Any surgery is always a troublesome, and to a certain extend a scary procedure. Plastic surgery is even more so, mostly because larger areas of skin get under the knife. Additionally, with major plastic operation you can never foresee the exact results – some turn out great, others are really disappointing, so it always associates with a certain degree of risk. But all of this is the past of plastic surgery – the present and the future open up a ton of wonderful opportunities to work on your body without having to stress about the safety and results of cosmetic procedures. Nowadays, traditional surgery is only required in certain severe cases and some medical conditions. The majority of problems, including cellulite, wrinkles, acne, scars, stretch marks, sagging skin, can be easily solved by surface treatments or injections. Certain therapies not only improve the appearance, but also reverse aging or illnesses and actually boost the healing process. If to compare with “good old” nipping and tucking, when nothing gets treated – only patched up, then modern methods are a godsend. Let’s look at some of the coolest procedures that are offered on the market today.
Okay, for the folks who are trying to get a fresher, younger look by rejuvenating the skin around face and neck there is a fantastic procedure called Ultherapy. The results are quite amazing – patients who complete the treatment cycle look years younger, their skin is toned and alive again, and they feel great about themselves. The treatments are administered with the help of a special, FDA approved, device. It sends ultrasound waves into deep layers of skin and connective tissue. This stimulates the body to produce its own collagen. Each procedure may last about an hour and some experience positive results right after the first appointment. The recommended course term varies – consult a surgeon for that – but it usually takes a number of visits with sessions spread at a set regularity. The best results are observed six months after the initial session. Even after the treatments stop, the body continues to naturally renew and nourish the skin layer, so it gets more and more elastic and rejuvenated. The price wobbles between $1000 and $4000 and most clinics give a guarantee, which allows patients to receive additional treatments for free, in case no results are observed.
If you suffer from enlarged veins and the pain that comes with them, then you will be interested in a treatment called Sclerotherapy. It is a simple procedure, which involves a series of injections into blood vessels. The solution injected usually varies – most common sclerosant agents include hypertonic saline, sotradechol, polidocanol and sodium tetradecyl sulfate. These and other active ingredients cause enlarged vessels to shrink. If you need such procedure done, make sure that you ask your physician what is about to be injected into your veins – it is generally advised to stay away from anything that FDA doesn’t approve. You also should trust this procedure to an experienced practitioner – if the solution somehow gets outside the veins’ walls it can potentially result in tissue damage. Sclerotherapy is however considered the best way to get rid of unwanted spider veins. Once a vessel is shrunk to the point of being disabled, the blood supply to that vein gets cut off, so the recurrence of it is very minimum. On average plastic surgeons charge $250 to $500 per session.
And here’s another very interesting, very needed for some folks procedure. It helps fight excess sweating in underarms area. Let’s admit it, we have seen some very bad cases, some of you might have them, but nobody has to tolerate that anymore thanks to MiraDry. MiraDry is a procedure that is able to successfully treat axillary hyperhidrosis, a condition in which overactive sweat glands cause a lot of unwanted sweating. A special device ejects a microwave energy – this causes sweat glands to significantly reduce in size or disappear at all. Normally, if a gland is completely eliminated, it doesn’t “reactivate” again. This method and technology were approved by food and drug administration in 2011. So far it is considered a safe, effective treatment. For the majority of patients two sessions are required and enough. Usually, you’d have to pay $2,000 for the first visit and $1,000 for the second.
Today, some of the most sought after procedures are those that target unwanted hair. That’s a biggie nowadays, that’s for sure. The following two treatments can be distinguished among the rest of them – Lightsheer Laser and Electrolysis. Both of them involve a certain device which is applied to a certain body area and both of them have their advantages and disadvantages. Lightsheer laser is a less painful, cost-effective procedure. Another pro is that it takes minutes to treat a certain skin area. The cons are that this is a relatively new technology – we do not know the long-term effects, it is not suitable for blond hair and small areas, such as brows. Electrolysis, on the other hand suits dark, blond or gray hairs, it can be used on small areas, and this technology has been around for quite some time – it is in fact considered harmless. It is nevertheless more painful and way longer to administer. For instance, it would take about five to ten hours to do an upper lip line. Yes, that’s a long procedure! It costs more, too, some say significantly more. And final argument is that Lightsheer laser provides long-term results, whereas Electrolysis can guarantee permanent hair elimination.
There are also very many non-surgical procedures to get rid of excess fat and its consequences – cellulite and disproportionate body shape. If you have a little bulk here and there you can successfully take care of it without having a single stitch on your body. In complex with some dieting, regular or semi regular exercising or some walks and increased water intake you can totally reshape your body and look fabulous. Find some time for your physical shape and you’ll be surprised how it affects your mood, your attitude and achievements.