When people think of plastic surgery, they often think of a procedure that can improve the look of their face. However, there are a variety of cosmetic procedures that can benefit your body as well. We will examine the most common types of plastic surgery procedures for the body below.
Tummy Tuck
At times, even with exercise and a proper diet, extra fat stays in the tummy area. You might be experiencing changes such as loose or hanging skin of the lower abdomen, unsightly sagging skin, rashes, and excessive sweating under the skin. If these issues are troubling you, a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty may be the answer.
During a tummy tuck procedure, a plastic surgeon will help to tighten your stomach area and give you a firmer abdomen. Los Angeles plastic surgeon, Dr. Warren Lent, has extensive experience in abdominoplasty, having performed well over 1,500 tummy tucks. To find out more about the tummy tuck procedure and how Dr. Lent can help, please see our Tummy Tuck Procedure page. Additionally, Dr. Lent invites you to view his Tummy Tuck: Before and After page to see patients who have had a tummy tuck with Dr. Lent.
Liposuction
For many people, it seems like no matter how much they exercise, there is always that troubling spot on their bodies that refuses to go away. Excess fatty tissue collect in such areas like the thighs, arms, the abdomen, waist, chest, back, and the jaw. What can a person do to get rid of excess fat on these area of the body?
The answer is known as liposuction, or lipoplasty. This procedure is not meant to be a weight loss technique. In fact, the best candidates are those who exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle but have stubborn areas of fat that will not go away. Liposuction is a procedure which is ideal for improving one’s shape, silhouette, contour, or figure. It is perfect for those stubborn, unsightly collections of fatty deposits. For further details on each aspect of liposuction, please see our Liposuction Procedure page. Additionally, Dr. Lent invites you to view his Liposuction: Before and After page to see patients who have had liposuction with Dr. Lent.
After Weight Loss Surgery
Have you recently lost a lot of weight but are not happy with how you look? If so, after weight loss surgery can help. People who have experienced dramatic weight loss after bariatric surgery should consider various types of after weight loss surgeries. The procedure you choose will depend on your unique problem. Whether excess skin has built up in the abdominal area, breasts, thighs, arms, or face, people who have excess fat after losing weight will be able to find a type of surgery to help regain their youthful appearance. For example, a breast augmentation can help with breasts, a tummy tuck can help the abdominal area, and arm lift surgery can help with your arms. For further details about after weight loss surgery, please see our After Weight Loss Surgery page.
Arm Lifts
Patients often complain that they have excess fat and skin hanging from their upper arms. Flabby arms can leave you feeling embarrassed and hesitant about wearing short-sleeved shirts. Arm lift surgery, medically known as brachioplasty, can help.
After undergoing an arm lift, you can wear short-sleeved shirts without feeling any embarrassment. Most importantly, Dr. Lent’s patients comment on their renewed sense of self-image and self-confidence. For further details about arm lift surgery (AKA brachioplasty), please see our Arm Lift Procedure page. Additionally, Dr. Lent invites you to view his Arm Lift: Before and After page to see patients who have had the arm lift procedure with Dr. Lent.
Thigh Lifts
The thighs are one part of the body particularly prone to fat build-up and deterioration in skin quality. Additionally, as people gain weight the added skin tension further stretches and thins the skin. In this situation, a plastic surgeon might recommend performing thigh lift (AKA thighplasty), liposuction, or both. A thigh lift can help many people including those:
- People who have lost a lot of weight
- Individuals who have excess skin on their thighs
- People who experience rashes due to rubbing of their thighs
- Individuals who have had gastric bypass surgery
For men and women looking to firm and tighten their thighs, a thigh lift can help. People often report feeling more comfortable wearing various types of clothing, enhancing their self-image, and self-assurance. For further details about thigh lift surgery (AKA thighplasty), please see our Thigh Lift Procedure page.
Make an Appointment for Your Consultation
It can be quite devastating to find problems with your body, especially if you eat properly and exercise regularly. However, there are many different types of plastic surgery for the body that can help you regain your confidence. No matter what your problem may be, a board certified plastic surgeon can help you choose the right procedure to improve your appearance and boost your self-esteem.
