5 Most Popular Plastic Surgeries for Women
United States is the country with the largest number of cosmetic procedures performed, according to the 2011 International Study of Aesthetic Cosmetic Surgery Procedures1. And a staggering 91 percent of all cosmetic procedures in 2010 were performed on women2. Here are some of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures that women in America have been going through in recent years.
Breast augmentation
Technically known as Augmentation Mammaplasty, Breast Augmentation is perhaps the most common cosmetic surgical procedure opted by women and has accounted for the largest number of cosmetic surgeries since 20063 . In the US, the number of breast augmentation surgeries performed in 2011 was 296,203 and marked a rise of up 2 percent since the previous year. The average surgeon’s fee for the procedure was estimated at $3,3514. While most other plastic surgery procedures have become less common since 2000, breast augmentation has risen to the top; between 2000 and 2007, the procedure was performed 64% more frequently. It dipped nearly 30% over the first two years of the recession, but has been on the rise since 2009. It is estimated that as of 2011, 5% of women in America had breast implants, including those placed for reconstructive rather than cosmetic purposes.
Bigger curves and breasts have always been associated with female beauty and the desire for women to go under the knife to get a fuller figure is nothing new. However the primary reason for the rise in breast augmentation surgery in recent times has been significant advances in surgical procedure – less invasive techniques and quicker healing have made it an almost exclusively outpatients procedure. The most significant factor behind recent popularity of breast augmentation surgery has been the introduction of semi-solid silicone gel implants in the late 1990s which have not only drastically reduced the possibility of complications due to implant rupture but also led to overall higher patient satisfaction.
Rhinoplasty
Commonly called a nose job, rhinoplasty is the surgical reshaping of the nose and is one type of cosmetic surgery has long remained popular both among men and women. It was the most commonly performed plastic surgery until 2004, when it was briefly exceeded by liposuction, especially among men. While the most common purpose of rhinoplasty is to streamline the shape of the nose and to reduce the rounded bump at the tip which so many people find embarrassing, the reshaping of the nose may also performed to the to make it bigger or smaller, to narrow the span of the nostrils, or to change the angle between the nose and upper lip.
Like other cosmetic surgical procedures, there have been tremendous advances in rhinoplasty too so that surgical reshaping is becoming less important; whereas earlier the only option for reducing a prominent bump on the nose was to physically file it down, surgeons can now inject small amounts of gels to smooth the appearance of the nose. This is in keeping with the latest trends in plastic surgery according to which surgeons focus on refining minimal invasive injections which in turn reshape and smooth out facial contours but all said and done, Nose reshaping is likely to remain one of the most common plastic surgeries, as there is still no other way to reduce the overall size of a nose.
Liposuction
In 2000, liposuction was the second-most frequently performed cosmetic surgery for both men and women combined, but it has since been passed by breast augmentation. While Liposuction still tops the list of cosmetic surgical procedures among men, it is sure to figure among the top five with regard to women too. As rates of obesity shoot up in America, women like their male counterparts are sure to make a beeline for the cosmetic surgeon’s office.
Liposuction is the process of removing excess fat deposit from almost any part of the body. The parts of the body which are most commonly the sites of liposuction are abdomen, thighs, buttocks, neck, chin, upper and backs of the arms, calves, and back. The instrument used to remove the fat is a hollow instrument known as a cannula which is inserted under the skin and to which a powerful, high-pressure vacuum is applied that in turn sucks up the fat. While the procedure is great for removing fat, it frequently leaves behind excess skin and is therefore being replaced with surgeries that remove both skin and fat tissue in some body parts, including the upper arms, lower legs and thighs.
Eyelids surgery
Among the primary reasons for undergoing cosmetic surgery among women is to turn back the ageing process. In a society where youth is increasingly associated with beauty, sexual attraction and success, women are raring to turn back the clock, even if it means going under the scalpel. One of the first places where aging is visually evident is in the area around the eyes. Puffiness, fine lines known as crow’s feet as well as dark circles under the eyes are all conditions which are supposed to be treated with eyelids surgery. Also known as blepharoplasty, eyelids surgery corrects drooping upper eyelids and bags below the eyes are corrected by removing extra fat, muscle, and skin. The final effect is to rejuvenate the appearance of the area around the eyes and can make people look more well-rested and alert. However many effects of cosmetic eye surgery can now be reproduced with minimally invasive procedures like Botox and hyaluronic acid injections.
Facelifts
Yet another cosmetic surgical procedure that owes its popularity among women to the desire to turn back the clock is the face lift. Many factors including exposure to the sun, fluctuations in weight, genetics, and smoking take a toll on the appearance of the human face. A face lift, attempts to correct the damage by firming and tightening the skin of the face. technically known as a rhytidectomy, the face lift is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure that involves the removal of excess facial skin, with or without the tightening of underlying tissues and the redraping of the skin on the patient's face and neck. Facelifts are especially helpful for eliminating loose skin folds in the neck and laxity of tissues in the cheeks.
Like eyelids surgery, latest advances in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures have lead to a dip in the number of women going under the scalpel for a face lift. Even then a face-lift continues to be the best option to remove deep sagging of the skin in the neck and face. Despite the decline, face-lifts have remained the one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures in terms of total patient expenditure.
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