The Ultimate Guide to Staying Young

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Photo by Aukid
Anti-Aging
The Ultimate Guide to Staying Young
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Photo by Aukid

• In todays society, we are always searching for
  the next best way to stay young forever. Some
  ways to stay youthful are rather simple you can
  exercise, eat healthy, use sunscreen, among other
  things. Unfortunately, there are some things that
  diet and exercise just cant fix no matter how
  hard you work at it. This can be discouraging,
  but there is no need to lose hope. There are many
  treatments and procedures available to get you
  back into tip-top shape from head to toe in
  virtually no time at all.
• It doesnt matter how old you are- it is never
  too late to start taking care of yourself. You
  may be feeling hopeless, wondering where the
  years went and where all of these new wrinkles
  came from. Remember, every wrinkle on your face,
  every scar on your body, and every little
  imperfection tells your story. It tells you about
  the experiences youve had, the laughs youve
  shared, the children youve mothered, and so much
  more.
• While its important to love and accept yourself
  as you are right now, that doesnt mean there is
  anything wrong with seeking out procedures to
  help you feel more like your younger self. In
  fact, I would go as far as to encourage getting
  these procedures if doing so will help you gain
  your confidence back, inevitably enhancing your
  life. The best treatments will leave people
  wondering if youre taking new supplements or
  trying a new diet, not wondering what procedures
  you had done.
• If you would like to learn more about the
  different types of treatments and procedures
  available to you on your anti-aging journey,
  definitely give this a read. Inside, you will
  find details about countless options you have at
  your disposal, starting from your face and
  working downwards.
• .

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Chin Implants (Mentoplasty)
Mentoplasty is the general term that refers to
surgery in the chin area. This can include
surgery to increase projection of the chin, move
it forward or backwards, and even altering the
position of the bone itself. When it comes to
facial symmetry, the chin is an important factor.
To achieve this, one can get a chin implant
placed into their face to help create a more
defined or prominent contour of the lower face.
Chin implants are made of safe, pliable material
and come in a variety of sizes and shapes, making
it easier for your surgeon to match your implant
to your faces unique structure. The implant can
be placed through a small incision on the
undersurface of your chin or through your mouth,
which means that scarring is very minimal. Chin
implants are just one way a plastic surgeon could
improve your chins appearance. Some other
procedures that could be done either by
themselves or in tandem with an implant include
reshaping or moving the bones in your chin and
the use of liposuction to remove any excess fat
in the area. Additionally, mentoplasty can
actually make your neck look better as well. A
longer, more prominent chin can help to balance
out your profile, make your neck appear longer,
and make the submental angle look deeper. A chin
with proper projection can also aid in keeping
your youthful look, as it can help delay signs of
aging like jowling by helping to retighten the
skin in the chin and neck area. While there are
non-surgical alternatives to mentoplasty, they
are only temporary solutions. A doctor can inject
filler and Botox to create the appearance of an
augmented chin. They can also use laser to
tighten the skin in the area surrounding the
chin. If you are looking for a long-term and more
obvious result, mentoplasty is the best choice
for you.
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Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)
Are you self-conscious of your ears? Do you
constantly hide them with your hair, too afraid
to tie it back and reveal your ears to the world?
Luckily, there is a surgery to fix that. Ear
surgery, also referred to as otoplasty, is a
surgical procedure that can help improve the
position, shape, or proportion of the external
part of the ear. A good otoplasty will create a
more natural shape while at the same time adding
balance and proportion to both the ears and face.
Ear surgery can address many different
complaints, from overly large ears (macrotia) to
protruding ears. Ear surgery can also help fix
misshapen ears due to birth defect or injury.
Otoplasty can even be performed on children and
teenagers, which is especially helpful for those
that are facing ridicule for the appearance of
their ears. Otoplasty wont alter the location
of your ears or affect your hearing in any way,
and seeing as children as young as 5 can qualify
for the surgery, its considered very safe.