Here at Dr. Warren Lent’s office, we show care for each patient from the initial consultation to the final post-surgery call. We look forward to hearing from you. For more information about a specific plastic surgeon procedure for the body, costs, or questions, please contact us at:
150 North Robertson Blvd. Suite 140
Beverly Hills, Ca 90211
More Information About Body Plastic Surgery
Plastic Surgery Trends in 2015
Plastic surgery procedures are growing in popularity with every passing year and it looks as if 2015 will be no different. While in 2014 the most popular procedures included neck rejuvenation and buttock augmentation, the year 2015 is set out to have a surge in the number of various other procedures. The popularity of certain plastic surgery procedures over others is dictated by a number of factors. Firstly, constant advances in the field of plastic surgery mean that new and better approaches are developed by plastic surgeons which translate to more effective, less invasive and more natural looking results for the patients. Secondly, as in any field of the aesthetic industry, fashion and word of mouth play a very significant role. If a procedure worked for one patient and they were satisfied with the result they are likely to tell their friends and family about it, spreading the popularity of their chosen procedure. Finally, as plastic surgery procedures become part of our everyday discussions, groups of patients who previously felt shy or embarrassed are now also opting to explore plastic surgery procedures. Men, patients with “embarrassing” problems or complaints, older patients as well as teenagers are all part of the growing number of people who are choosing to change their lives for the better through plastic surgery.
One of the fastest growing plastic surgery procedures of 2014 that is likely to maintain its popularity in 2015 are procedures that targets an area of the body that many people feel uncomfortable about – the neck and jaw line. As we age the skin around the jaw line and neck area loses its elasticity and becomes saggy and unattractive while extra fat under the skin adds to the problem. It is one of the tell-tale signs of aging that many patients wish to get rid of, or at least significantly improve, in order to regain their youthful appearance. An increasingly popular procedure targeting this problem area is fat removal around the neck and jaw line. Fatty tissue accumulates around the jaw line and the fat is removed with liposuction surgery. The result is a smoother, more contoured jaw line and a tighter, more youthful looking neck area. In 2015 procedures focused on the neck and jaw line are forecasted to remain just as popular as in the previous few years. In addition, a new injectable contouring drug is currently in its last stages of clinical trial making a non-invasive approach to neck and jaw line procedures more a thing of the present, rather than the distant future.
A buzz-word that permeates the entire field of plastic surgery is “volume”. An unavoidable part of the aging process is loss of volume in the facial features such as cheeks, lips, and the under-eye area. While it is important to maintain a strict facial skincare routine, no amount of cosmetics will counteract the effects of deep level volume loss. As a result, patients are eager to undergo procedures aimed at restoring volume and a youthful glow to the face. Fillers such as Restylane or Juvéderm are still gaining popularity among patients and fat injections are also on the rise. The most important aspect of volume restoration is choosing the right fillers in order to end up with seamless, beautiful and glowing results.
Other popular plastic surgery procedures in the last year included procedures aimed at young mothers, also known as the “mommy makeovers”. This set of procedures targets areas that are typically problematic for post-pregnancy women. The “mommy makeover” can entail a tummy tuck, liposuction, breast lift and dermatological procedures. Along with “mommy makeovers”, fat grafting (fat transfer) for breast augmentation has gained popularity in 2014 and procedures aimed at men are at an all-time high. While previously men opted for liposuction almost exclusively on their breast area, 2014 marked a definite change in attitudes with an increasing number of male patients looking to improve the appearance of their midsection. Similarly to women, fillers and Botox treatments were very popular amongst men and this trend is expected to continue well into 2015. Though plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures will continue to gain popularity in 2015, some procedures are likely to attract less patients then before. Non-surgical approaches to fat removal seem to be losing popularity as patients realize that longer lasting, more dramatic results can be achieved by a skilled plastic surgeon.
