This is not for the squeamish, but then neither is having surgery, full stop. I'll be having a look at what can be done in terms of anti-ageing, reshaping and body sculpting and enhancement. I will keep the descriptions brief and general to give you a rough idea what it entails. If a procedure interests you, you'll get all the gruesome details when you go for a consultation. Ready?
Facial procedures
Facelift/neck Lift (rhytidectomy)
Usually a facelift can erase about 10 years in one fell swoop. It involves cutting away all of the extra skin that has started to move down toward your chin! Incisions are made around the hairline, ears, and neck. Skin is then pulled off of the support muscles and pulled upward. The excess skin is skilfully cut away and stitches are inserted along the incisions to close them up. There will be discomfort, bruising, and swelling for about two weeks, and the sutures and clips will be removed within one to two weeks. You will need to refrain from physical activities such as sex, housework and going to the gym for as long as your surgeon advises, but you should be able to go back to work after about two weeks. During this procedure you may want to have several things done at the same time, such as the eyes, reshaping the nose and removing jowls.
Lines and wrinkles
A very fast treatment and usually with highly visible results. This is one we've spoken about in the past, and involves fillers such as collagen, Restylane, Perlane, Dermalive, Hylaform and quite a few others. The fillers are injected, via a syringe, into lines, creases, furrows, wrinkles, crow's feet, and acne scars to temporarily fill them out. It usually only takes about a half an hour and is carried out after an anaesthetic cream has been applied to the area that is going to be treated. You can usually go straight back to work and the treatment will last you from three to six months.
Deep wrinkles and lip-enhancement
This is slightly more intensive than the previous treatment and is better used for very deep lines and to fill out the lip area. Carried out under local anaesthetic and sedation, small implants are inserted into the selected area to 'pad out' the tissues. Swelling lasts about a week and you can usually return to your regular routine within a few days. The procedure will take around 30 minutes and the fillers used are Softform, Alloderm, and fat transfers (using your body's own fat deposits).
Lip reduction and enlargement
This is done using the same procedure described above. You can expect swelling for about a week or so, but the effect will be almost immediate. Some fillers can be threaded though the lip line to create a new shape. This includes artificial fillers such as Gortex and Newfill. If the lips are thin, an incision is made following the shape of the natural lip line. Another incision is then made over and under the lip line and the strip between is removed. The gap is then closed up effectively turning the lip almost inside out. The end result is that lips look fuller and smoother.
Cheek and chin implants
Cheek implants are quite common after long or serious illnesses that have caused the face to look sunken or gaunt. The implant is inserted through the inside of the cheek, so there should be no visible scarring. There will be some swelling for about a week, but you should have been able to get yourself back to work by then. Chin implants are generally used to correct a receding chin and, again, they are inserted through the inside of your mouth. The same sort of recovery period should be expected for chin implants as that with your cheeks.
Ear shaping (otoplasty)
An immediate and fairly easy procedure to have done. An incision is made in the natural crease behind the ear and excess skin and cartilage is removed. Bandages are wrapped around the head to hold the ear into its new position while the healing process takes place. After about a week the stitches are removed and you should be able to return to work. This is quite a common procedure, though this should not be done before the age of six. A child with large or 'sticky-out ears' can be teased unmercifully, but you must wait until the ear is nearly at its adult size before attempting to correct it. Ear pinning can give adults added confidence and will allow women to wear their hair exactly the way they want to.
Nose shaping (rhinoplasty)
Most rhinoplasty operations are now carried out through the inside of the nose, so scarring is kept to an absolute minimum. You will probably have to stay in hospital overnight and the recovery time for bruising under the eyes is seven to ten days, plus you will need to wear a stabilising bandage for a week to prevent damaging your new nose shape. You'll see an immediate improvement, but the full benefits won't be revealed for six months or so. To reshape the nose, an incision is made inside the nostril and an instrument is inserted to shave off excess cartilage or to add a sliver to fill the nose out. This is the best known and one of the most popular of cosmetic procedures and is also one that can immediately give your face a better sense of proportion.
Eye bags (blepharoplasty)
This can fix a range of problems, including removing skin from the upper and lower lids, removing fatty deposits under the eyes and generally improving skin tone in the eye area. An incision is made in the natural crease of the eyelid and a small strip of excess skin is removed. The incision is then closed with stitches. For the under-eye area, the incision is made under the lower lash line and the excess fat and tissue is removed. The procedure can be done in a day, but may require an overnight stay. The stitches are removed after three to seven days, by which time the swelling should have gone down and you can return to work.
Brow lift
An incision is made right up in the hairline and the skin is drawn up and cut away. Following this operation the stitches stay for about 10 days and you can resume normal life within about two weeks. The result will be a more open eye and the look of a slight lift to the entire upper-eye area.
