Plastic Surgery Articles

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is the medical journal published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).  There is a report in the December issue about a surprising negative impact on recovery from body contouring following surgery for massive weight loss – and that is malnutrition.

Bariatric surgery is the general term for a number of surgical options designed to assist in weight loss for obese patients.  These include stomach stapling and gastric bypass, both of which significantly reduce nutritional intake.  Following the surgery, the patient is on a low calorie diet for a year or more to slowly take off excess weight.  The typical diet is a thousand calories a day, which is not nearly enough to sustain an adult. Read more

As plastic surgery has become a fixture in middle class America, it has become an option for teens as well as adults. According to statistics kept by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) nearly 225,000 adolescents between the ages of thirteen and nineteen underwent some form of plastic surgery. Read more

The use of plasma based treatment technology was recently introduced as an alternative to laser based skin treatments in cosmetic surgery facilities. Now, Peak Technologies, a Palo Alto base company, has introduced two plasma based surgical tools as a less intrusive alternative to the standard scalpel or to the electrosurgery devices. In both instances, ancillary damage to tissue and bleeding are reduced by the lower temperature at which plasma technology functions. Read more

Cosmetic plastic surgery is a medical procedure, but almost always not one that’s going to be covered by health insurance.  It’s an investment you’re making in yourself – your appearance and your self-image.  Like any investment, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons, the cost and the options that are available both for the service and for payment.  Read more

A recent study reveals that when it comes to facial cosmetic surgery, most Americans feel safer having the procedure done by a certified facial plastic surgeon that specializes in these types of procedures. Read more

As the 2008 presidential election draws closer, the two candidates are not the only ones in the spotlight. Senator John McCain’s wife, Cindy McCain, has also taken center stage, but unlike her husband, her political views have taken backseat to her looks. Read more

A few weeks ago we wrote about the survey conducted on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that projected cosmetic surgery procedures will quadruple between the years 2005 and 2015.  The analysts arrived at their projection by evaluating the detailed statistics that the Society began assembling on an annual basis beginning in 1992.  The stats show the growth of various surgical procedures and the use of non-surgical procedures as new products have been introduced. Read more

Surgery for the correction of prominent ears is a relatively common occurrence and one that is often undertaken when the patient is still a child.  Ears that stick out are observable early in childhood and are often the subject of taunts out on the schoolyard.  For both children and adults, the procedure requires general anesthetic and hours of surgery. Read more

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recently announced the completion of a comprehensive study that suggests the number of plastic surgery procedures will quadruple in ten years – that is, the period between 2005 and 2015.  The study was undertaken using the ASPS database of annual plastic surgery procedures, both surgical and non surgical, between 1992 and 2005.  Hence the projection for the decade ending in 2015; obviously, in mid-2008 we are well on the way. Read more

The highly respected American Society of Plastic Surgeons recently undertook a research survey on the attitudes, perspectives and experiences of people who have had cosmetic plastic surgery.  The resulting data reveals a great deal about the approach of the average cosmetic surgery patient to their procedure, both prior to surgery and during recovery.  The society published their findings on their web site and there is much for the prospective aesthetic plastic surgery patient to learn there. Read more