About the Author

Maggie Vlazny is a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist and RCI Singles coach practing in Fairfield County, Connecticut. She has also written and presented a mental health series on Monroe (CT) Cable Television. See more about Maggie at www.therapyct.com or contact at maggie@therapyct.com

Varicose veins develop as a result of gravitational
forces. This may just be due to simple aging. To counteract
this doctors may prescribe that the legs be elevated above
the heart for a prescribed period of time during the day in
order to help the blood trapped in the veins return to the
heart for oxygenation.

In addition to the elevation of the legs most doctors will
prescribe a regimen of walking or aerobic exercise as well
as the application of a compression bandage that winds
around the affected area. This helps decrease the volume
of blood trapped in the legs and over time makes the veins
shrink.

So, before you spend a lot of money on an operation, make
sure you try the above solutions first as both elevation
and compression treatments have a higher success rate and
show quicker results than surgery.

The most common surgical procedure used to correct
varicose veins is called sclerotherapy. This is a procedure
that is used to decrease the visibility of spider veins
that mostly occur on the legs but can occur on other places
of the body as well. Before having this operation you
should also be aware that it could be very uncomfortable
because basically an irritant is injected into the veins to
induce an inflammatory response. This causes the veins to
shrink. You should also be aware that sclerotherapy only
works on tiny veins and not larger ones.

You should also realize that one quarter of patients that
do receive sclerotherapy also end up with a hyper
pigmentation on their legs around the injection sites,
which may be as objectionable to look at as the varicose
veins.

You might also experience a phenomenon known as vein
matting, which means that tiny clusters of veins around the
site of the injection area could turn blue. Unfortunately
this is because sometimes the attempt to remove one
varicose vein creates several smaller ones. Sometimes these
veins can be treated with another injection but the success
rate of this treatment is very low.

If you do opt for sclerotherapy keep in mind that your
legs may be red, discolored or bruised for a couple of
weeks after the injections. In fact your legs may look
worse than they did in the first place so don’t get this
operation with the expectation that you will look better in
a bathing suit after a few days. Like most plastic
surgeries, sclerotherapy is not a quick fix for varicose
veins.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

Liposuction can be performed on any area of the body that
needs to lose weight including the upper arms, thighs,
buttocks and belly. Liposuction can even be performed on
the calves to give a female a more fetching looking legs.

There are also few factors to consider before giving your
plastic surgeon the go ahead for the procedure. First of
all don’t have any illusions that liposuction will get rid
of dimpled or rippled looking skin. If you had this type
of orange peel look to your skin before the procedure,
chances are that you will still have it after as well.

Also keep in mind that if too much fat is lost your skin
could sag in an unattractive way. You might have to have
some of the flesh snipped away and sewn up again if you
want your skin to appear taut and firm.

Don’t count on your liposuction procedure be an outpatient
surgery. Depending on how much fat you are having sucked
out your operation may require a hospital stay and general
anesthesia. You may also require what is called “tumescent
anesthesia” which involves injecting and suctioning a
combination of plasma and anesthesia to minimize the amount
of bruising and pain.

To lessen the discomfort and length of the entire ordeal
you might want to ask your plastic surgeon if he or she
performs Ultrasonic assisted liposuction. This is a two-
step procedure that utilizes energy from sound waves to
liquefy the fat deposits before they are sucked out of the
body. First the doctor inserts a heated probe beneath the
skin that causes the fat cells to burst and release their
contents. The resulting buttery substance is then removed
from the body. One drawback of this procedure is that it
can burn the skin and possibly cause more pain if your body
tissue has resisted in any way to the procedure.

Ultrasonic assisted liposuction (UAL) is a two-step
technique that uses the energy from sound waves to liquefy
fat deposits before they are suctioned. A small heated
probe is inserted. This causes the fat cells to rupture,
releasing their oily contents. The oily contents are then
suctioned out. Advantages to this method include the
ability to remove fat in difficult areas such as the upper
abdomen, the back, and the male chest. Disadvantages
include the possibility of more pain, swelling, skin burns,
and other complications.

Before you get liposuction you also need to consider that
the length of time that it can take an individual to
recover from liposuction really does vary from person to
person. The average recovery rate is about three days, but
make sure that you have time off from your work for at
least ten days in case you do not heal quickly or suffer
disorienting effects from the potent pain medications that
are often given to treat post-operative pain.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

The most common form of hair loss replacement involves the
grafting of hairs from the back and sides of the head.
These hairs are then individually transplanted to bald
spots on the cranium. A mild anesthetic is used to prevent
the patient from experiencing pain during the surgery. If
there is post-surgical pain it is commonly treated with an
average adult dose of Tylenol.

