From: Robert Graper, MD, FACS
December 17,2006
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Cosmetic surgery is a broad field encompassing procedures for men and women from the top of their heads to their ankles. In recent years, popular television shows and innumerable magazine articles have prompted a massive surge in interest in what cosmetic surgery can possibly change. It is not surprising that not all the available information is correct. Liposuction: Liposuction is a popular procedure that has become the focus of many myths. For instance, many people think that after liposuction the fat will migrate back to the original problem area and ruin the results. The fact is that people store fat in genetically predetermined areas that are a blend between male and female patterns. Women usually store fat in the abdomen, hips, inner and outer thighs and occasionally in the breasts. Men store fat inside the abdomen, the hips and frequently the chest area. These are the patterns for pure gender-based fat deposition. Most people have some of each pattern. When liposuction is done, the fat cells in that area are removed and are no longer available to receive fat. So if a patient puts on weight after surgery, the fat goes to another area because there is no place for the fat to go in the original site. Obviously liposuction does not prevent people from gaining weight, but it does change the areas where it will accumulate. Male patients with the typical ''beer bellies'' will not be candidates for liposuction of the abdomen because unlike women, men's fat is on the inside of the muscles within the abdominal cavity and is not accessible to surgery. Women store their abdominal fat on the outside of the abdomen where liposuction works well if their skin tone is good. For patients with poor skin tone, tummy tucks are a better option to address loose skin and stretched muscle. Liposuction is one of the few cosmetic procedures that actually does last forever as long as a person’s weight stays constant. Diet and exercise are always the best options for improving your form, but for patients who have done all they can with these methods, liposuction can play an effective role. Botox: Another misconception is about Botox. It is a temporary muscle relaxant that smoothes the deep, persistent lines between your brows, crows feet around your eyes, and wrinkles in your forehead, which develop over time. One ten-minute Botox treatment takes effect in 4 days, the effect is maximized in 14 days and it lasts 3 to 4 months. Botox is just as safe as aspirin. They are both toxins that if taken in the proper dosage are safe, but overdoses are dangerous. We commonly take 2 aspirin or 25 units of Botox for the proper effects. If we take 100 times the recommended dose—or 200 aspirin tablets or 2500 units of Botox—we will be very sick. So Botox is no more dangerous than aspirin and much more fun. Silicone Implants: One last myth is that silicone implants are dangerous. The FDA put restrictions on silicone implants in 1991 until all the patient data could be reviewed and analyzed. On November 17, 2006, the results were announced and both the Allergan and Mentor silicone implants were approved. There are no concerns about these implants causing breast cancer or autoimmune diseases. This is good news for women who want a softer, lighter and more natural implant than the saline implant. Like most things, there is also a downside for silicone implants, since they are more expensive than saline implants ($1,400 vs. $825) and they have a higher firmness rate after 10 years (20% for silicone vs. 10% for saline). Plastic surgery is for patients who have concerns about real problems. There is a safe predictable surgical solution that is affordable and will yield an improved result. Nothing is perfect in plastic surgery and that is not myth. Written by: |
