Information and guides on all cosmetic surgery procedures.
Each of the links below will take you to a general overview of the cosmetic surgery procedure, including recovery times and side effects, to ensure you know the broad details of what each type of cosmetic surgery entails.
Please note that each individual’s needs are different and that a full consultation with an approved consultant is advised.
Last week the US Food and Drug Administration granted approval for a new treatment to combat frown lines, medically called nasolabial folds.
‘Radiesse’ was developed by BioForm Medical in 2002 for use in facial reconstructive surgery, but now the calcium based microsphere technology has been approved for other applications.
The new treatment is longer lasting as it not only fills in facial folds and depressions like existing ‘wrinkle fillers’, but also increases the bodies capacity to produce collagen. Collagen provides body to facial tissues.
Procedure: The shape of the nose is changed by reducing or increasing size, removing hump, changing shape of tip or bridge, narrowing span of nostrils, or changing the angle between nose and upper lip. Occasionally performed to improve breathing problems.
Length: 1 to 2 hours or more.
Anesthesia: Local (with sedation) or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary swelling, bruising around eyes, nose and headaches, some bleeding and stiffness.
Procedure: Reduce enlarged, female-like breast in men using liposuction and/or cutting out excess glandular tissue.
Length: 1 hour or more.
Anesthesia: General or local.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, numbness, soreness, burning sensations.
Risks: Infection, fluid accumulation, injury to the skin, asymmetry, pigmentation changes.
Recovery: 3 to 7 days: Back to work
2 to 3 weeks: Strenuous activity
3 to 6 months: Full recovery from swelling and bruising
Duration of Results: permanent
Procedure: Fat deposits are removed with a tube and vacuum device to improves body shape. It can be performed using the tumescent technique where targeted fat cells are infused with saline containing solution with a local anesthetic before liposuction to reduce post-operative bruising and swelling. For larger volumes of fat or for fibrous body areas, ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) may be used. UAL is a technique where an ultrasound probe is inserted beneath the skin to liquify the fat before it is suctioned out.
Length: 1 to 2 hours or more. UAL: 20-40 percent longer than traditional liposuction.
Anesthesia: Local, epidural or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Some people make require a short inpatient stay.
Side Effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, numbness, soreness, burning sensation. Tumescent: Temporary fluid drainage from incision sites. UAL: Larger incisions for cannula.
Risks: Asymmetry. Rippling or bagginess of skin. Pigmentation changes. Skin injury. Fluid retention. Excessive fluid loss leading to shock. Infection. UAL: thermal burn injury caused by the heat from the ultrasound device.
Recovery: 1 to 2 weeks: Back to Work
2 to 4 weeks: Strenuous activity
1 to 6 months: Full recovery from swelling and bruising:
Duration of Results: Permanent, dependent on diet and exercise
Procedure: Smooths the face and smooth fine wrinkles using a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser device that treats layers of damaged skin. Softens lines around the eyes and mouth and minimizes facial scars and unevenly pigmented areas.
Length: A few minutes to 1 hour. May require more than 1 session.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient, unless combined with other surgical procedures that require hospitalization.
Side Effects: Temporary swelling, discomfort. Lightening of treated skin. Acute sun sensitivity. Increased sensitivity to makeup. Pinkness or redness in skin that may persist for up to 6 months.
Risks: Burns or injuries caused by laser heat. Scarring. Abnormal changes in skin color. Flare-up of viral infections (��?cold sores��?) and other infections (rare).
Recovery: 2 weeks: Back to work
4 to 6 weeks: Strenuous activities
6 months: Complete fading of redness. Sun exposure must be limited for several months
Duration of Results: Variable – new wrinkles may form as skin ages.
Procedure: Fills in balding areas with a patient’s own hair using a variety of techniques including scalp reduction, tissue expansion, strip grafts, scalp flaps, or clusters of punch grafts. Works best on men with male pattern baldness after hair loss has stopped.
Length: 1 to 3 hours. Some techniques may require multiple procedures over 18 months or more.
Anesthesia: Usually local with sedation. Flaps and tissue expansion may be done with general anesthesia.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary achy, tight scalp. Unnatural look in early stages.
Risks: Unnatural look. Infection. Excessive scarring. Failure to “take.��? Loss of scalp tissue and/or transplanted hair.
Recovery: 2 to 5 days: Back to work
2 to 3 weeks: More strenuous activities
Duration of Results: Permanent.