Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is a very popular subject these days. Make a search on the internet for cosmetic or plastic surgery and you will get millions of results - web sites of plastic surgeons of different nationalities, various procedures available, advice for cheap plastic surgery, before and after photos, celebrity patients, clinics and surgery travel packages for various countries, news from around the world, and more.
There is an increasing number of individuals from all walks of life who undergo cosmetic surgery each year. How should someone considering plastic surgery select a plastic surgeon and make an informed decision? Patients considering cosmetic surgery should know that choosing the right surgeon is the single most important decision they will make. Today, many doctors perform cosmetic plastic surgery but not all of them have trained as plastic surgeons. Once doctors get their medical degrees, they may practice any specialty, even if they have not completed advanced training in that field. And so, a doctor who performs cosmetic plastic surgery is not necessarily trained as a plastic surgeon. He may have merely observed the procedure or taken a short course or workshop. To ensure the best results for the surgery you are considering, choose an authentic plastic surgeon with the specialized training and experience that is necessary for the success of your surgery.
As you visit the websites of plastic surgeons, they should provide you with basic information about plastic surgery and the various procedures available. You should be able to find information about the surgeon's formal training and experience. From the website, you should also be able to get an idea about the surgeon's basic approach and philosophy on cosmetic surgery and patient care.
Training
Select a surgeon who has completed at least five to six years of formal training in plastic and reconstructive surgery in accredited training hospitals. This includes three to five years of general surgery residency and two to three years of plastic surgery residency. In the Philippines, these doctors are either board-eligible or board-certified by the Philippine Board of Plastic Surgery. Doctors who have completed residency training in plastic and reconstructive surgery are the only doctors who can rightfully claim to be plastic surgeons. Many doctors who perform cosmetic surgery procedures are board-certified in specialties other than plastic surgery or may even lack such credentials.
Experience
Good credentials provide a reasonable indication of a doctor's qualification to perform cosmetic surgery, and should serve as the basic starting point. Patients should then ask the surgeon about his experience. How long has he been in practice and how many times has he done the procedure you are considering? The broader your surgeon's experience, the greater your chances for a successful surgery.
Hospital Privileges
Another factor to consider is whether the surgeon has hospital privileges. Before a hospital grants privileges to physicians, they usually require certain standards of training and competence to be met. Although many cosmetic surgery procedures may be safely done in outpatient clinics, others should only be done in a hospital setting. It is best to choose a surgeon who has hospital privileges.
Consultation
Find a plastic surgeon whom you feel comfortable with. You should be able to communicate easily with him, ask him all your questions and discuss your needs and expectations. Make sure you have all the facts you need in order to make an informed judgement.
A good plastic surgeon should be able to evaluate whether you are a good candidate for the surgery you are considering. He should be able to educate you about your options and give you advice about the best technique for your needs. If there are less invasive or non-surgical procedures that could fulfill your needs, the surgeon should be able to tell you about them.
Realize that pre- and post-operative photos of the surgeon’s patients can be useful in helping you understand the surgery but are no guarantee that your results will be similar. Every individual is different.
Beware of any doctor who tells you there are no possible risks involved in surgery. There are always risks, and these should be discussed frankly.
Never allow a doctor to talk you into any procedure you don’t want. A reputable plastic surgeon will let the patient suggest what he or she wants done and then advise them on what is or is not possible.
Be skeptical of any doctor who seems to avoid talking about his or her training and professional qualifications.
Price
Although price is definitely a factor when considering elective surgery, don’t "bargain shop" for plastic surgery. Any surgery is still surgery and has some uncertainty and risk involved. When price is the primary factor for choosing a plastic surgeon, risks increase. The success of your surgery is largely dependent on your choice of surgeon and professional qualifications and experience should be your main consideration in selecting your plastic surgeon. Even when you go to popular clinics where a number of surgeons practice as a group, take a look at the qualifications of the particular surgeon who will be handling your case.
Good plastic surgeons may charge relatively affordable fees, especially if they practice in Asian countries like the Philippines, where cost of living expenses are low and if they can keep overhead costs low by having modest outpatient surgery clinics. But think twice if the surgeon you're considering charges much lower than other plastic surgeons in the same country. Especially if the procedure to be done is in the face, like a rhinoplasty (nose surgery), blepharoplasty (eye surgery) or rhytidectomy (face lift), you could end up having to stare at your "cheap" doctor's mistakes in the mirror every day. No wonder there are also so many searches made for "awful plastic surgery".
