Teeth Whiteners, porcelain veneers, cosmetic gum surgery and tooth contouring are just a few cosmetic procedures that can enhance one’s smile.

Teeth Whiteners involve bleaching to remove stains and eliminate discoloration.  The procedure can be done in a dentist’s office at home with an over the counter tooth whitening product.

Porcelain veneers may be applied to correct damaged teeth or be used to conceal heavily stained and discolored teeth. The process involves the shaving of one’s natural teeth and has a long-lasting effect provided they are properly maintained.

Cosmetic gum surgery lengthens your teeth through gum sculpting.  There are also procedures to correct gum recession through tissue grafting.

Dental Contouring is a procedure that can correct crooked, cracked or chipped teeth through sanding or lasers eliminating the need for braces in some cases.

Minimally invasive procedures refer to treatments with chemicals, lasers, and light-based therapies to cosmetically enhance one’s appearance. Non-invasive procedures do not involve and general anesthesia.

Botox injections are the leading non-invasive cosmetic procedure. Botox is a bacteria-producing botulinum toxin that temporarily reduces or eliminates crow’s feet, frown lines and wrinkles. When injected, the Botox temporarily paralyzes the muscles underneath the skin.  The effects of the procedure typically last 4-6 months.

Chemical peels are made of chemical solutions such as trichloroacetic acid or Alphahydroxy acids to improve the appearance of the skin by removing the dead or damaged outer layer resulting in a smooth finish.

Dermabrasion is akin to chemical peels in that it improves the overall appearance of the skin; however the major difference is the involvement of surgical scraping. Under a local anesthetic, surgical instruments are used to scrape away the surface of the skin.

A laser is an intense beam of light that can alter tissue without an incision.  Due to technological advances, lasers may be used to rejuvenate the skin, remove scarring, unwanted hair, age spots and varicose veins.

Significant weight loss can often affect the elasticity of the skin causing it to sag.  To correct this issue many patients seek a body lift to remove the excess.  Performed in stages, a full body lift addresses the upper and lower body.  The lower body lift includes the tummy tuck abdominoplasty, buttock lift and thigh lift while an upper body lift includes lifting of the skin around the breast and arms. After having this type of surgery patients will notice an immediate difference although optimal results may be realized a few years later.

Gynecomastia refers to the abnormal development of mammary glands in males.  This condition causes males to have enlarged breasts and is indiscriminate towards age. Breast reduction surgery involves either liposuction or an excision of breast tissue and excess skin.

Probably the most common cosmetic procedure in females is breast augmentation. Breast augmentation surgery involves the insertion of breast implants to enhance the size of the breasts. This procedure differs from a breast lift which alters the contour of the breast to create a firm look and reduces sagging.  Breast reconstruction involves techniques to restore to the breast to its natural form after a mastectomy. For many women enlarged breasts cause pain and discomfort and elect to undergo a breast reduction to remove excess fat and tissue.

The most common facial cosmetic procedures are done on the brow, eyes, nose and neck.  Face lifts are also considered a popular elective surgery. Chemical peels, injectable fillers, permanent make-up and dermabrasion also fall into the facial category.

Brow Lift
Brow lifts involve the repositioning of the muscle underneath the forehead to reduce frown lines. This procedure is also known as a frown lift and does require an incision.

Eye Lid Surgery
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery is performed on the area surrounding the eye to enhance the upper or lower eyelids.

Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is performed to facilitate breathing caused by structural irregularities or to enhance the appearance of the nose.

Neck
Neck lifts enhance the appearance of the neck and may involve the removal or realignment of skin and muscle or liposuction.

Plastic surgery can be defined as the molding or reshaping of the body and can be divided into two distinct categories: cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic surgery is performed in order to alter the natural structure of the body in order to enhance one’s appearance while reconstructive surgery is performed as a result of a birth defect or abnormality, trauma, or disease.

The first cosmetic surgical procedure performed in the United States was a cleft palate operation by Dr. John Mettauer in 1827.  Since then many advancements have been made in the field of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery paving the way for innovative procedures many thought was medically impossible such as the face transplant.

 

Cosmetic procedures can be divided into several categories: facial, body, breast, minimally invasive and dental.  Now more than ever, surgeons are seeing an increase in the number of patients they treat because of the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery.  However, careful consideration must be taken before electing an operation.  One must not only investigate the procedure to assess the benefits and risk level but research the medical practitioner so that an informed decision can be made.