You might also want to realize that hair transplant
surgery is not a magic solution to baldness. The results
really do depend on the individual. Once the transplants
“take” you can still expect to look bald for many months
until the hair gains some length. You can expect
transplanted hairs to grow at the normal human rate of
about ” to ” a month. If not all of the growth “takes”
in the first session then you can end up with a patchy
appearance on the balding spots that some may consider
being even more unattractive than the original bald spot.
Also keep in mind that every time you have to redo a
transplant that it can take the hair twice as long to grow
back. This means that transplants that are replaced may
grow as little a 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch a month.

Unless hair loss was the result of an accident or a
disease, health plans do not pay for hair replacement
surgery. However, if you are employed as an actor or model
you could possibly claim the hair replacement as an income
tax deduction.

If keeping up a certain image is important to you
personally or to your career also keep in mind that you
will not be able to wear a hairpiece over your transplants
for at least three days after each transplanting session.
This is because wigs and toupees delay the healing of the
scabbing around the implants and the regrowth of the new
hair.

To avoid the disappointment that is associated with many
hair transplant surgeries, make sure that you check out the
doctor’s qualifications and accomplishments before you sign
on the dotted line. An excellent surgeon will be able to
provide at least a dozen of “before” and “after” case
photos for you to review so that you feel confident in his
or her abilities.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

Be aware that not all Botox is created equal. This is
because Botox became the most the most popular cosmetic
procedure performed in the United States long before it was
approved on the FDA. This lack of federal regulation
allowed certain practitioners to dilute the botox with
saline and then sell these injections for about $99.00 U.S.
This sharply undercuts the U.S. national price of $340 per
injection (or per facial area.

Botox is not cheap stuff so it would be wise not to go for
the bargain botox, as there can be grotesque complications
as a result. It is very likely the saline in the diluted
botox can migrate into other muscle areas causing problems
such as double vision, droopy eyelids, droopy lips,
uncontrollable tearing and drooling.

It is also not a good idea to get botox if you are
pregnant or breast-feeding. Remember this is a toxin that
has like any other foreign substance the potential to
migrate to other places in the body. Although some
cosmeticians and surgeons will tell you it is okay to have
botox as long as you don’t breast feed your baby for two
days afterwards your best course of action is to not get
botox at all if you are nursing!

Botox cannot be injected into some lines around the mouth
on the upper lip or into the lower frown lines around the
chin. This is because botox injections can paralyze the
face for up to six months in these areas which are called
the perioral area. If a practictioner tells you that it is
safe to inject botox into the area above the upper lip you
are probably not dealing with a professional.

You should also be advised that people have died in the
past as a result of a fatal allergic reaction to a botox
injection. If you are allergic to lidocaine then you are
probably going to be allergic to botox.

Another concern you might have about botox injections
might be the cost. Most insurance companies do not cover
costs associated with cosmetic surgery, so the expenses
come out of your pocket. Unfortunately it is tempting for
many of us put our need to sip from the eternal fountain of
youth rather than take care of necessities. The effects of
Botox injections are so impressive that many people find
the treatments addictive. For this reason if you have an
addictive personality, botox injections are probably not
for you.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

The intention of a tummy tuck is to remove and then
tighten lose flesh that may be the result of rapid weight
loss or pregnancy. It is not to be confused with
liposuction, which is an entirely different procedure that
involves the vacuuming of fat from between the skin and the
abdominal wall.

If you are a woman that is planning at some time to have
more children there is absolutely no point in getting a
tummy tuck until you feel your child bearing years are
over. This is because the vertical muscles that are
tightened up during a tummy tuck can be separated again by
a future pregnancy.

You should also realize that a tummy tuck will leave
permanent scars. This is because it requires a deep
incision and removal of flesh. If you don’t like the look
of lateral scars striping your stomach then this procedure
may not be for you.

Many plastic surgeons simply will not operate on a smoker
as the habit is thought to seriously undermine the healing
of bruises and stitches. If you are smoking be prepared to
quit your habit at least a couple of weeks before the
commencement of the surgery and don’t plan on smoking at
all during your recovery period. Smoking can cause a
potential fatal skin condition called necrosis.

If you are not tolerant to pain then you may not be happy
to hear that the pain and soreness from a tummy tuck can
last as long as a year after the operation. This means that
you may be prescribed a lot of painkillers that could put
you at risk for addiction.

Your plastic surgeon will also probably give you a list of
medications that you will not be allowed to take for two
weeks before surgery. These include medications such as
aspirin, antidepressants or serotonin supplements. This is
because these drugs can cause excessive bleeding.