Dr. Carlos Lasa Jr. is a Filipino plastic & reconstructive surgeon who trained at the University of the Philippines, Institute of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Georgia, USA, & Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Ohio,USA. He is currently based in Metro Manila, Philippines. He specializes in cosmetic plastic surgery procedures such as liposuction, rhinoplasty (noselift), breast augmentation, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), rhytidectomy (facelift), and more. For more information about having affordable cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines, visit his site at http://www.cosmeticsurgeryphil.com or email clasamd@cosmeticsurgeryphil.com
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
History of Cosmetic Surgery (by Angie Tidwell)
Today, here, and around the world, many people have considered having Cosmetic Surgery, or Plastic Surgery performed. Many more have had plastic surgery done, some with multiple procedures. Plastic Surgery, by definition, is a broad term for operative manual and instrumental treatment which is performed for functional or aesthetic reasons. Medical treatment for Facial injuries dates back over 4,000 years. The word "plastic" is a derivative of the Greek word plastikos meaning to mould or shape; however, contrary to common belief, the term “plastic surgery” is not related to modern plastics at all.
Cosmetic Surgery was first known to have been performed in Roman times. The Romans had the ability to perform simple procedures such as repairing damaged ears, in modern times referred to as Otoplasty, this is one of the most simple of procedures. One report discusses a patient getting his earlobes repaired after years of wearing heavy earrings. The excess lobes were trimmed and the hole sewn together. One of the more expensive plastic surgeries performed at the time, the removal of branding and scars, was a commonly executed procedure. Freed slaves paid a high price indeed for this type of surgery. It was felt that this common practice reduced the stigma of having been a slave in this ancient times.
In ancient India physicians were able to use skin graft reconstruction techniques as early as 800 B.C. From ancient times to the early nineteenth century, we find a living tradition of plastic operations of the nose, ear and lip. The Kangra (correctly pronounced as 'Kangada') district in Himachal Pradesh was most famous for its plastic surgeons. Some scholars are of the opinion that the word 'Kangada' is made from 'Kana + gadha' (ear repair). The British archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham (1814-93) had written about the tradition of Kangra plastic surgery procedures. We also have information that in the reign of Akber ,a Vaidya named Bidha used to carry out plastic operations in Kangra.
The Charaka-Sanhita and the Sushruta-Sanhita are among the oldest known manuscripts on Ayurveda (the Indian science of medicine). Chronologically speaking, the Charaka-Sanhita is believed to be the earliest work, and deals with medicine proper and containing a few passages on surgery. The Sushruta-Sanhita, a work of the early centuries of the Christian era, mainly deals with surgical knowledge rather than medicine. The extant Sushruta-Sanhita is, according to its commentator Dalhanacharya (of twelth century AD), a amendment by Nagarjuna. The original Sushruta-Sanhita was based on a series of lectures between Kashiraj Divodas (or Dhanvantari) and his disciples, Sushruta and others.
In 15th Century Europe, a man by the name of Heinrich von Pfolspeundt , a German physician and a member of the Teutonic Order of Knights was one of the first known Europeans to have performed cosmetic surgery. Dr. Pfolspeundt was one of the first doctors of the late medieval and early Renaissance period to take medical practices beyond the very crude conditions that had existed through much of the Middle Ages. During his time, a good number of German physicians, especially those in Strasbourg, helped to serve the advancement of the study of medicine. Dr. Pfolspeundt described a procedure to make a new nose for a person who lacks one. He stated that by removing skin from the back of the arm and suturing it into place a new nose could be created.
From Italy we have records that would indicate that in the year 1442, Branca, a surgeon of Catania in Sicily, carried out plastic surgery of the nose, Also known as rhinoplasty, using a skin flap from the face. This procedure was very similar to the one described in the Sushruta-Sanhita, an Ayurvedic compendium composed in the early centuries of the Christian era. His son Antonio continued his work and was the first known to use a skin flap from the arm for reconstructing the nose. The Boinias family carried on with his work. The plastic operations carried out by the Boinia brothers are described in a book published in 1568 by Fioravanti, a doctor of Bologna, Italy.
At the hands of Gasparo Tagliacozzi (1546-99), a professor of surgery and of anatomy at the Bologna University, that plastic surgery attained wide fame in Europe. His book De curtorum chirurgia per insitionem (The surgery of defects by implantation), printed in 1597, was the first scientific composition on plastic surgery. Tagliacozzi had described a method of substitution of the nose by skin from the arm and of replacement of the ears and lips, demonstrating his work throughout his manuscript by way of a large number of illustrations.