Usually, the incisions are hidden behind the ear
so no one will be able to notice. Surgery can
involve the reshaping of the soft bone
(cartilage) around the ear, the reduction of
earlobe size, or pinning of the ears to bring
them closer to your head. The downtime after
receiving an otoplasty is not too long, with most
individuals able to return to work or school
after 1-2 weeks.
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Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Eyelid surgery, often referred to as
blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure designed
to improve the appearance of your eyelids. This
surgery can be performed on the upper and lower
lids. This surgery can be performed for cosmetic
purposes or for functional purposes. With age,
the skin beings to lose its elasticity, which can
cause unwanted wrinkling, sagging, and even
obscurement of vision. This lack of elasticity
combined with the constant pull of gravity can
cause excess skin to form on the upper and lower
eyelids. The excess skin is what causes wrinkles
and bulges in the eyelid area. Fatty deposits
that help cushion the eyeball from the skull also
can cause bulges in both the upper and lower
eyelid. This happens because the thin membrane
holding the fat in place begins to weaken with
age, which allows the fat to move forward into
the eyelids. Getting a blepharoplasty can help
you restore your more youthful appearance by
smoothing out the unwanted signs of aging.
Blepharoplasty can treat many complaints
including loose or sagging skin that causes folds
and disturbs the natural contour of the eyelid,
fatty deposits that create the appearance of
puffy eyes, drooping lower eyelids, excess skin
on either the upper or lower eyelid, and fine
wrinkles on the lower eyelid. The best
candidates for blepharoplasty are healthy
individuals that have no issues with healing, who
dont smoke, have a positive attitude and
realistic expectations, and those without serious
medical eye conditions. Since the eyelids are
just one part of the whole face, the appearance
of your upper lid dropping can also be caused by
relaxed forehead skin and eyebrows. If the upper
eyelid muscle gets stretched out, it can cause
your eyelid to droop. This is a condition known
as eyelid ptosis and it requires a different
surgical approach. Your plastic surgeon will be
able to evaluate your eyelids and decide which
approach is best to remedy your concerns.
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Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
With time, collagen production slows down, which
can cause wrinkles and fine lines to form around
the mouth. Facelift surgery, also referred to as
rhytidectomy, helps to address the signs of aging
in the middle and lower regions of the face and
the neck. Losing the youthful look of your face
can be due to a variety of things, like thinning
of the skin, loss of facial fat, sun damage,
gravity, smoking, genetics, and even stress. In
conjunction with a facelift, doctors can also
perform an eyebrow lift and eyelid surgery to
help rejuvenate the top part of the face. For
loss of fatty volume, doctors may use fat
injections or fillers to correct it. During the
facelift procedure, a flap of skin on each side
of the face is pulled back. Then, doctors remove
excess skin and alter the tissues below the skin
if needed, giving the face a more youthful shape.
Often, a neck lift will also be performed, as it
helps to reduce fat and sagging skin and adds to
the overall younger appearance. The facial skin
is then re-draped over the new contours of the
face and the incisions are either stitched or
taped closed. A facelift will not be able to
correct fine lines and wrinkles causes by sun
exposure, but there are other cosmetic procedures
you can get that will help with the quality of
your skin. There are different types of incision
areas depending on the technique used and what
the patient prefers. A traditional facelift
incision begins in the hairline at your temples.
It then goes down and around the front of the
ears, ending behind the ears in the lower scalp
area. A limited incision is shorter and starts in
the hairline right above the ear, wrapping around
the front of the ear. The difference between a
traditional facelift incision and the limited
incision is that the limited incision doesnt
extend all the way into the lower scalp like the
traditional incision does. For a neck lift, the
incision begins in front of the earlobe,
continuing around the ear into the lower scalp.
This also includes a small incision under the
chin.
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Rhinoplasty
With your nose being the most prominent thing on
your face, it is also one of the first things
people will notice about you. A nose job, also
known as a rhinoplasty, is one of the top
cosmetic procedures (beat out only by breast
augmentation) due to the increasing popularity of
small, ski-sloped noses. Rhinoplasty is a
cosmetic surgery that alters the shape of the
nose. It can be performed to improve its
appearance, correct breathing issues, or both.