Depending on what procedures you have had you can recovery
time of at least a month and in many cases up to three or
four months. You may not be able to attend work or exercise
for three months, as that is how long you may seem swollen.
Be prepared for some discomfort and restricted movement.
You will also obviously not be able to sleep on your
stomach as that can cause further bleeding or the ripping
of stitches.

Be aware too that a tummy tuck is generally an expensive
procedure that is considered to be elective cosmetic
surgery. This means it is not covered by most insurance
plans. The only instance in which it would be covered is if
the tummy tuck was deemed necessary to correct a hernia.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

First of all, most nose jobs are considered to be elective
surgery, which means that it is not absolutely necessary.
This means that you need to be financially prepared for the
cost of the procedure as well as for the three days to two
weeks that you might need to recover from the operation. In
some countries such as Canada or Costa Rica a government
insurance program might cover the cost of the operation if
the surgery is deemed to be necessary medically.

There are very few situations under which a rhinoplasty is
considered to be medically necessarily in order to improve
an individual’s quality of life. If you have a serious
accident that involves a direct blow to the face that
causes the shattering of nasal bones or the tearing of
nasal cartilage than your nose job will likely be
considered to be an emergency. This is also true if the
injury affects your ability to breathe in anyway.

Other conditions that qualify as medical justifications to
have a nose job are a deviated septum, a birth defect or a
nasal obstruction. However surgeries to correct these
conditions are also considered elective. This means that
unless you are willing to pay a pretty penny for private
treatment you might be waiting for months to have your
surgery done in a hospital. If a doctor can also
demonstrate that an individual is suffering a serious and
prolonged mental or emotional illness (such as depression o
a cognitive disorder) as the result of an overly large or
asymmetrical nose then your case might be seen to more
urgently.

If your operation is for cosmetic reasons, you have to
know well advance what type of nose you would like. It is
very important at this stage not to have any fantasies
about looking like a contestant on the Swan or like your
favorite movie star. Be sure to consider everything that
your plastic surgeon tells you about the limitations and
possibilities that accompany the shaping of your new nose.

You may also be given a choice of operations. One
procedure is more invasive than another and although it may
produce dramatic results the recuperative time is much
longer. Sometimes incisions are made on the outside rims of
the nostrils only. Other operations involve operating from
the inside only (therefore not leaving any scars) or
sometimes a combination of both techniques

Nose jobs are also almost always performed under general
anesthesia and painkillers and anti-inflammatory
medications are also given to patients to reduce pain and
swelling. The side effects of general anesthesia, including
such symptoms as memory loss, fogginess and fatigue can
last upwards of three months so make sure you have a
schedule that can accommodate these physical setback should
they occur.

If you need surgery to repair a broken nose, it is best to
seek medical attention straight away. Otherwise, the
swelling of the tissues can delay surgery for around five
days.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

The light chemical peels mainly include the alphahydroxy
acids. This family of chemical peels includes fruit acid
peels (from citrus acids), glycolic acid peels (created
from sugar cane), lactic acid peels (derived from sour milk
or berries), malic acid peels (made from apples), and
tartaric acid peels (made from grapes.) These peels can
assist with skin that is mildly wrinkled, sun-damaged,
scarred by acne or marred by blackheads. Be aware that
spottiness’, scarring and burning can be a consequence of
even the mildest of chemical peels.

The heavier chemical peels contain greater concentrations
of acids. You are essentially burning your old skin off so
that new skin cells can replace it. Be aware that these
types of peels require you to be completely sedated and
have a recovery time of at least a month and in many cases
up to three or four months.

Be aware too that many people find the recovery phase
which can involved a bandaged face, pus, bleeding, scabbing
and an unpleasant odor to be very difficult to handle
emotionally. You must be mentally and emotionally stable
to undergo a cosmetic procedure such as this. Many people
experience a psychological low or depression after a deep
chemical peel. This is why people who already suffer from
depression, manic depression or chronically low self-esteem
are not great candidates for a chemical peel. The emotional
devastation that comes with looking in the mirror and
seeing a bloodied face as well the isolation from other
people can trigger an existing emotional condition or
cognitive disorder and make it worse.

You might also want to consider that your face may appear
red or inflamed for several days before you even have the
operation. This is because most practitioners of these
procedures prescribe a topical acid to be applied to the
skin to soften it and prepare it for the actual chemical
peel. This may mean going to work or attending important
meeting looking less than your usual attractive self as
often these topical applications also cause make up to
sting if it is applied.

You can also experience quite a bit of discomfort after
the operation as well. Your skin may feel different in
texture or dry and cracked. It may feel tight and like a
taut mask if you try to smile.

Chemical peels are also not recommended for individuals
with herpes. This is because the virus can be triggered by
the trauma of procedure and if sores spread to any part of
the face during the recovery period then unattractive and
permanent scarring can result.