The Church dignitaries of the time regarded cosmetic surgery as an interference in the affairs of the Almighty. After his death they not only excommunicated Tagliacozzi, but also had his corpse exhumed from its church grave, and placed it in unconsecrated ground. The great Voltaire (1694-1778) wrote a satirical poem on Tagliacozzi and his operation on the nose, using flap from the buttocks.
However, due to the many dangers of surgery in those times, cosmetic surgery was rarely performed until around the 1900’s. The United States first plastic surgeon was Dr. John Peter Mettauer, born in Virginia in 1787, who in 1827 performed the first cleft palate surgery on record with instruments he himself designed.
There are two very broad fields of aesthetic surgery, Cosmetic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery. Reconstructive surgery, including microsurgery, focuses on undoing or masking the destructive effects of trauma, previous surgery or disease. Examples of such operations are the rebuilding of amputated or damaged arms or legs; repairing cleft palates or lips, badly formed noses, and ears; and reconstructing a breast after mastectomy. Reconstructive surgery may include moving tissue from other parts of the body to the affected area.
Cosmetic surgery however, is an elective surgery, usually done more for aesthetic reasons rather than to repair an injured area. In many cases, however, there are medical reasons for having some procedures done, such as breast reduction (for back pain relief) and Mastopexy (also known as a “breast lift). Cosmetic Surgery includes, but is not limited to, Abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck”, Blepharoplasty, or “eyelid surgery”, Augmentation Mammaplasty, or "breast enlargement”, and Rhytidectomy, or "face lift".
There are many more procedures not listed here that are commonly performed as well. The top five surgical procedures in 2004 Liposuction (325,000), nose reshaping (305,000), breast augmentation (264,000), eyelid surgery (233,000), and facelift (114,000).
As you can see, Plastic Surgery has a longstanding history across the ages. It has helped not only in the reconstructive plastic surgery field but also has allowed people to feel more comfortable with their bodies and more confident about themselves.
More information on Cosmetic Surgery Options can be found here: http://www.cosmeticsurgeryreview.com
Cosmetic Surgery was first known to have been performed in Roman times. The Romans had the ability to perform simple procedures such as repairing damaged ears, in modern times referred to as Otoplasty, this is one of the most simple of procedures. One report discusses a patient getting his earlobes repaired after years of wearing heavy earrings. The excess lobes were trimmed and the hole sewn together. One of the more expensive plastic surgeries performed at the time, the removal of branding and scars, was a commonly executed procedure. Freed slaves paid a high price indeed for this type of surgery. It was felt that this common practice reduced the stigma of having been a slave in this ancient times.
In ancient India physicians were able to use skin graft reconstruction techniques as early as 800 B.C. From ancient times to the early nineteenth century, we find a living tradition of plastic operations of the nose, ear and lip. The Kangra (correctly pronounced as 'Kangada') district in Himachal Pradesh was most famous for its plastic surgeons. Some scholars are of the opinion that the word 'Kangada' is made from 'Kana + gadha' (ear repair). The British archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham (1814-93) had written about the tradition of Kangra plastic surgery procedures. We also have information that in the reign of Akber ,a Vaidya named Bidha used to carry out plastic operations in Kangra.
The Charaka-Sanhita and the Sushruta-Sanhita are among the oldest known manuscripts on Ayurveda (the Indian science of medicine). Chronologically speaking, the Charaka-Sanhita is believed to be the earliest work, and deals with medicine proper and containing a few passages on surgery. The Sushruta-Sanhita, a work of the early centuries of the Christian era, mainly deals with surgical knowledge rather than medicine. The extant Sushruta-Sanhita is, according to its commentator Dalhanacharya (of twelth century AD), a amendment by Nagarjuna. The original Sushruta-Sanhita was based on a series of lectures between Kashiraj Divodas (or Dhanvantari) and his disciples, Sushruta and others.
In 15th Century Europe, a man by the name of Heinrich von Pfolspeundt , a German physician and a member of the Teutonic Order of Knights was one of the first known Europeans to have performed cosmetic surgery. Dr. Pfolspeundt was one of the first doctors of the late medieval and early Renaissance period to take medical practices beyond the very crude conditions that had existed through much of the Middle Ages. During his time, a good number of German physicians, especially those in Strasbourg, helped to serve the advancement of the study of medicine. Dr. Pfolspeundt described a procedure to make a new nose for a person who lacks one. He stated that by removing skin from the back of the arm and suturing it into place a new nose could be created.