Insurance will sometimes cover the cost of
rhinoplasty if its for medical purposes. A
rhinoplasty can be performed on the upper and
lower portion of the nose, depending on your
goal. The upper part of the nose is made of bone
and the lower part consists of cartilage, so the
procedure will be different for each portion. A
rhinoplasty is usually performed to fix
imperfections in the nasal tip, bridge, and
nostrils. There are two incision techniques that
can be used when performing this procedure open
and closed. An open rhinoplasty is the most
common type, which involves creating an incision
across the columella (thin strip of tissue
separating the nostrils). The open nose job gives
the surgeon a better view of the entire nose.
This allows the surgeon to get a more accurate
assessment of the internal nasal structure, which
leads to better surgical planning. This type of
rhinoplasty is recommended for those with a wide
bridge, nasal hump, and breathing problems. A
closed rhinoplasty is done through small
incisions inside of the nose. It is often used
for narrowing the width of the nose, reshaping
the bridge, and reshaping the tip of the nose. A
closed nose job results in less visible scarring
since there are no external incisions and also
causes patients to experience less swelling and
bruising post-surgery. The only con of the closed
rhinoplasty is that it can be more difficult to
perform and can end up being less effective for
correcting certain problems, as the surgeon cant
get a good visualization of the internal nasal
structures.
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Non-Invasive Cosmetic Face Treatments
Some people dont want to go under the knife, and
thats okay! You may be thinking that there is no
other way that you can regain some of your
youthfulness and prevent signs of aging without
undergoing major surgery. In reality, there are
multiple options for those looking to rejuvenate
their face. When injected into your muscles,
cosmetic Botox reduces muscle activity that
causes moderate to severe frown lines. When you
are making facial expressions, your muscles are
contracting, which causes your skin to furrow and
fold. Over time, these repetitive movements will
cause wrinkles and fine lines to appear on your
skin. The effects will only last a few months, so
injections will need to be repeated. Injectable
dermal fillers can help refine and refresh your
face with no downtime involved. They are many
different types of fillers, and they all do
different things cosmetically. Hyaluronic acid
injections, often referred to by the brand name
Juvéderm, are used to improve the skins contour
and minimize depressions in the skin caused by
scars, injury, or lines. They are also often used
to plump up lips and reduce the appearance of
hollow under eyes due to fat loss that comes with
age. Chemical peels are a treatment where a
chemical solution is applied to your skin to
remove the top layers. When the skin grows back,
it will be smoother. Chemical peels are known as
a skin-resurfacing procedure and depending on
what youre trying to correct, you can either get
a light, medium, or deep peel. These peels are
used to treat fine wrinkles, acne and acne scars,
uneven skin tone, and texture. Vivace is an
FDA-cleared procedure involving the newest
generation of radio frequency microneedling.
Vivace is a minimally invasive treatment that can
help minimize the appearance of fine lines and
wrinkles. It can also help with tightening your
skin, reducing pore size, and improving skin tone
and texture. There are countless treatments you
can get done on your face to help you achieve a
more youthful glow. These treatments can be done
alone or in conjunction with other plastic
surgery.
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PRP Hair Restoration
A common sign of aging, especially in men, is
hair loss. This can be quite embarrassing for
some individuals, as men can start to lose their
hair as early as their 20s. Luckily, there are
many options to reverse hair loss. A great option
for treating hair loss is PRP therapy. PRP, which
stands for platelet-rich plasma, therapy is a
3-step medical treatment where a doctor will draw
your blood, put it through a blood processer, and
then inject it back into your scalp. PRP
injections have been shown to trigger natural
hair growth and help to maintain it by increasing
blood supply to the hair follicles and helping to
thicken the hair shafts. PRP has also been used
for other ailments, like healing injured tendons,
ligaments, and muscles. Like previously stated,
PRP therapy is a three-step process that will
require a total of three treatments, each 4-6
weeks apart. Maintenance treatments will also be
needed every 4-6 months. First, your doctor will
draw blood from your arm and place it inside a
centrifuge. A centrifuge is a machine that spins
rapidly in order to separate fluids of different
densities. After 10 minutes, the centrifuge will
have separated your blood into three layers
platelet-poor plasma, platelet-rich plasma, and
red blood cells. Doctors will use the
platelet-rich plasma by drawing it up through a
syringe and injecting it into areas of your scalp
that are showing signs of hair loss. The price
for the initial three PRP treatments is usually
around 1,500 to 3,500, with one injection
costing around 400. The price of your PRP
treatment will depend on your geographic
location, the quality of the equipment being
used, and any addition of nutritive components.