2015, just as 2014 was, will be characterized by patients asking for the most natural-looking, beautiful and seamless results with the lowest possible risks. Trends and fashions may change but choosing a US board-certified experienced plastic surgeon will ensure the successful outcome of any plastic surgery procedure and will make patients face each and every New Year with a smile.
Botched Plastic Surgery
The first and most important factor in receiving the best possible plastic surgery results is choosing a skilled, experienced and knowledgeable surgeon. While many patients spend a long time researching what type of procedure they would like to have performed, looking at before and after photos and dreaming about the beautiful results following the procedure, it is important to keep in mind that without the help of a good plastic surgeon it is impossible to achieve the desired results. Also, patients tend to forget that like any other medical procedure plastic surgery carries a set of risks and entails possible complications so having a doctor who puts the patient’s safety first is paramount.
There are a number of reasons why plastic surgery patients can end up with an unqualified surgeon and a botched procedure. Costs of procedures performed by unlicensed or unqualified physicians can be much lower than those of US board certified surgeons as they are not bound by the strict medical regulations of the board. In other cases, patients who are normally extremely well-read up on the actual procedure they are planning to undergo fail to check the credentials of the surgeon as they have innate trust in doctors. In some instances the desire for a procedure can be so great that it overshadows considerations of safety and people are willing to settle for an unqualified doctor just to have the procedure done.
That is exactly what happened to Nafsika Lourentzatos, a New York City event-planner who dreamed of having her breasts enlarged from a young age. A friend told her of a procedure where silicone is injected to the breasts as an alternative to breast augmentation and the physicians she recommended were even willing to perform the procedure on an underage Ms Lourentzatos. After undergoing the procedure Ms Lourentzatos noticed no visible difference in the size of her breasts and felt that the procedure, which cost less than half of a traditional breast augmentation surgery was in vain but at least left her with no visible scarring or any other ill effects. Unfortunately, just a few years following the procedure she noticed lumps in her breasts and chest plate and had to turn to a doctor for help. It turned out that the injected silicone caused immeasurable damage to Ms Lourentzatos’s chest area and she had to have her breast removed to avoid the silicone entering her blood stream. What followed was a long series of painful corrective surgeries and a deep psychological trauma. She later found out that the “medical professionals” who performed her procedure were arrested in Colombia as they had no license to practise medicine in the US.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons cases such as that of Ms Lourentzatos are common and they advise all patients to check their surgeon’s credential s before embarking on a consultation. They stress the importance of confirming that the surgeon is a certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and if the facility hosting the operation is accredited.
Extreme Weight Loss and Plastic Surgery
In a world that puts great importance on a healthy lifestyle and youthful looks, it is not surprising that an increasing number of people are putting their health first and even overhauling their diet and lifestyle completely. While some resolve to hit the gym more often and eat less junk food, others make enormous changes to their day to day lifestyles. In some cases, extremely overweight people decide that the time has come to make a change and get back to a healthy, more manageable weight. There are a few ways of going about this process; one is the old-fashioned traditional way of eating fewer calories and exercising regularly. Others struggle with losing weight the traditional way due to hormonal imbalance or severe psychological issues. For them bariatric surgery or as it is commonly known weight loss surgery can be extremely helpful. Patients suffering from extreme excess weight often find that undergoing weight loss surgery helps them regain control over their eating habits and their life in general.
In all cases where people lose a staggering amount of excess weight the effect of that weight loss on their bodies is profound. Whilst the majority of people feel considerably better following weight loss (easier breathing, less pressure on joints, reduced swelling of extremities), they are almost always faced with a large amount of excess skin that acts as an unwelcome reminder of their old lifestyle. That is when plastic surgery procedures can help to get rid of excess skin and make patients see that there is light at the end of the extreme weight loss tunnel.
Ways of losing weight
For people struggling with a considerable amount of excess weight there are several options available to turn their life around. Some choose to lose weight in an all-natural way by cutting down on their food intake and implementing regular exercise into their everyday life. Unfortunately, this option is not always viable for the extremely overweight as it presupposes great dedication to the cause as well as a generally active starting point. If a patient reached the stage of not being able to move freely it will be very difficult for them to start exercising. Gastric band surgery, gastric bypass surgery and sleeve gastrectomy can all be options for obese patients who failed to lose weight via diet and exercise and who need the help of a surgeon to start them on their weight loss journey.