From Italy we have records that would indicate that in the year 1442, Branca, a surgeon of Catania in Sicily, carried out plastic surgery of the nose, Also known as rhinoplasty, using a skin flap from the face. This procedure was very similar to the one described in the Sushruta-Sanhita, an Ayurvedic compendium composed in the early centuries of the Christian era. His son Antonio continued his work and was the first known to use a skin flap from the arm for reconstructing the nose. The Boinias family carried on with his work. The plastic operations carried out by the Boinia brothers are described in a book published in 1568 by Fioravanti, a doctor of Bologna, Italy.
At the hands of Gasparo Tagliacozzi (1546-99), a professor of surgery and of anatomy at the Bologna University, that plastic surgery attained wide fame in Europe. His book De curtorum chirurgia per insitionem (The surgery of defects by implantation), printed in 1597, was the first scientific composition on plastic surgery. Tagliacozzi had described a method of substitution of the nose by skin from the arm and of replacement of the ears and lips, demonstrating his work throughout his manuscript by way of a large number of illustrations.
The Church dignitaries of the time regarded cosmetic surgery as an interference in the affairs of the Almighty. After his death they not only excommunicated Tagliacozzi, but also had his corpse exhumed from its church grave, and placed it in unconsecrated ground. The great Voltaire (1694-1778) wrote a satirical poem on Tagliacozzi and his operation on the nose, using flap from the buttocks.
However, due to the many dangers of surgery in those times, cosmetic surgery was rarely performed until around the 1900’s. The United States first plastic surgeon was Dr. John Peter Mettauer, born in Virginia in 1787, who in 1827 performed the first cleft palate surgery on record with instruments he himself designed.
There are two very broad fields of aesthetic surgery, Cosmetic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery. Reconstructive surgery, including microsurgery, focuses on undoing or masking the destructive effects of trauma, previous surgery or disease. Examples of such operations are the rebuilding of amputated or damaged arms or legs; repairing cleft palates or lips, badly formed noses, and ears; and reconstructing a breast after mastectomy. Reconstructive surgery may include moving tissue from other parts of the body to the affected area.
Cosmetic surgery however, is an elective surgery, usually done more for aesthetic reasons rather than to repair an injured area. In many cases, however, there are medical reasons for having some procedures done, such as breast reduction (for back pain relief) and Mastopexy (also known as a “breast lift). Cosmetic Surgery includes, but is not limited to, Abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck”, Blepharoplasty, or “eyelid surgery”, Augmentation Mammaplasty, or "breast enlargement”, and Rhytidectomy, or "face lift".
There are many more procedures not listed here that are commonly performed as well. The top five surgical procedures in 2004 Liposuction (325,000), nose reshaping (305,000), breast augmentation (264,000), eyelid surgery (233,000), and facelift (114,000).
As you can see, Plastic Surgery has a longstanding history across the ages. It has helped not only in the reconstructive plastic surgery field but also has allowed people to feel more comfortable with their bodies and more confident about themselves.
More information on Cosmetic Surgery Options can be found here: http://www.cosmeticsurgeryreview.com
Plastic Surgery, Lasers, and TCA Skin Peels - Which is Right for You (by David Maillie)
Ask a teenager about plastic surgery and the youngster will have enough to say about the contoured bodies, broad shoulders and the picture perfect features of the cine stars. For most of them, plastic surgery stands for cosmetic plastic surgery and they strongly believe in what the so-called reality TV shows show – a slight downsizing here and a little enhancement there is going to change their lives. But why just blame the youths? The older generation is doing no better either. There seems a great need of setting their notions right.
Plastic surgery is actually a reconstruction or restoration of deformed, destroyed and injured parts of the body. This corrective surgery improves the appearance of the patient and at the same time adds to the functionality of the once deformed, defective part. Thus, birth defects like cleft lips and palates, disfigurements resulting from accidents like burn-marks or for that matter a deformity acquired in the process of disease treatment (removal of one or both the breasts as part of breast cancer treatment) can be set right by plastic surgery specialists.