Insurance typically doesnt cover PRP treatment
for hair loss purposes as it is considered a
cosmetic problem, not a medical problem. While
you do have other hair loss treatment options
like Rogaine, Propecia, and even hair transplant
surgery, it is worth it to also consider PRP
therapy.
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Veneers
Not liking your smile can be a cause of
unnecessary self-loathing and social anxiety.
Your teeth are one of the first things people
will notice about your face, so it makes sense to
want your smile to shine. Years of drinking red
wine and coffee, smoking cigarettes, and eating
highly pigmented foods will inevitably cause your
teeth to lose their white appearance, turning
them more yellow or brown. If you didnt take
care of your teeth well over the years, tooth
decay and discoloration is bound to happen. You
may be feeling hopeless, resigning yourself to
never smiling in another picture again. Even
though the damage to your teeth may be permanent,
it doesnt mean they cant be fixed. Veneers are
used by dentists to correct tooth imperfections,
like stained or chipped teeth. Veneers are either
thin porcelain or composite resin coverings that
a dentist will bond to the front surface of your
tooth using dental cement. Veneers are permanent,
so it is important to go to a trusted and
reputable dentist for this cosmetic dental
procedure. Porcelain veneers are a great way to
quickly transform your smile from discolored and
drab to white and wonderful. If you want the best
results, porcelain custom veneers are the way to
go. A good dentist will use high-quality
medical-grade porcelain to create custom veneers
that are both durable and natural looking. They
will design a unique smile that fits seamlessly
with the rest of your face. Even if you just have
one or two problem teeth, veneers can still be
the solution to your dental woes. Veneers can be
placed on a few or as many teeth as you
want. Veneers are permanent, as your dentist will
need to shave down your teeth in order to place
the veneers properly. Once you shave enamel, you
cant get it back- but why would you want it back
when you can have a pearly white smile?
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Invisalign
Invisalign is a modern and convenient way to
straighten your teeth and get the perfect smile
youve always wanted. Often, adults whose parents
didnt get them braces want to fix their teeth
now that they can afford it themselves, but they
dont want the embarrassment of wearing
traditional braces. Braces are bulky and
uncomfortable, not to mention a little bit
unsightly. With Invisalign, you can get the same
success as braces, but with a barely-there
appearance. They work just as fast as regular
braces without the annoying wires and
brackets. Invisalign is a series of clear
plastic aligners that help to guide your teeth
back into your proper position. The Invisalign
retainer is created after an orthodontist careful
analyzes your current bite in relation to your
desired bite. Invisalign can treat crowded
teeth, overbite, underbite, crossbite, gap teeth,
open bite, and just can overall straighten your
smile. Invisalign is used by orthodontists to
treat patients with mild to moderate malocclusion
(misaligned teeth). Bad bite and malocclusion are
two very common dental problems that are the
result of the shape and size of your jaw and
teeth. If your teeth are too big, they can end up
overcrowding your jaw. If your teeth are on the
smaller side, leaving too much space in the jaw,
can cause your teeth to shift out of place.
Invisalign is a fully personalized experience,
as the shape of your aligner trays will be
adjusted by your orthodontist depending on your
smiles progress. Using digitized imaging, your
orthodontist can get a precise look at your bite
and make sure your treatment is a success.