As with all invasive procedures, make sure you consider
the cosmetician or plastic surgeon’s credentials and
qualifications before you book an appointment. A good
practitioner will have a large book of Before and After
photographs for you to look at so you can assess which type
of chemical peel will be most effective for you.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

If you have a small body frame getting implants may not be
a good idea as the extra weight can knock the spine and
chest muscle wall out of alignment. Also huge breasts on a
small woman can be unattractive as it knocks the overall
symmetry of your body out of proportion. So when choosing
your implants make sure that you are aware of the entire
effect of the procedure and not just how you will look
between your neck and upper tummy!

You might also want to consider exactly where the implants
will be placed. They can be inserted either above or below
the chest muscle and both approaches have a different
effect. Make sure you consult with your plastic surgeon
beforehand by examining hundreds of before and after
photographs so that you can decide which type of breast
implant insertion is best for you. If you can’t decide
then make sure that you take your plastic surgeon’s advice.
Chances are he has run into operating on someone shaped
just like you before and knows what will look best!

You might also want to consider some of the health risks
associated with breast implant augmentation. First of all
it is considered to be invasive surgery. In the breast
augmentation procedure, an implant is inserted through an
incision either under the breast or in the armpit. The
implant is filled with a saline solution after it is
positioned beneath the skin. You will require general
anesthesia and a recovery time of at least eight weeks that
includes taking painkillers. If you have been known to have
a reaction to anesthesia or have a history of addiction you
may not want to go through with the procedure.

You might also want to consider that breast sensation can
be affected after the surgery and they may feel hard,
unfamiliar and artificial. Prepare yourself
psychologically for the lack of sensation in the nipple
that often occurs for weeks after you have the operation.
This is a normal reaction and usually the nipple sensation
returns after a few months. However a small number of
women may experience permanent numbness in their breasts or
nipple.

You should also be aware that it is dangerous to your
health to get pregnant within six months after a breast
augmentation. Hormonal changes can cause fluids to collect
around the nipple causing infections and pressure that may
result in the breast and also the nipple being removed!

One more thing that you need to be aware of is that your
new breasts may not look exactly like you want until six
months after the operation. It takes that long for the
implants to harmonize with your body and settle in to their
desired shape. Fortunately, breast implants can always be
removed if you decide you don’t like the final effect.

About the Author

*******
(c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

http://www.CosmeticSurgeryLinks.com
*******

Rhinoplasty cannot be successfully performed until the nose has stabilized and nasal bone has stopped growing. This typically occurs around age 14 to 15 in girls and age 15 to 16 in boys. Any surgery performed before this point runs the risk of having to be redone once nasal growth has ceased, since the nose has the potential to continue to change and develop until that point. Rhinoplasty is occasionally performed on younger children in the case of severe trauma to the face, so that the nose can be restored as close as possible to its original shape and size.

Most rhinoplasty procedures are performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. There are exceptions to this rule, though. Patients undergoing severe reconstructive surgery may be monitored overnight to ensure that no complications arise. Individuals seeking to have their nose set after a bad break will occasionally receive local anesthetic only.

During the procedure the cosmetic surgeon makes an incision either inside the nostrils or through the columella, the external strip of tissue that separates the nostrils. The skin is then separated away from the framework of the nose itself so the doctor can access the underlying cartilage. In order to reshape the nose, the soft flexible cartilage and bone are manipulated into the proper position and shape. Depending on the desired results, tissue may be removed or added to change the angle or contour of the nose. A chisel or file may be used during the procedure, most frequently to remove a hump from the bridge of the nose. Once the nose has been sculpted into the desired shape, the skin is resituated and the nose is splinted to protect it. Nasal pads may be used for the first few days following the surgery to pack the nose and protect the delicate septum.

Rhinoplasty, as with all other surgeries, is not risk-free. In addition to the standard bruising and swelling, patients should be aware of a number of potential side-effects that could result from the procedure. These include an infection of the nose, nosebleeds, numbness, scarring, and a reaction to the anesthesia. Some patients report the bursting of small blood vessels on the surface of the skin and hematomas, or collections of blood that pool under the skin. The possibility also exists that a follow-up procedure will be necessary in order to remedy an over-correction or under-correction of the nose.

When successfully performed by a highly-qualified surgeon, rhinoplasty can dramatically improve the appearance of your nose and improve your self-confidence. If you are considering rhinoplasty and would like more information about this procedure, contact a reputable cosmetic surgeon in your area and arrange for a personal consultation.

About the Author:

Gray Rollins is a writer for CosmeticSurgeryHelp.com. To learn about Rhinoplasty procedures and Rhinoplasty specialists, visit us.