The history of plastic surgeries runs back to the days of the ancient Egyptians. The word ‘plastic’ in the name is derived from the Greek word plastikos, which means to form or mold. The molding surgery became popular after the First World War (countless casualties with body disfigurements was an aftermath of the war).
Plastic surgery is real surgery, involving cutting and stitching. Hence, the plastic surgery specialists always emphasize on the patients emotional and physical fitness in order to handle the stresses of surgery. Plastic surgeons, therefore, make it a point to check medical history of patients. An ideal plastic surgery specialist agrees to give a surgical treatment only if he/she finds that the patient is a perfect candidate – nearly the ideal age, ideal weight, not ailing and sticks to a healthy lifestyle. Thus, some surgeons will not perform certain procedures like Rhinoplasty (reshaping the nose) and breast implants on teens.
Plastic surgery costs are a bit exorbitant and especially if you go to a certified plastic surgeon. Nevertheless, considering the complexity involved, you should never be taking any risks. Moreover, if you are undergoing plastic surgery for the right reason (and surgery becomes a dire necessity) you shall have insurance coverage. In case you are opting for a cosmetic plastic surgery and simply want to undergo a metamorphosis from an ugly duckling to a beautiful angel, you will have to bear the costs.
Do not let yourself be fooled by each celebrity plastic surgery news! It may not be possible for you to check for the authenticity of the news but you know, there are simpler and safer ways of changing your looks and gaining confidence if you are thinking of plastic surgery as a makeover option.
For instance, TCA peels and laser treatments are external treatments that result in younger looking skin and can treat or even cure many skin conditions from acne and wrinkles to sagging skin and sun spots. TCA peels have been used in Hollywood by the stars for years on reality shows like The Swan, MTV’s Made, even on Oprah. Unlike Laser treatments, which are only available as a in office or spa treatment, TCA peels can now be purchased for at home treatment and they are considered to be the most effective spa treatment available by numerous plastic surgeons and dermatologists alike. For more information on TCA peels for home use and other spa treatments please see the link below.
David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com
Plastic surgery is actually a reconstruction or restoration of deformed, destroyed and injured parts of the body. This corrective surgery improves the appearance of the patient and at the same time adds to the functionality of the once deformed, defective part. Thus, birth defects like cleft lips and palates, disfigurements resulting from accidents like burn-marks or for that matter a deformity acquired in the process of disease treatment (removal of one or both the breasts as part of breast cancer treatment) can be set right by plastic surgery specialists.
The history of plastic surgeries runs back to the days of the ancient Egyptians. The word ‘plastic’ in the name is derived from the Greek word plastikos, which means to form or mold. The molding surgery became popular after the First World War (countless casualties with body disfigurements was an aftermath of the war).
Plastic surgery is real surgery, involving cutting and stitching. Hence, the plastic surgery specialists always emphasize on the patients emotional and physical fitness in order to handle the stresses of surgery. Plastic surgeons, therefore, make it a point to check medical history of patients. An ideal plastic surgery specialist agrees to give a surgical treatment only if he/she finds that the patient is a perfect candidate – nearly the ideal age, ideal weight, not ailing and sticks to a healthy lifestyle. Thus, some surgeons will not perform certain procedures like Rhinoplasty (reshaping the nose) and breast implants on teens.
Plastic surgery costs are a bit exorbitant and especially if you go to a certified plastic surgeon. Nevertheless, considering the complexity involved, you should never be taking any risks. Moreover, if you are undergoing plastic surgery for the right reason (and surgery becomes a dire necessity) you shall have insurance coverage. In case you are opting for a cosmetic plastic surgery and simply want to undergo a metamorphosis from an ugly duckling to a beautiful angel, you will have to bear the costs.
Do not let yourself be fooled by each celebrity plastic surgery news! It may not be possible for you to check for the authenticity of the news but you know, there are simpler and safer ways of changing your looks and gaining confidence if you are thinking of plastic surgery as a makeover option.
For instance, TCA peels and laser treatments are external treatments that result in younger looking skin and can treat or even cure many skin conditions from acne and wrinkles to sagging skin and sun spots. TCA peels have been used in Hollywood by the stars for years on reality shows like The Swan, MTV’s Made, even on Oprah. Unlike Laser treatments, which are only available as a in office or spa treatment, TCA peels can now be purchased for at home treatment and they are considered to be the most effective spa treatment available by numerous plastic surgeons and dermatologists alike. For more information on TCA peels for home use and other spa treatments please see the link below.
David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com
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