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Arm Lift (brachioplasty)
A lot of people are very concerned about the
appearance of their arms, or how some people
lovingly refer to them as, bingo wings. Even on
the hottest of summer days, some individuals find
themselves wearing long sleeves to cover up their
insecurity. Everyone should be able to enjoy the
summer sun without experiencing heat stroke, and
luckily there is hope in the form of an arm
lift. Also known as a brachioplasty, an arm lift
is a surgical procedure designed to remove excess
skin and fat from the upper arms, resulting in a
more toned and slimmer appearance. As we age, the
soft tissue in our arms becomes more lax, causing
the upper arm to begin to droop and sag. This
results in bingo wings, which is a term coined
to describe the loose and hanging appearance of
their arms. Loose and hanging skin on the arms
can also happen after significant weight loss, as
the skin may have failed to tighten back up all
the way even though you lost the fat underneath.
In order to restore a more youthful appearance
to the arms, a certified plastic surgeon can
perform a brachioplasty. During an arm lift, your
surgeon will remove excess fat and skin found
between your armpit and your elbow. Then, the
doctor will place the remaining skin back over
the newly contoured arm to create a tighter look.
An arm lift is a permanent procedure, although
with time age will take affect once again and may
cause some unwanted droopiness to reoccur.
Luckily, this will not happen for a long time and
the surgery can easily be repeated as needed.
Dramatic weight gain and weight loss can also
affect the results of your arm lift.
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Breast Procedures
Even though when most people think of plastic
surgery of the breasts, they think of a breast
augmentation, which in laymens terms is a boob
job. There are actually many surgeries available
to correct multiple breast issues, even options
for men! The most popular type of plastic surgery
is the breast augmentation. This involves a
certified plastic surgeon placing either silicone
or saline implants either under or over your
pectoralis muscles to create the appearance of
larger, fuller breasts. With age, womens breasts
tend to change, especially after having children.
Some women who get breast augmentations also get
a breast lift, also known as a mastopexy, because
implants will not fix sagging breasts. A breast
lift is performed to lift breasts that have
either began to sag or lose volume and firmness.
In conjunction with a breast augmentation, the
results of these two surgeries tend to look
incredible. For some women, their breasts are
actually a source of discomfort and pain. Very
large breasts can cause major back problems, so a
lot of these women opt for surgery to alleviate
their pain. A breast reduction is performed under
general anesthesia by a plastic surgeon who
removes fat and glandular tissue from your breast
and tightens the skin to create smaller, lighter,
and perkier breasts. For women that have lost
their breasts for some reason, often to breast
cancer, this is often a life-altering and
devastating situation. Breasts are seen as
symbols of femininity that helps women define
their body image and self-confidence. Luckily,
plastic surgeons can help you get your life and
femininity back (not that having breasts makes
you any less feminine though). A breast
reconstruction can restore the appearance of
breasts, usually through the use of tissue
expanders. Although not often discussed,
gynecomastia, which is enlarged male breasts, is
actually more common than you would think.
Gynecomastia is said to affect anywhere for
40-60 of men. For men who feel self-conscious
about this condition, a plastic surgeon can
perform a male breast reduction surgery to remove
fat and/or glandular tissue. This will result in
a contoured chest that is firmer and flatter.
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Abdominoplasty
Even with a healthy diet and regular exercise,
you may not be able to achieve the coveted flat
stomach. No matter how many salads you eat and
how many crunches you do, you may still not have
the stomach you desire. Luckily, there is a way
to fix your tummy trouble and get yourself
feeling like your old self again! An
abdominoplasty, commonly referred to as a tummy
tuck, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that
improves the shape and appearance of the abdomen.