Body procedures
Breast enlargement (implants and augmentation)
There are many types of implant, so your surgeon can discuss thoroughly the pros and cons of each one with you. To insert the implant, an incision will be made in the crease under your breast. Sometimes the implant is inserted under the armpit or via the areola, but again, your surgeon will discuss these options. The implant is placed behind the natural tissue of the breast so you will retain a natural feeling to the bosom. It is normal to spend a night in hospital following this procedure and you will need to keep the bust well supported for some time afterwards. After about a week the stitches will be removed and you can return to work.
Breast reduction
This involves removing excess tissue and fat from the breast area to give you a new shape and size and almost certainly means repositioning the nipples. Again, the bust will need very good support after the operation, which will probably necessitate a two-night stay in hospital, and the stitches won't be removed for seven to 14 days. A breast reduction does involve more recovery time than most other procedures, but the new sense of comfort should make it well worth it. I know several women that have had breast reduction and have found it to be very liberating - it results in greater freedom of movement and less strain on your back and shoulders. You should also find that a whole new world of fashion is opened up to you.
Breast uplift (mastopexy)
This is great for improving your figure after child rearing or extreme weight loss, and will reshape and lift the bosom. Small incisions are made over the nipple and areola to reposition them. The excess tissue is then removed from underneath the breast. Recovery and stitch removal is similar to a reduction procedure and you can expect an overnight stay in the hospital.
Liposuction
If you've ever seen this being done you can be excused for being put off! But if you go through with it, most men and women are thrilled with the new shape it gives their thighs, bums, tummies and necks. Under general anaesthetic, a small tube is inserted in the problem area and a solution that dissolves the fat is injected. The fat is then sucked out to give you your new shape. There will be some swelling and bruising and you usually need to wear a tight bandage until the healing process is well underway - after about a week or so. This is a very popular procedure with women who just cannot shift pockets of fat, no matter how much exercise they do.
Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)
This operation often goes hand in hand with liposculpture. This is approximately a two-hour procedure and may require a two-night stay in hospital because you may be dealing not only with a removal of excess skin and fat, but with the tightening of surrounding muscles at the same time. An incision is made over the bikini line and then, after the muscles are repaired, the fat is removed (often by liposuction) and then the excess skin is cut away. The stomach is then re-stitched and you'll need to wear something to support the muscles while the healing process takes place. Stitches are removed after one to two weeks, and during that time you cannot do any strenuous activity. This is a fairly major operation so the recovery time will be several weeks.
Thigh lift
This entails an incision being made at the top of the inside groin and having all of the excess skin lifted and trimmed way. Great care needs to be taken with the healing process after this procedure and it's recommended that you avoid strain and exercise for several weeks. Stitches are removed after seven to ten days but, be warned, this is a fairly extensive procedure.
Female genital shaping and repair
Quite common after multiple births, or because someone is unhappy with the appearance of their genitals, which affects their confidence in the bedroom and their lives in general. This is most likely to be carried out under a local or general anaesthetic and will involve an overnight stay in hospital, plus a week to recover. The operation can cover reshaping, tightening and repair.
Male enhancement
Again, this can boost confidence in countless situations. There are two main areas that men can be treated: length and girth. The first is obtained by making a small incision at the base of the penis and severing the suspensory ligament. To give more girth, a fat transfer is made to increase overall diameter. Either procedure involves a two-week recovery period.
Varicose vein removal
This can be done for aesthetic reasons as well and physical and psychological discomfort. You'll need to go under a general anaesthetic and a treatment will be done so the veins are visible to the surgeon. The vein is removed through small incisions that will require perhaps only a single stitch. Legs will need to be bandaged and the stitches are removed after about a week. You'll also be given an exercise routine to strengthen the new blood route. Recovery time is about a week.
Risks
Of course, all surgical procedures carry an element of risk, particularly those which require you to have a general anaesthetic. If you are seeing a qualified surgeon, any complications should be minor, but they could include blood clotting, nerve damage, haematoma (a pooling of blood under the surface of the skin) and infections. To reduce these risks you need to listen to the advice of the practising surgeon and, even more important, follow that advice! Each procedure will have its own set of risks and warnings, and all of these will be discussed during your consultations prior to the surgery. Pain should be kept to a minimum and you'll be given pain relief as, and when, it is required. Also keep in mind that due to swelling and bruising, you may look a lot worse before you look better. Be mentally prepared for this so you don't end up feeling disappointed or frightened when you see the results. With proper preparation and research on your part, the entire experience should give you a good result and a better self-image. Nobody but you can decide whether this is the right or wrong decision but, as I said before, do it for the right reasons. If you do decide to take the plunge, I wish you all the very best. Please contact me with any experiences you have. Until then, don't rush into anything - and don't do anything I wouldn't do!
