number of cosmetic procedures had increased by six percent in men and five percent in women since 2016. They also found that over 1.7 million minimally invasive cosmetic procedures were performed in 2017 alone.
What are the reasons people opt for cosmetic surgery?
People choose to undergo plastic surgery for many reasons. For instance, some people may decide to undergo plastic surgery to prevent future health problems caused by their current appearance. However, the motivation behind seeking out cosmetic surgery is deeply personal and will differ from person to person. There’s no correct or incorrect reason for choosing these procedures; they’re an intensely personal choice that comes with various motivations.
What are the most common side effects and risks associated with cosmetic procedures?
Similar to any type of medical treatment, there’s always a possibility for complications and adverse side effects, and plastic surgery is no exception. Furthermore, ASPS states that plastic surgeons’ extensive training helps them minimize these harmful risks. However, there are always risks to any procedure that involves your body. For example, possible side effects and risks associated with cosmetic procedures include:
- Unfavorable scarring
- Bleeding under the skin
- Infection
- Changes in skin sensation
- Numbness in the treated area
- Changes in skin coloration
- Changes in nipple sensation
How to maintain your appearance after cosmetic surgery
It’s important to keep in mind that the goal of any cosmetic surgery is to improve and maintain your appearance. However, there are several steps you can take after your procedure to minimize and control any changes in pigmentation or skin sensation between your procedures. For example, some suggestions for maintaining your new look include:
- Avoid the sun:After your procedures, avoid spending excessive amounts of time in the sun. This will help maintain your new skin tone and prevent any unwanted changes.
- Use sunscreen:Sunscreen is essential for minimizing changes to your new skin coloration or texture after cosmetic surgery. You must apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.
- Avoid smoking:Nicotine and other chemicals found within cigarettes can darken the skin around your body, which will affect any pigmentation changes you’ve undergone after surgery. In order to maintain the results, it’s essential to avoid smoking altogether, or at least one month before and two months after your procedure, as suggested by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
- Follow up with your plastic surgeon:To avoid changes in pigmentation or skin sensation between procedures, you must follow up with your plastic surgeon. They can provide suggestions to minimize adverse effects and maintain a more consistent appearance between your procedures.
As you can see, there are various steps you can take after cosmetic surgery to maintain your results and minimize the risk associated with any negative changes in pigmentation or skin sensation. However, it’s important to remember that plastic surgery is an intense procedure. You should always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your post-operative care.
