Frequently asked questions about plastic surgery:
Q: How old were you when you first started having plastic surgery?
A: I was 20 years old when I had my first surgery which was a breast enlargement.
Q: Were you in much pain after your surgeries?
A: Not really. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. I take good care of myself by exercising and eating a high protein diet with green veggies and drinking lots of water. I keep myself fit therefore the healing process is easier for me.
Q: Why so many surgeries?
A: I guess you can say that I like to make myself feel prettier and sometimes sexier and after I have a surgery or even botox and a filler, it makes me feel good about my appearance.
Q: What is botox?
A: Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is one of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances in the world. Though it is highly toxic, it is used in minute doses both to treat painful muscle spasms, and as a cosmetic treatment in some parts of the world. It is sold commercially under the brand names Botox and Dysport for this purpose. The terms Botox and Dysport are trade names and are not used generically to describe the neurotoxins produced by Clostridia species.
Alan Scott, a San Francisco ophthalmologist, first applied tiny doses of the toxin in a medicinal sense to treat crossed eyes and uncontrollable blinking, but needed a partner to gain regulatory approval to market his discovery as a drug. Allergan, Inc., a pharmaceutical company that focused on prescription eye therapies and contact lens products, bought the rights to the drug in 1988 and received FDA approval in 1989. Allergan renamed the drug Botox.
Cosmetically desirable effects of Botox were quickly discovered thereafter when the frown lines between the eyebrows were observed to soften following treatment for eye muscle disorders, leading to clinical trials and subsequent FDA approval for cosmetic use in April 2002. As of 2006, Botox injection is the most common cosmetic operation in the United States.
Besides its cosmetic application, Botox is used in the treatment of
* migraine headaches
* cervical dystonia (a neuromuscular disorder involving the head and neck)
* blepharospasm (involuntary contraction of the eye muscles)
* severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
Q: What is a filler?
A: Restylane is the trade name for a specific formulation of non-animal sourced hyaluronic acid. It is composed of cross-linked long chain hyaluronic acid, and is (USA) FDA approved for cosmetic injection into subdermal facial tissues.
Most commonly, it is injected under wrinkles and aging lines of the face such as the nasolabial folds, melomental folds, "crows feet" and forehead wrinkles. It may also be used for filling aging-related facial hollows and "orbital troughs" (under and around the eyes).
But Restylane is most commonly used for lip augmentation.
It is produced by the Swedish company "Q-med", and has a long history of popularity in Europe and Australia, but has only recently been approved for use in the USA, due to the influence of Inamed's collagen ("Zyderm", "Zyplast") in that market.
The effects of Restylane last around 6 months or sometimes more. Variants produced by the same company give better duration, and so "Perlane" lasts 9+ months and "Sub-Q" lasts 15+ months. Recovery time from an injection takes around three days, as swelling and bruising can be a problem. Wise practioners will ask their patients to return to the practice two or three weeks after treatment for reassessment with view to a "top-up" if required.
Q: What is rhinoplasty?
A: Rhinoplasty (Greek: Rhinos, "Nose" + Plastikos, "to shape") is a type of plastic surgery that is used to improve the function (reconstructive surgery) or appearance (cosmetic surgery) of a person's nose. Rhinoplasty is also commonly called a "nose job." Rhinoplasty can be performed to meet aesthetic goals or for reconstructive purposes to correct birth defects or breathing problems. It can be combined with other surgical procedures such as chin augmentation to enhance the aesthetic results.
Q: What is breast augmentation?
A: A breast implant is a prosthesis used to enlarge the size of a woman's breasts (known as breast augmentation or breast enlargement) for cosmetic reasons, to reconstruct the breast (e.g. after a mastectomy or to correct genetic deformities), or as an aspect of male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentation is the third most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States. In 2005, 291,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed.[1]
There are two primary types of breast implants: saline filled and silicone gel filled implants. Saline implants have a silicone elastomer shell filled with sterile saline liquid. Silicone gel implants have a silicone shell filled with a viscous silicone gel.
Q: What is liposuction?
A: Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty ("fat modeling"), liposculpture or suction lipectomy ("suction-assisted fat removal") is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body. Areas affected can range from the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, to the neck, backs of the arms and elsewhere. The fat is usually removed via a cannula (a hollow tube) and aspirator (a suction device).
Q: Are you addicted to plastic surgery?
A: That's the ten million dollar question. I just may be. I do not think that I can even go for six months without having botox or a filler. Having big surgeries like breast enhancement or a nose job is NOT something that I need to have right now or even in the future due to my many bouts with these particular surgeries. I like to keep a youthful look. By this I do not mean that I am trying to look like I am in my twenties, but rather a younger thirty year old woman.
Q: Are you ever going to stop having plastic surgery?
A: The answer is a simple NO. Again, I want to feel good about myself both inside and out and if that means going to see my doctor every six months to a year for a "tune up" then that is what I shall do.
Q: How does your family feel about you having so many surgeries?
A: I am very fortunate to have such a supportive family. My mother, however, does not like it when my lips are too big. She says that I look like a little fish face. I do not think they would like me to "over do" anything though. They do not want me to have any regrets later on in life.
Q: How does your fiance feel about you having so many surgeries?
A: He basically feels the same way my family does. He is on my mother's side when it comes to my lips. Whenever I even mention that I am going in for a "tune up" on my lips he cringes.
Q: Who is your doctor?
A: My doctor is Dr. Dean Manus. (www.drmanus.com)
Q: Is the cost of plastic surgery expensive?
A: I find that some, not all, doctors are very over priced. Sometimes the zip code does matter in relation to how much a doctor will charge. The other side to that is that you get what you pay for. Just be sure that you do not choose a doctor that is too inexpensive because he/she may not be as qualified and he/she may be using the low price as a way to attract more business. The best and the safest thing to do is to check and see if your doctor is licensed and board certified in cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgery can be affordable especially with so many financing plans that are available.
Q: How will I feel after having a procedure done?
A: That all depends on how healthy you are and how well your body heals. Everyone heals differently.
Q: My significant other wants me to have plastic surgery (example: to make my breasts larger) and I am not sure what to do. Should I do it to make him/her happy?
A: That would be a negative. If YOU want to have a plastic surgery procedure done then I say go for it. Always do what feels right for YOU and not for someone else.
Q: Will I be pleased with my result after a procedure?
A: Everyone expects different results from their surgery. The recovery process, especially after a big procedure, can be lengthy and you may not see a perfect result for some time. Your doctor would be the best person to ask how long the healing time is and when you can expect to see any kind of a result.
Q: If I have more than one procedure done to myself does it mean that I am addicted to plastic surgery?
A: Let me put it to you this way, most often I meet people who, let's say for instance want a breast enlargement, chances are that they have a great result and a good experience with the surgery and that they find something else that they want fixed or changed on themselves. That is so common these days. My answer to this question would have to be no. Now if you were to have a nose job every other year and get a new set of breast implants every three years, then I would say that the word "addicted" would apply.
Q: If you could go back and erase any of your surgeries what would they be?
A: I would not want to erase any of my surgeries. I have had some bad surgeries and I have had some wonderful surgeries. Even though having a bad surgery bothered me, I learned from my mistakes and I fixed the problems that I had which made me more aware of finding the right doctor for my procedures and asking many questions about my procedures.
I am NOT a doctor of any sort and this is a page about the frequently asked questions that people have had for me. I am merely letting people read about my own personal knowledge and my own personal experiences with plastic surgery.