Cosmetic procedures are only for rich ladies with too much time on their hands? Tightening skin with exercise? Dr. Valerie Ablaza, a plastic surgeon from New Jersey, has heard every popular myth in the book. On a recent Baristanet post, Dr. Ablaza talks about some of the most pervasive myths and misconceptions about plastic surgery, and why they have it wrong.
1. Plastic surgery is only for rich women with lots of leisure time.
In fact, plastic surgery is used by women (and men!) of all ages, ethnicities, and tax brackets. Dr. Ablaza cites a statistic that indicates “60 percent of the people having cosmetic medical procedures come from households with a combined income of just $30,000-$90,000.”
2. Eyelid lifts create a surprisedappearance.
Eyelid surgery (also known as blepharoplasty) cannot create a surprised look, since the eyebrows are unaffected by the procedure. During a brow lift, however, the eyebrows can sometimes appear too high. This is a temporary effect that soon passes, since plastic surgeons usually have to account for tissue relaxation during the recovery period.
3. Breast lifts change the size of the breast.
Breast lift surgery works by changing the shape and positioning of the breasts. As a result:
- breasts are elevated
- nipples may be repositioned
- skin is tightened
While breast lift surgery does not increase the size of the breast, the procedure is sometimes performed alongside a breast augmentation.
4. Fat removed with liposuction will reappear elsewhere.
Human beings are born with a fixed number of fat cells that enlarge with weight gain and shrink with weight loss. Liposuction permanently removes some fatty tissue. The production of new fat cells is a rare occurrence. As a result, weight gain after liposuction causes the enlargement of other pre-existing fat cells.
5. Exercise after weight loss or pregnancy can tighten your skin.
Skin cannot be tightened to any noticeable extent by exercise. While there are creams, lotions, and skin surface treatments that can make the skin appear smoother, the only way to tighten skin that has been stretched by weight gain or pregnancy is to remove excess skin with body contouring surgery.