During a tummy tuck procedure, a plastic surgeon
will remove your excess skin and fat from your
stomach area. If needed, your doctor may also
tighten the connective tissue and underlying
muscles of your abdomen with sutures if needed to
achieve your desired look. The leftover skin is
then repositioned over the new contours of the
abdomen and is stitched back together. There are
many reasons someone may need an abdominoplasty,
usually due to having excess fat, poor elasticity
of the skin, and/or weakened connective tissue in
your abdomen. Some reasons for these issues
include significant weight changes, pregnancy,
C-sections or other abdominal surgeries, aging,
and genetics/natural body type. A tummy tuck
will not only remove loose skin and excess fat
but can also remove stretch marks and excess skin
in the lower abdomen area below the bellybutton.
You can also couple your abdominoplasty with
other cosmetic surgery procedures, such as a
breast augmentation or liposuction. A tummy tuck
can help elevate your self-esteem and boost your
confidence. A tummy tuck done by a
board-certified plastic surgeon will give you
beautiful and long-lasting results that will make
you feel young again.
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Brazilian Butt Lift
Society has recently been placing a large
emphasis on women having large behinds. The shape
and size of the buttocks is an influential factor
for whether or not someone finds you attractive.
You can do as many booty band exercises as you
want, but chances are your butt is not going to
look like the bubble butt on your favorite
fitness influencer or Instagram model. In fact,
their natural butts probably look nothing like
what their butt looks like now! A lot of fitness
influencers and models, along with regular women,
have been turning to plastic surgery to enlarge
their buttocks and enhance their looks. A
Brazilian butt lift, also referred to as a BBL,
is a cosmetic surgical procedure that involves
transferring fat from other areas of your body to
your butt. Excess fat is removed from various
places of the body, such as the abdomen, hips,
thighs, arms, and back using liposuction. This
fat is then strategically injected into your butt
and sometimes your hips to create a more ample
bottom half. This surgery doesnt come without
risk though and is considered to be the most
dangerous plastic surgery procedure. If you fail
to go to a reputable board-certified plastic
surgeon, the doctor can accidentally inject the
fat too deep into your butt and into your muscle.
Inside of your butt there are many blood vessels
that drain straight into your inferior vena cava,
which is direct pathway to your heart. If your
doctor injects the fat in the wrong place, the
fat can travel directly up into the heart and
lungs causing a fat embolism that obstructs blood
flow and causes immediate death. Even with a
board-certified plastic surgeon there are still
risks, but they are highly minimized by choosing
someone with experience. Some women opt for
buttocks implants instead of a Brazilian butt
lift, but this can produce unnatural results,
especially if a woman doesnt have much gluteal
fat to cover up the implant. With a Brazilian
butt lift, the result often looks and feels more
natural, and since it is fat from your own body
you wont face the chance of rejection that comes
with implanting a foreign substance into your
body.
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Liposuction
Even with the best exercise routine and the
cleanest diet, there is just some fat that wont
budge. Unfortunately, you cannot spot reduce fat
naturally. Fortunately, you can spot reduce fat
with a little assistance. Liposuction is a
cosmetic surgical procedure that uses a suction
technique to remove excess fat from various parts
of the body, like the abdomen, hips, thighs,
buttocks, arms, and neck. With liposuction,
doctors can shape these problem areas, which is
why liposuction is also sometimes referred to as
body contouring. Liposuction is not considered a
good method for overall weight loss purposes- if
youre overweight, your doctor will likely want
you to lose most of the weight through diet,
exercise, and/or an actual weight loss procedure
like bariatric surgery. When you gain weight,
your fat cells increase in volume and size.
Liposuction will reduce the number of fat cells
in the area it is being used. The amount of fat
that is removed will depend on the appearance of
the area, the volume of fat, and what you want
the results to look like. Once you receive
liposuction, the contoured areas should stay that
way as long as you maintain a relatively stable
weight. After your liposuction procedure, your
skin will begin to mold itself to the new
contours of the areas that were treated. If your
skin has good elasticity, the skin should bounce
back well and appear smooth. However, if your
skin has poor elasticity, the skin in the treated
areas may appear lose. This can be fixed with
skin removal surgery. Liposuction also cant
improve cellulite dimpling or other skin issues
like stretch marks. A solid alternative choice
to receiving surgical liposuction is laser
liposuction. SmartLipo LaserBodySculpting by
Cynosure is an alternative to traditional
liposuction surgery. Laser liposuction uses a
laser under the skin that is placed through a 1mm
incision that is then used to melt fat and
destroy fat cell. Once the fat is liquified, it
is aspirated through the same small incisions.