What all these weight loss options have in common is that they inevitably leave people suffering from excess skin. As their weight drops and their health improves the skin tends to shrink at a much slower rate. People undergoing extreme weight loss are therefore left with unsightly and often uncomfortable excess skin that they cannot get rid of through exercise.
Problems associated with excess skin
When we think of excess skin the first thing that comes to mind is the aesthetic aspect. It can look unpleasant and make the patient who suffers from excess skin appear larger than they actually are as well as make them look older than their years. Problem areas can include the abdomen, belly, thighs, upper arms, face and buttocks. Though looks can certainly influence people’s self-esteem and self-worth, it is important to point out that the main concern for patients suffering from excess skin is pain and reduction of functionality. Floppy skin around the thighs can result in rash and bruising caused by rubbing, the underside of sagging breasts can get red and inflamed. Other areas suffer from similar problems. In addition, some people report that hanging skin affects their ability to comfortably perform day-to-day activities such as jogging, lifting up their children and other forms of exercise. Finally, excess skin acts as a constant reminder of the more portly, heavier person they once were. Seeing folds of excess skin prevents them appreciating the fruits of their labour and fully enjoying their newly sculpted figures and increased level of fitness.
Skin Removal Surgery
The only way to help patients suffering from excess skin is skin removal surgery. Skin removal surgery can take several forms depending on the areas treated and the desired effect. One of the most often performed skin removal surgeries following extreme weight loss is abdominoplasty. Abdominoplasty is aimed at improving the appearance and feel of the abdominal area by removing excess skin and fat tissue and tightening the underlying muscles. If the abdominoplasty is not quite sufficient to address the problematic area a belt lipectomy (also known as a lower body lift) can be performed. This procedure extends the idea behind the tummy tuck and works on the entire area around the mid-section of the body removing skin and tightening deeper tissue layers.
Other skin removal plastic surgery procedures include a thigh lift which is aimed at removing excess skin and tightening up the inner or outer thigh area, the arm lift aimed at contouring and reducing the size of the upper arms as well as the breast lift which is aimed at reposition sagging breasts and is often paired with other breast procedures. The general aim of all plastic surgery procedures for patients who undergone extreme weight loss is to give them back a natural beautiful silhouette to their newly shaped bodies whilst eliminating problems associated with excess skin. As a result patients can feel more confident in their new figures and can go on to enjoy their healthy, beautiful bodies for years to come.
Winter is the Best Season for Plastic Surgery Procedures
There is nothing like long summer days spent on the beach to make you wish for a flatter tummy, a curvier butt, a more pronounced waistline or a more enticing cleavage. While everyone is strolling about in tiny bikinis covering close to nothing, many of us start to wonder if a little bit of plastic surgery could help us look and feel better, ready to take on the fun side of the summer months. Then the research begins, we look into what type of procedure would be best for us, who do we want to perform our plastic surgery and what are the associated risks and possible complications we might encounter. We think of the smallest detail, including who will drive us home after the procedure and what type of underwear will we be wearing following the operation. However, an important question is sometimes missed by even the most eager of prospective plastic surgery patients – when is the best time to do our surgery? Which season compliments our recovery best? Is it important when we book our procedure or is the plastic surgery experience pretty much the same all year around? As it turns out it is worth considering when to have your procedure scheduled and in fact the winter months are considered to be the best time to undergo cosmetic procedures.
Why is it better to undergo plastic surgery procedures in winter rather than summer?
