HEALTH+BEAUTY
Plastic Surgery
Myth-busting
THE MEDIA ARE AWASH WITH INFORMATION ON PLASTIC SURGERY
AND IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH FACT FROM FICTION. HERE,
CONSULTANT PLASTIC SURGEON, SIMON MACKEY CLARIFIES SOME OF
THE MORE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PLASTIC SURGERY:
“Plastic surgery leaves no scars
and lasts forever”...
All surgical incisions cause scarring. How visible
a scar might be is determined by how the surgical
incision is closed, how it is cared for after the
operation, and where the incision is made.
Typically, a plastic surgeon will make an incision
in an area where there are natural creases in the
skin, which helps hide the scar. Everyone heals
differently, due to genetics and personal health
factors, but some physical evidence of the
procedure will always be present. While cosmetic
surgery results are long-lasting and can give
years of personal satisfaction, many factors
determine how long the results will last. “Plastic
surgery can turn back the hands of time, but the
clock keeps on ticking.” Great skin care,
avoidance of smoking or sun-burn, and your
overall health are all important to maintain your
appearance.
“There are no limits to the changes
plastic surgery can make to your
appearance”...
Plastic surgeons are doctors, not magicians! Preexisting factors will determine how much of a
change your surgeon can achieve. For example,
an overweight or obese person should not expect
liposuction to substitute for proper nutrition and
exercise. While liposuction can make certain
areas smaller than when they started, liposuction
will not make an overweight or obese person
look skinny.
“Plastic surgery patients are the rich
and famous”...
If plastic surgeons only operated on the 1%, we
wouldn't have a thriving plastic surgery industry.
Most cosmetic surgery patients are not the rich
and famous, but are average people who simply
wish to change areas which are not amenable
to diet, weight loss or nonsurgical procedures.
“Only women get plastic surgery”...
Although women have been the traditional
recipients of cosmetic surgery, men are choosing
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it in increasing numbers. Less invasive procedures
such as muscle-relaxing injections and dermal
fillers can give men a rejuvenated and more
youthful appearance without much downtime.
These, along with liposuction, and the reduction
of male breast tissue are the most popular
cosmetic surgery treatments for men.
“Only one plastic surgery procedure can
be performed at a time”...
It is possible to have multiple procedures
performed at the same time. Safety, however, is
the primary concern. Combined operations
require more time under anesthesia, and some
combinations of procedures are more suitable
than others. There can be advantages in terms
of reduced down-time.
amount of loose facial or neck skin. In these
situations, surgical excision of excess skin is the
solution. Surgical and non-surgical procedures
complement and enhance each other, but they
don't replace each other.
“All plastic surgeons are the same”...
Make sure that your plastic surgeon is on the
General Medical Council’s specialist register for
Plastic Surgery and a full-member of either
BAPRAS (the British Association of Plastic,
Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons) or
BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic
Surgeons). This should help to ensure that your
surgeon has had adequate training in Plastic,
Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery techniques.
“Plastic surgery is not "real" surgery”...
“Plastic surgery requires general
anaesthesia”...
Not all procedures require general anaesthesia.
Many can be performed under local anaesthetic
or with sedation. Alternatively, if you are the type
of person who does not want to be awake, you
can choose to have a general anaesthetic.
“Breast augmentation is a
“one-off” procedure”...
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