SmartLipo is less invasive than traditional
liposuction and doesnt require general
anesthesia.
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CoolSculpting
Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we fail to
get the results we seek. When it comes to losing
stubborn fat, this is often the case. Since fat
cant be spot reduced naturally, even the best
diet and exercise routines wont get you the
outcome you so desperately desire. While there
are many surgical options to correct the issue of
stubborn fat, some people dont want to go under
the knife for a multitude of valid reasons.
Luckily, cosmetic procedures have come a long way
and we have a lot of great non-invasive
alternatives to help you get the results you so
badly want. CoolSculpting is a non-invasive
cosmetic treatment that uses cryolipolysis, or
fat freezing, to get rid of stubborn fat. The
CoolSculpting procedure involves a cryolipolysis
device that holds the parts of your body you want
to target in between two paddles. The paddles
cool down and are left in place for around 35
minutes to a little over an hour depending on
what area is being treated. In that time period,
the paddles destroy 20-25 of the fat cells in
the treated area. While you may not see the final
results immediately, you will start to see a
change over a few weeks to a few months. During
this time, your immune system is clearing out the
dead fat cells, which is not a quick process.
Cryolipolysis isnt considered a method for
weight loss this cosmetic procedure is intended
for individuals who are close to their desired
body weight but have a few areas of stubborn fat
they cant get rid of. Other people who should
avoid CoolSculpting include those with loose
skin, poor skin tone, cryoglobulinemia, cold
urticaria, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, and
Raynauds phenomenon. If you cant tolerate the
cold well, are pregnant or nursing, and are
obese, CoolSculpting also isnt the right
treatment for you. In addition, cryolipolysis
shouldnt be performed on areas where there are
nerve problems, varicose veins, rashes, or
lesions.
18
Labiaplasty
Some women are self-conscious about their private
parts, especially after childbirth. Some women
spend decades feel ashamed of their private parts
for decades, too embarrassed to speak up. If you
think that all hope is lost, it isnt.
Labiaplasty, also known as vulval surgery, is a
surgical procedure that reduces the size of the
labia minora (the flaps of skin on either side of
the vaginal opening). While having noticeable
skin folds around the opening of your vagina is
very normal and common, some women feel very
self-conscious about it. For some women, their
labia minora could also cause discomfort and
other medical issues, so its not always a
procedure done solely for outward appearances.
Having a labiaplasty is a decision that
shouldnt be made lightly, as it is expensive and
carries risks. You will need 2 weeks off from
work to recover and it can take a couple of
months for the area to fully heal. You will also
need to avoid sex for 6 weeks and physical
activity for up to 12 weeks. Even though this
surgery sounds intense, if you are someone whose
life is being ruled by insecurity over whats in
your pants, it is definitely worth considering.
There are different techniques used when
performing a labiaplasty depending on the desired
results of the patient. The trim procedure is the
most common technique, as it is the original and
most natural to perform. During this procedure,
the excess part of the labia minor is removed and
sutured back together so that its symmetrical
with the labia majora. During the wedge
procedure, a partial thickness wedge is removed
from the thickest area of the labia minor. They
can only remove a partial thickness because they
dont want to injure the submucosa (layer tissue
under a mucous membrane). This method will also
leave the vagina with a normal look post-surgery,
as it preserves the labia minoras wrinkled
edges.
19
Mommy Makeover
Its no secret that having a child completely
changes your life. While most of the time babies
change you for the better, the physical toll they
take on your body can be very difficult to cope
with. Both childbearing and breastfeeding can
cause an array of unwanted physical changes that
may leave mothers feeling self-conscious of their
postpartum bodies. Motherhood is supposed to be a
beautiful thing that can sometimes become a
mothers worst nightmare when she cant even
recognize herself in the mirror anymore.
