For many people the idea of having some sort of plastic surgery or botox can seem a scary thing, as with most things that may scare us, I believe it’s a lack of understanding. There are an endless amount of reasons as to why someone might choose to use one of these methods, and to shine some light on them I’ll go through some of the more understandable reasons.
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Botulinum Toxin
Maybe not the kindest name for something which has enhanced so many lives worldwide, botulinum toxin (more commonly known as botox) has been lifting and holding parts of people’s faces and bodies in a sort of natural stasis since the late 80s. While this chemical compound has been around for longer, it wasn’t until Richard Clark used it to fix a forehead asymmetry which occurred due to a left-sided forehead nerve paralysis that occurred during a cosmetic facelift.
Symmetry
With that story we have the first and one of the most common reasons why many people opt for botox, which is to achieve symmetry. Now we don’t want perfect symmetry, as we’ve all seen the Photoshop versions of celebrity faces mirrored on themselves and they simply don’t look right. What we want is healthy symmetry, and surprisingly enough that can be easy enough to lose especially in the facial construct which is held together by such delicate muscles. When something disrupts the naturally-occurring symmetry in a face it becomes immediately noticeable and can affect anyone’s life detrimentally.
Using botox to restore symmetry is surprisingly simple and can help restore confidence or defeat insecurities that might come with a disruption to your face’s symmetry.
Lines
How many times have you smiled or frowned in your life? A quick way to measure this is to look at the lines that form around your eyes and lips, lines which tell a story of an emotional journey which brought you to this moment. Something about this may have been sacred to people of the past, but nowadays a visage of youth is simply seen as more desirable. Botox is a fantastic way to remove any wrinkles or lines which aren’t caused by sun-damage or gravity. While some people may believe it’s easy enough to do this kind of treatment by themself, I believe it’s always best to go to a professional to avoid the cost and embarrassment of a botched injection removal.
Lip Flip
As the name would suggest, a lip flip is the injection of botox to the upper lip to flip the appearance of the lips, giving the top one a fuller and therefore more attractive look. It tends to create a natural pout which verges on a smile, this can be very useful for those in the model or acting communities. Thankfully the use of botox has replaced the previously used silicone, which at its time was great for those who work in the silicone injection removal market. As with line or wrinkle removal through botox, I highly recommend going to a professional and not risking the repercussions of a mistake on your part.
Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is often split into two distinct parts which serve quite separate functions, reconstructive surgery attempts to literally reconstruct parts of the human body back to a more ‘normal’ form, whereas cosmetic surgery attempts to enhance the individual’s beauty. From rhinoplasty being practised in India, to Romans developing early techniques in earlobe repair surgery, these practices have their roots in reconstruction but are practised today in both forms of plastic surgery.
Whether reconstructive surgery or cosmetic surgery the efforts are made in an attempt to enhance or re-enhance the quality of life of the patient. The reasons why someone pursues any plastic surgery may be greatly controversial, but there are plenty of reasons which can be understood by anyone given they put themselves in the shoes of the pursuer.
Abdominoplasty
More commonly known as a “tummy tuck”, abdominoplasty is a practice which removes excess skin or fat from the middle or lower abdomen in order to tighten the underlying muscle and fascia. This is typically suitable for patients who have recently gone through a pregnancy or a major weight loss which has left the excess skin.
Mammoplasty
With three general goals being desired through mammoplasty, we can split it into what’s known as a “boob job”, “breast reduction”, and “breast lift”.
A breast enlargement or “boob job”, which augments the breasts through insertion of grafted fat, silicone gel, or saline. This was originally used to treat micromastia in women.
Next of course is reduction mammoplasty or “breast reduction” which does the opposite of a “boob job” by removing skin or glandular tissue. This has and continues to be used to treat shoulder and back pain in women experiencing gigantomastia.
Finally a mastopexy or “breast lift” refers to lifting or reshaping of the breasts to reduce the saggy appearance. This is typically used after large weight loss or pregnancy, much like abdominoplasty.
Liposuction
Also known as lipo, is the removal of excess fat via a surgical vacuum which literally sucks unwanted fat out of areas of the body. While this is perhaps the most common plastic surgery in the United States, it’s been proven that it only has a short-term effect and if long-term results are desired there are much less invasive methods.
Vaginal Rejuvenation
Another common cosmetic surgery after pregnancy, vaginal rejuvenation post child birth can greatly restore a woman’s confidence in their self-image after the effects of one or more births. This has been achieved in a myriad of ways over the years, but in modern times it can be achieved without the knife or needle through the use of cryogen-cooled monopolar radiofrequency technology which delivers volumetric heating at precise temperatures to stimulate robust neocollagenesis.
So whether you’re considering one of these many options or simply want to know why people choose these paths, I hope this article has been a useful guide or tool in your own enlightening. Remember whenever you pursue any plastic surgery or botox to do your due diligence into the legitimacy of the clinic and practitioners before you go under the knife or needle.