Of course it is possible to undergo plastic surgery procedures during the summer months and the results of surgery will be just as rewarding as in the winter. There are many aspects that need to be considered for a successful procedure and choosing the time to do it might be fairly low down on the importance list. However, the main reason for summer not being the best time for plastic surgery is the convenience factor. All procedures involve a post-work recovery plan which is often much easier to stick to in the winter than during the sweltering heat of summer. Bandages, compression wear and other special undergarments worn by patients following surgery can get fairly hot and sweaty and it is much more pleasant to wear them in cold weather. Also, cold weather calls for comfortable loose sweaters and long sleeves which make it easier to discreetly conceal bandages or compression wear. Recovering and recuperating after a procedure takes time and in the winter months people are more likely to stay indoors anyway, making recovery time less stressful as there is no need to turn down social calls or summer party invitations. Another great advantage of winter over summer is the relatively low intensity of the winter sun. While in the summer long days in the blazing UV rays are almost unavoidable, winter months give our skin a much needed rest from sun damage. Skin rejuvenating and skin resurfacing procedures such as laser rejuvenation or microdermabrasion are much safer during the winter as UV rays are less likely to cause damage to the sensitive post-treatment skin.
If for whatever reasons patients still need to undergo their plastic surgery procedure during the summer period there are a few things that can help the recovery process. Minimizing bruising and discoloration is only possible if patients follow the post-procedure instructions as closely as they can. Cold compresses and bandaging can improve the look of the treated body part while post-work makeup (designed specifically for extra sensitive skin) can help the appearance of facial skin following rejuvenating and resurfacing skin treatments.
Is there an ideal time for plastic surgery procedures?
The best time to schedule a plastic surgery procedure is between September and February. The weather during this time is pleasantly cool and days are becoming shorter, making it the perfect period to book an appointment with your Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon and schedule a bit of me-time. These months are great to avoid the patient traffic that often appears during the spring season in preparation for summer. In fact, patients who undergo their procedure during winter are most likely to be fully recovered and enjoying the full effect of their transformation by the time summer arrives.
Is the time of year really that important?
Though the timing of any plastic surgery procedure is worth considering, it’s mainly to do with the patient’s comfort and ease of recovery. It is equally possible to be safe and achieve beautiful results in the summer, winter months are simply more suited for plastic surgery procedures. As always, the single most important factor to the outcome of your procedure is the experience and knowledge of your surgeon. Board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent has extensive experience in a variety of plastic surgery procedures, aiming for the most aesthetically pleasing results while placing equal importance on the safety and comfort of the patient. Dr. Warrant Lent is an excellent choice if considering plastic surgery, be it during the toasty fun-filled days of summer or the cozy, festive months of winter.
Teens and Plastic Surgery
Since the birth of modern day plastic surgery more and more people choose to undergo plastic surgery procedures every year. The unbroken popularity of plastic surgery means that there is more and more information available for patients who are considering going under the knife. Internet sites, TV shows, magazines as well as one’s closest friends all discuss various procedures and almost everyone knows someone who’s undergone a plastic surgery procedure of some kind. In most cases plastic surgery procedures are performed on patients who are in their twenties or older but more and more younger patients are seeking out plastic surgeons. Similarly to older demographics, teenagers are also discovering the benefits of plastic surgery procedures and realize that in certain cases plastic surgery holds the answer to years of low self-esteem, feelings of incompleteness and even functional concerns (such as difficulty of breathing or asymmetry in the breasts preventing rigorous sport activities). According to a recent survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as many as 219,000 teenagers had undergone plastic surgery procedures in 2013. Many plastic surgeons believe that these numbers are expected to grow even further as a new generation grows up whose parents are more familiar with plastic surgery procedures and who are willing to consider giving their consent. Currently patients under the age of 18 have to have their parents’ consent if they wish to undergo plastic surgery.
What types of procedures are most popular amongst teens?
