In 2016, we have countless tools at our
fingertips to fake our way to a flawless appearance. There are Instagram
filters, Snapchat smoothers and touchscreen applications designed to virtually
nip and tuck wherever and however desired. Then, of course, there's the real
deal—plastic surgery.
The
concept of permanently altering one's physical features is by no means foreign.
It is a practice that has been traced back to recordings on ancient Egyptian
papyrus. However, six years into the new decade, plastic surgery and its
non-invasive additions are more commonplace than ever before.
Surgeries
once deemed too costly, time-consuming or dangerous have been—thanks to the
marvels of modern medicine—improved to deliver timely physical results with far
less of the fear that once plagued earlier versions of current procedures.
Whether
the client is a woman who has faced a double mastectomy as a result of a
life-saving breast cancer treatment, a man who is suffering from excess skin at
the hands of a 250 pound weight loss or a celebrity looking for that
camera-ready lift, there are more cosmetic options than ever before to meet the
diverse needs of an ever-growing consumer base.
The
amount of men and women participating in cosmetic surgery is increasing so
rapidly, the statistics almost seem like typos. In data reported by the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentations, a method that has
been around since the 1960s, increased by 30 percent from 2000 to 2015. Tummy
tucks are up by a staggering 104 percent. Even something as simple as unwanted
hair has been removed via laser 1.1 million times.
However,
those stats sound like children's play in comparison to the introduction of
Botulinum Toxin Type A, known by its nickname Botox. In 2015 alone, the
procedure was performed 6.7 million times, a 759 percent increase from nearly
two decades ago.
Why? For
one, injectables and fillers are as non-invasive as plastic surgery comes these
days. "They'll just come in on their lunch," said Dr. John M. Taylor,
director and owner of the Allure Plastic Surgery Center. "The injectables
are getting better and better and we can do a lot more nonsurgically to
rejuvenate the face now than we used to."
As a
newer alternative to the veteran face lift—which is down by 6 percent since
2000—botox is injected to calm muscles causing wrinkles in the face and fillers
can plump the skin to restore what is lost as a result of aging. "I always
thought the surgical results of face lifts were kind of unnatural
looking," Taylor explained. "We are getting more natural results
now."
However,
such relaxed results come at a hefty price. A typical botox treatment can cost
$600 to $700 on average and lasts approximately four months before it's time to
book another appointment.
Still, it
sounds like a small price to pay in comparison to one of the most expensive
procedures presently on the market—sex reassignment surgery. If insurance
companies are not cooperating, Taylor said the surgery can run upwards of
$30,000. More commonly, butt augmentations, which were projected by the ASPS to
have occurred as frequently as every half hour in 2015, typically come with a
$4,000 price tag.
While
some procedures are as noncommittal as ever, for others, time is also of the
essence. Certain breast reconstruction microsurgeries, typically used for women
who have had their natural breasts removed, can last for 10 hours in the
operating room.
Extensive
weight loss surgeries involving body and thigh lifts can involve months of
recovery and several stages of surgeries, Taylor added. Conversely, torn
earlobes—often the result of consistently wearing heavy earrings or gauges—can
be repaired within an hour and require just two months of post-op cleaning and
care.
While
plastic surgery is still dominated by female patients, men are increasingly
taking advantage. Though men aren't nearly as committed to the injectable
trend, Taylor says he does have male patients who request Botox. Still, the
most requested surgical procedure for men in the last 15 years has been
gynecomastia, also known as a male breast reduction. The procedure was
performed 27,456 times in 2015 alone. Why the uptick? According to Taylor, men
are no longer embarrassed to request it, especially if it means feeling more
confident about their bodies afterward.
As the
data concedes, with 15.9 million overall procedures performed last year, the
industry is steadily increasing with little sign of losing steam. If you're
contemplating dipping your toes into the plastic surgery pool, heed the
following advice from a surgeon with over 20 years of experience.
"The
most important thing is not to shop for price," Taylor advised, adding
that a surgeon with a conservative approach is typically best. "These
procedures can be dangerous in the wrong hands."
by Samantha
Schnurr
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