Cosmetic surgery can have a dramatic positive effect on a woman's physical appearance. There is a direct link between a woman's physical appearance and her emotional well-being. Many women feel that the changes due to weight gain/loss, pregnancy, breastfeeding, gravity and aging leaves them feeling less than attractive and uncomfortable with their bodies.

These things can often leave women to feel awkward and embarrassed, causing them to shy away from not only public situations but intimate as well. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 90% of the people having cosmetic surgery are women.

Breast Augmentation: Or breast enlargement, is enhancing the breasts using an artificial implant using a silicone rubber shell filled with either silicone-gel or inflated with a saline solution and used to enlarge the breast. They can be placed either directly behind the breast tissue, or beneath the pectoralis muscle. Each placement has its benefits and disadvantages, you will need the professional recommendations of of our board-certified cosmetic surgeons to find out which placement is right for you.

Breast implants come in three basic shapes: the moderate-profile, the moderate-plus profile and the high-profile implant.

There are 3 main incision locations for breast implants: under the breast in the fold or crease (called the IMF or the infra-mammary fold), the armpit (axillary), or the nipple.

Breast Lift: A breast lift is a surgical procedure that is designed to remove excess skin, breast and fatty tissue, restore the firmness and shape of your breasts due to pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations or gravity for more lifted and shapely breasts.

There are two main types of breast lift incisions:

Vertical (or Lolipop): this incision goes around the areolar complex (the pigmented area of the breast), and down the front of the breast to the fold.

Anchor (or classic lift): this incision goes around the areolar complex (the pigmented area of the breast), down the front of the breast and under the breast along the crease.

Liposuction: Is a cosmetic surgery employed to remove excess fat from specific body parts. Liposuction is not a weight loss method but a method to fatty deposits throughout the body. Generally the fat is removed from thighs, chin, buttocks, love handles, abdomen, breasts and stomach for women and chin, waist, breasts and buttocks for men.

This surgical procedure is not an alternative to exercise and dieting and should be used only to remove the stubborn fat that does not respond to exercises and diet.

Tummy Tuck: A tummy tuck, or Abdominoplasty, can repair the abdominal muscle, remove excess fat, stretched or loose skin, and is especially beneficial after pregnancy or weight loss. A tummy tuck is also an effective method of removing some of the stretchmarks in the area beneath the belly button, that may have developed.

Rhinoplasty: Is cosmetic surgery of the nose, and is designed to change the shape, size and over all appearance of the nose so that the patient feels more confident and attractive with their appearance. Because the nose is on the most visible part of the body, it is much harder to hide than something else.

A rhinoplasty can deal with a variety of problems around this feature of the face. It can be used to increase or decrease the overall size of the nose, change the bridge or tip, and expand or narrow the nostrils and in some cases alleviate breathing problems.

This information is to help you have a basic understanding of common cosmetic surgery procedures. Because each person is unique, it is important to speak with a board-certified cosmetic surgeon to get your questions answered that pertain to your own situation.

Copyright (c) 2008 Dr. Robert Kenevan