To understand what types of procedures teens are requesting most often it is important to realize that the motivation for plastic surgery procedures amongst teenage patients is often different to that of more mature patients. Whilst older patients are often seeking out plastic surgeons to regain their youthful appearance or to enhance their looks in order to stand out from the crowd, teenagers are more likely to want plastic surgery to feel and look more like their peers, to achieve a more “normal” appearance. Feeling the sense of belonging to a group, being accepted and loved by one’s friends is especially important during our teenage years when we get our sense of self largely by comparing ourselves to others. As a result, plastic surgery procedures requested by teenagers are often aimed at making their look more symmetrical and balanced in their facial features as well as their bodies. One of the most popular plastic surgery procedures is rhinoplasty or nose-jobs in which the size, shape and functionality of the nose can be changed giving a more harmonious and balanced look to the patient’s facial features. Breast augmentation is also a firm favorite among teenagers as well as skin procedures such as microdermabrasion aimed at reducing severe acne scars and evening out skin tone. Another large group of plastic surgery procedures favored by younger patients is aimed at correcting functionality, allowing patients to go about their normal day to day activities and join in sports groups or other teams that would have been embarrassing or even painful prior to surgery. Breast asymmetry, deviated septum and even urinary incontinence can affect teenage patients and plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation/reduction, rhinoplasty or vaginoplasty can mean an enormous improvement in patients’ lives. Prominent, protruding ears is another area of major concern to teenagers, which can be treated with a procedure known as Otoplasty, but commonly referred to as ear pinning.
What to consider before a plastic surgery procedure?
As with any patient thinking about plastic surgery it is important to pinpoint what exactly is bothersome for teenage patients. The best way forward is to talk to a Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Warren Lent as they will have the knowledge and experience to talk about options for each individual patient. Though many people appear to be experts on plastic surgery no one knows plastic surgery procedures better than plastic surgeons themselves so it is important to consult with a doctor before deciding on a procedure. Whilst plastic surgery might be a solution to some concerns teenage patients might have, it is important to realize that teenagers are still expected to grow and change in their body shape and even facial features. Surgeons might advise to wait a few years with certain procedures in order to achieve the best and longest lasting results. In addition, some procedures incur considerable down-time following surgery and it simply might not be the best time for teenage patients to take several weeks off from their studies. Finally, if patients are under 18 years old parents or legal guardians will always need to give their consent for any plastic surgery procedure. Their support is also needed prior to the operation and during the recovery period so it makes sense for parents to be on board with the surgery plan.
The dangers of plastic surgery for teens
Teenage patients can be excellent candidates for plastic surgery procedures. Usually they suffer less from underlying medical conditions and often recuperate much faster than adults. However, it is important to keep in mind that any surgery, including all plastic surgery procedures comes with its own set of risks and possible complications. In addition, just as with more mature patients, plastic surgery can have a profound impact on the teenage patient’s life but it is important to have realistic expectations of what plastic surgery can achieve. Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Warrant Lent will prepare you for the procedure so that you can enjoy the best possible results – even at a younger age.
History of Plastic Surgery
When we think of plastic surgery procedures we most often have the latest, most cutting edge procedures in mind, where the skilled plastic surgeon can restore functionality to a suffering patient or erase the visible signs of the aging process. We hear of constant advancements in the field of plastic surgery and the popularity of plastic surgery procedures drives medical research in the area forward to achieve better, safer and more aesthetically pleasing results. In a medical area that looks constantly ahead we sometimes forget that plastic surgery has an almost 200 year history in Western medicine and its roots can be traced much further back in the East.
The earliest reference to plastic surgery procedures can be found in an Ancient Egyptian medical text dating back to 3000 BC, describing the repair of a broken nose. Ancient Romans also knew how to utilize plastic surgery techniques as recorded by Roman scholar Aulus Cornelius Celsus in the first century. Reparative methods were also used in India as early as 800 BC and cataract surgeries, aimed at helping patients restore their sight, were also performed from the 6th century BC. It is this revolutionary work in the field of plastic surgery that was carried out by Indian healers that was first recorded in writing and can be viewed as a set of detailed medical descriptions in its own right. The original Sanskrit texts were soon translated to Arabic and spread across the Asian continent and Europe during the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 AD. The first Europeans who made use of these early plastic surgery techniques were the Italian Branca family in Sicily.
