PLASTIC AND COSMETIC SURGERY
- What is the difference between cosmetic and reconstructive surgery?
- What is the best age to have plastic surgery?
- What anesthesia is used during cosmetic surgery?
- Will my medical insurance cover my cosmetic procedure?
- What type of mini face lift can be done to raise cheekbones? What is the recovery time?
Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve appearance and self-esteem.
Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease.
There’s no “right age” for plastic surgery. Treatments such as breast augmentation, liposuction, nose jobs and dermabrasion tend to be more common for younger patients, while older patients may be more likely to seek procedures such as an eyelid lift, brow lift, facelift or neck lift.
The nature of cosmetic surgery you have largely determines the type of anesthesia used, but you can discuss your inclinations with your cosmetic surgeon. For less-invasive techniques, a local anesthetic that blocks nerve impulses at the location of the surgery pooled with a sedative to calm you would be used. General anesthesia, in which you are made totally unconscious and oblivious to pain, is essential for more extensive operations.
In cases where people need surgery for reconstructive purposes – for example, if they’ve been injured in an accident – insurance may cover part or all of the procedure. However, purely cosmetic surgeries are elective procedures, so insurance is usually not involved. Our friendly staff can help you determine if, and to what extent, you may be eligible for insurance coverage.
The available options can only be discussed after having an evaluation with a plastic surgeon. In general, recovery time from a mini face lift is approximately two weeks.