Fortunately, there are cosmetic procedures
available to get mothers back to feeling like
their younger selves. A mommy makeover is the
term coined to describe a single-stage procedure
that involves many different cosmetic surgeries
designed to restore the shape and appearance of a
womans body after childbearing. The areas most
often addressed in mommy makeovers includes the
breasts, abdomen, waist, genitalia, and buttocks.
Some possible procedures that could take place
during a mommy makeover include breast
augmentation, breast lift, buttock augmentation,
labiaplasty, liposuction, and a tummy tuck,
although there are other surgeries that can be
performed depending on the patients desired
results. There is no one size fits all
procedure when it comes to a mommy makeover. The
surgeries performed should be customized to your
body and goals. Things like pregnancy,
breastfeeding, weight gain or loss, age, and
menopause can all take a toll on the contours of
your body. After childbirth, many women struggle
with loose skin on the abdomen, as it wasnt able
to bounce back. A lot of women also lose volume
in their breasts and may develop stubborn pockets
of fat in their abdomen, hips, and flanks. The
key to a successful mommy makeover is to pick the
right combination of procedures to best address
your specific problem areas.
20
Varicose Vein Treatment
As we age, many physical symptoms go along with
it. One of these issues is known as varicose
veins, which are twisted and enlarged veins.
Varicose veins generally appear on the legs
because standing and walking increases the
pressure in the lower bodys veins. For a lot of
individuals, varicose veins are only a cosmetic
concern. But for some, these veins can cause
discomfort and pain. Some signs that you may
have varicose veins include veins appearing dark
blue or purple, veins that look like theyre
twisting and building, often looking like cords
on the legs, an achy or heavy feeling in the
legs, and muscle cramping and swelling in the
lower legs, among other symptoms. Varicose veins
are caused by weak or damaged veins. The purpose
of our veins is to return blood from the rest of
our body to the heart, which means that both the
veins in the legs really need to work against
gravity to accomplish this. The muscles in the
lower leg contract, essentially pumping the blood
that the vein is supplying to the heart. As the
blood moves towards the heart, tiny valves inside
the veins open to allow the flow and then close
to stop the blood from flowing backwards. If
these valves become weak or damaged, blood is
able to flow backward where they pool in the
veins, ultimately causing the veins to stretch
and twist. There are many treatment options for
varicose veins. Previously, doctors used to
surgically remove varicose veins through
stripping, though it is rarely done nowadays as
we have better, less invasive methods. The
ambulatory phlebectomy, also known as a
microphlebectomy, is the treatment that is used
for physical removal of these veins. Radio
frequency and laser treatments work by
eliminating the sources of high vein pressure
that is causing the varicose veins.
21
Spider Vein Treatment
Spider veins are a milder form of varicose veins.
Spider veins appear smaller than varicose veins,
but they twist and turn in a similar manner.
Spider veins are typically red, blue, and purple,
and they resemble a spiders web or a tree
branches. Spider veins are easily visible through
the skin and they affect the bodys smallest
blood vessels (capillaries). Spider veins are
often found on the legs and face. There are many
risk factors for developing spider veins,
including genetics, prolonged standing, obesity,
hormonal influences, birth control pills,
postmenopausal hormone replacement, gender (women
develop it more than men), history of blood
clots, and conditions that cause increased
pressure in the abdomen. Spider veins have also
been caused by trauma to the skin, previous vein
surgery, and exposure to ultraviolet rays. In the
past, doctors used to physically remove spider
veins. With modern medical technology, doctors
can now treat these veins less invasively. Some
possible treatments for spider veins include
laser sclerotherapy, injection sclerotherapy, and
VeinGogh. Lasers are a great method for removing
spider veins and are often used in place of
injections when these veins are located on the
face. If the spider veins are larger than 1mm in
diameter, both laser and injection spider vein
therapies may be used to ensure the veins are
properly shrunk and so that the sclerotherapy is
more effective.