Compared to the East, Western medical practice lagged behind in the field of plastic surgery (and surgery in general). The earliest record of plastic surgery in the West dates back to 1794 when the British Gentleman’s Magazine published an article on the innovative rhinoplasty procedures of Indian medics. It was on the wings of this article that Englishman Joseph Constantine Carpue, a popular lecturer in anatomy and a skilled surgeon travelled to India to devote 20 years of his life studying the traditional Indian rhinoplasty method which involved using a piece of skin taken from the patient’s forehead to form a nose. Upon his return to England Carpue performed the first plastic surgery procedure of the West – a rhinoplasty using ancient Indian techniques. Carpue’s patient was a soldier whose nose has been destroyed by a previous mercury treatment. Carpue was so stunned by the success of the operation that when the bandages were removed from the patient’s nose he reportedly exclaimed: “My God, there is a nose.” Though the surgery was widely proclaimed an overwhelming success it is painful to imagine what Carpue’s patient must have endured during a surgery that did not include any anesthesiology (in the modern sense of that word).
Another great innovator in the field of plastic surgery was Karl Ferdinand von Graefe, a German surgeon who became director of the ophthalmological institute at the University of Berlin in the early 1800s. Graefe was also inspired by the soldiers who often suffered terrible injuries and needed reconstructive plastic surgery to drastically improve their quality of life. Graefe performed several rhinoplasty procedures and is generally recognized as the founder of German rhinoplastic surgery. He also performed the first corrective surgery on a cleft palate patient and experimented with eyelid surgery. Though Graefe’s contribution to plastic surgery is immense, it is worth pointing out that he was very much a man of his time. It was Graefe who coined the term “plastic” in relation to reconstructive surgery, taking it from the Greek word for giving form (plastikos).
As anesthesia techniques and hygiene practices developed during the late 19th century, an American surgeon, John Orlando Roe performed the first non-reconstructive nose job. This was a significant step for the history of plastic surgery as up until that point all plastic surgery procedures were aimed at restoring functionality and were much less concerned with the physical appearance of the patient. Following in Roe’s footsteps, Germans surgeon Eugen Hollander is believed to be the first doctor ever to perform a purely cosmetic face lift. In 1901 Hollander was the first to cut the skin around and under the ears to smooth out any lines or wrinkles.
In an unfortunate twist of fate it was the two World Wars of the twentieth century that brought the most advances to the field of plastic surgery. The terrible injuries suffered by WWI patients spurred surgeons to seek innovative medical solutions and it was during this time that plastic surgeons formed their first professional associations and boards. The horrors of WWII meant further advances for plastic surgery; most famously it was during this time that extensive skin burns were first treated with skin grafts. These methods were further refined and finally integrated into the classical canon of plastic surgery and from the 1960s onwards plastic surgery was marketed to patients looking to improve their appearance and erase the signs of aging.
Dr. Warren Lent is a double board certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who makes use of all the latest technologies and innovations in plastic surgery to make his patients’ experiences as painless and comfortable as possible. He is available for consultation on all forms of plastic surgery at his office in Beverly Hills.
Age Concerns in Plastic Surgery
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Beverly Hills Weight Loss Surgery
There is no denying it that there are more and more people suffering from obesity around the world. While most of us wish to lose some excess weight from time to time, in most of the cases this can be managed by adopting a healthy diet and doing plenty of exercise. More
What is Beverly Hills thigh lift surgery and who is it recommended for?
Thigh lift surgery is a plastic surgery solution to sagging excess skin around the thigh area. The plastic surgery aims to give a smoother and tighter contour to the thigh region by removing excess skin and in some cases excess fat tissue. It is important to stress that a thigh lift involves removal of skin from either the outer or the inner thigh, it is not a liposuction procedure aimed at removing fat tissue only. However, it is possible to combine a thigh lift procedure with liposuction for more pronounced results. More
Risks associated with plastic surgery
Every surgical procedure carries a set of risks and possible complications that patients should be aware of. Plastic surgery procedures are no different in this respect, they all involve certain risks and it is important for patients to understand these risks before undergoing any plastic surgery procedures. Though it might seem daunting to read through a set of associated risks that in most cases are successfully avoided, it is nevertheless paramount for patients to be fully informed and prepared. More