There are many different plastic surgery procedures available to those who would like to alter certain aspects of their bodies. Plastic surgery has been around in some form or another for many years, but has only been in extensive use in the 20th and 21st century. The top three cosmetic surgical procedures in 2004 Liposuction (325,000); nose reshaping (305,000); and breast augmentation (264,000. In addition to these procedures there are many other options for other areas of the body. In this article I plan to explore some of those cosmetic surgery options and give background information on those procedures as well. These numbers clearly show an increasing trend to have cosmetic surgery procedures performed for aesthetic, as well as reconstructive reasons.

We'll start by exploring the number one plastic surgery procedure, Liposuction. In the last year alone, 325,000 Liposuction procedures were performed on both men and women of all ages and race. Liposuction is a procedure that can help to sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, cheeks, neck, chin and upper arms. Liposuction is not a substitute for regular good diet practices or exercise but rather a further refinement in addition to diet and exercise. Recently a number of new techniques in liposuction have been developed, including the ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL), the tumescent technique, and the super-wet technique. These new procedures are helping many plastic surgeons to provide their patients with more precise results and quicker recovery times. Not all patients will be able to use the newest techniques but your doctor can discuss which techniques are the best for you based upon your medical history and various other factors.

Liposuction is best performed on Normal weight individuals with firm, elastic skin who have excess fat in certain areas of their body. Liposuction carries a greater risk for people with medical problems such as poor circulation, severe lung or heart disease, diabetes, as well as some other conditions not listed. It is always best to let your doctor know your full medical history so that he can accurately assess the correct procedures for your body as well as safely and effectively treat you. In your first consultation, your plastic surgeon will most likely evaluate your health, determine where your fat deposits lie and the elasticity of your skin, and develop a plan that is right for you and your body.

Rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping, is another commonly performed technique in which the nose is reshaped, altered, or straightened for both reconstructive and aesthetic reasons. This procedure is often used to correct breathing problems in the nasal region as well. There are two options for the incision in this type of plastic surgery, There is open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty. Open rhinoplasty is performed by making a small incision across the columella, between the nostrils, in addition to incisions on the inside of your nose. This surgery is often performed in the most complicated cases. In the case of closed rhinoplasty the incision is inside of the nose helping to promote a speedier recovery as well as reducing the amount of swelling. Rhinoplasty can change the shape of your nose by recontouring the underlying cartilage and bone into the desired shape. Plastic surgeons today have the ability to make your nose shorter, longer, thinner, and straighter. Most of the incision in nasal surgery are made internally so there is no visual scarring on the exterior nasal cavity. Healing times vary with the type of incision but healing from nasal plastic surgery generally occurs within a few weeks after surgery.

Breast Augmentation cosmetic surgery is another very popular procedure and one that has been widely publicized by women around the world. Breast augmentation is surgery to enhance the size or shape of a woman's breast for reconstructive or aesthetic reasons. Some of these reasons include, but are not limited to, enhancing the size of the breast for a woman who feels that hers are too small, correcting a difference in breast size, reconstructing the breast after surgery, and a reduced breast volume after pregnancy.
Breast size can be increased during surgery by the insertion of an implant behind each breast and can effectively increase the bustline by a cup size or more.