Five Misconceptions about Plastic Surgery

Strike a pose (Credit: markjsebastian)

More and more people in the US are opting to go under the knife to look younger and more attractive. A recent national survey found that baby boomers want to look younger — and feel younger. Study participants shared a belief that they would be entering middle age in their 60s — quite a bit later than their parents did. But while cosmetic surgery is becoming a hit with several middle-aged people, many don’t really understand the implications of surgery or for that matter, of minimally invasive procedures.

Some of the common misconceptions about plastic surgery are:

You won’t get scars after your surgery. Scarring is inevitable – when a surgeon cuts through the skin, the body will create scar tissue to heal the spot. Scarring varies widely, depending on the procedure as well as the patient’s skin type. It also can be affected by the way the patient takes care of her skin post-op.

After plastic surgery, your face will look perfect. Realistically, you can expect a cosmetic surgery procedure to make you look younger. But you can’t ask your surgeon to make you look like a completely different person.

The results of the surgery will last forever. The truth is that your face and body will continue to age even after you’ve had plastic surgery. Surgery cannot stop the aging process – it can only turn back the clock by improving the visible signs of aging.

A “mini” facelift gives the same results as full facelift. A mini facelift rejuvenates the lower third of the face, including the jowls and neck, and can be appropriate for some patients. But it can’t do as much for drooping skin as a full facelift can. Full facelifts also provide more lasting results.

All aesthetic or cosmetic surgeons are plastic surgeons. Any licensed physician can call himself or herself a cosmetic surgeon, she says, regardless of his or her training and experience in plastic surgery. Your first step should be to choose a doctor who’s a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. ASPS Member Surgeons are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which is the only board dedicated to plastic surgery of the face and entire body. Unlike other specialty organizations, ASPS requires each member surgeon to have a minimum of five years of surgical training, with at least two of those years specifically in plastic surgery.