Cosmetic surgery

We live in a society obsessed with image ! We must be beautiful, we mustn't age… and we must conform to fashion…

In this race for fashion and eternal beauty, a shortcut allows those who can afford it to have their sizes altered and adjusted to today's beauty standards!

As you've probably guessed, we're going to talk about cosmetic surgery.

The goal is not to dissuade you, far from it! We simply hope to guide you so that you can make your choice with full knowledge and awareness.

In this article you will find information that no cosmetic surgeon will reveal to you.

In 2022 the global cosmetic surgery market was worth more than 100 billion euros and an increase of more or less 15% was predicted by 2030. And a very lucrative market means a world open to charlatans.

While the United States remains the champion of cosmetic medicine with more than 7 million operations performed in 2022, Brazil follows with 3.02 million cosmetic surgeries performed, Japan 2.46, Mexico 1.69 and Turkey 1.10 and other countries come after.

A brief history of cosmetic surgery

The history of cosmetic surgery spread after the First World War, following the creation of the maxillofacial surgery unit to treat countless disfigured soldiers commonly known as "broken faces".

But cosmetic medicine had begun long before this war. In fact, it was Dr. Ely who first corrected protruding ears, and then Dr. Roe began performing rhinoplasty. In 1895, the first reconstructive breast surgery was performed by Czerny. Dr. Charles Miller presented breast augmentation in the USA in 1903 and is considered by some to be the true pioneer of cosmetic surgery because he was the first to publish on the subject.

It should be noted that initially, the term " plastic and reconstructive surgery " was used in reference to the visual arts. Indeed, plastic surgery aimed to correct malformations that occurred after birth during life due to illnesses, accidents, fires, and/or birth defects.

Today, "cosmetic surgery" is a branch of plastic surgery applied to people in "healthy health," meaning those seeking beauty without illness or injury. It's called "cosmetic surgery" because this discipline includes other practices aimed at enhancing appearance or reducing the signs of aging without performing surgery in the medical sense. Examples include Botox, hyaluronic acid injections, permanent hair removal, and so on.

It was in the 2000s that cosmetic surgery boomed, initially reserved for the rich and stars, then the phenomenon of social networks and influencers made it known, a boom that has not continued to impose itself in our society.

In 2015 alone, 21.5 million cosmetic surgeries were recorded worldwide, and the number is obviously still increasing. Some say that cosmetic surgery has become commonplace.

The most widespread practices of cosmetic surgery

• Breast augmentation : This can be done with breast implants, generally made of silicone or saline, and available in various shapes and sizes. It can also be done by injecting the patient's own fat; this is called "breast lipofilling," where the surgeon takes fat from another part of the body to fill the breasts.

• Breast reduction: either surgically (removing fat and lifting the breasts) or by mastopexy ( breast lift ): this involves lifting and reshaping the breasts without removing fat

• Liposuction: Liposuction is a surgical procedure that treats and removes excess fat from localized areas. It doesn't make you lose weight, and it's not intended for that purpose. It simply removes excess fat from a specific area: it's very popular with men who have a double chin, or women who want to reduce the size of their hips, stomach, etc.

• Buttock augmentation surgery : Like breast augmentation, buttock augmentation can be performed by inserting implants (prostheses inserted into or under the muscle) or by injecting fat (the famous BBL : Brazilian Butt Lift ) above the muscle. In this procedure, fat is taken from other parts of the body and reinjected into the buttocks. 20% of those interested in this operation are men and 80% are women.

• Blepharoplasty (eyelid lift): a cosmetic surgery solution to correct drooping eyelids. It involves surgery on the upper and/or lower eyelid, is generally performed under general anesthesia, and there are several types and/or methods depending on the patient; the price will vary.

• Abdominoplasty: abdominal plastic surgery to correct the after-effects of childbirth in women, and/or in men and women after significant weight loss. There are several types: diastasis recti repair, which involves repairing the abdominal muscles; full abdominoplasty, which involves detaching the entire abdominal wall; and mini-abdominoplasty , which treats the lower abdomen. This operation is always performed under general anesthesia.

• Rhinoplasty: cosmetic nose surgery. There are several types of surgical rhinoplasty, including open surgery (which leaves a scar under the nose) and closed surgery (where the scar is inside the nose).

• Otoplasty: the operation for protruding ears

• Hair transplants , also known as hair transplantation, are a procedure that involves filling in areas of the scalp where hair has been lost. For example, they can be used to address alopecia or hair loss due to other causes through hair implantation.

Several techniques are used:

• FUT : the oldest technique; the surgeon takes a small strip of scalp (back), which is cut out and implanted where there is none.

• FUE : hairs are extracted manually and reimplanted by making recipient holes.

• DHI : Hair is extracted manually and then reinjected into a hairless area without creating bald patches, using a specialized instrument. Over 80% of patients suffering from alopecia are men.

The dangers of cosmetic surgery:

Like any other surgical procedure, there is a risk of death, and cosmetic surgery is no exception. Aside from the risk of dying, whether during or after the operation, there is also the risk of not achieving the desired results or, worse, ending up in a more problematic situation than the one thought it would resolve before the operation.

However, some operations prove to be more deadly than others, notably the famous BBL ; it is a very popular operation after breast augmentation and is also the least regulated.

We counted 1 patient out of 3000 who died during the operation and in specialized hospitals or clinics that agree to publish their figures.

It's important to understand that this technique of injecting fat into muscle, while the cheapest, is also the most dangerous. It can cause a fat embolism.

After the operation, the consequences related to malfunctions and the rejection of fat can prove fatal!

Buttock augmentation with implants is not without risk . Dr. Déborah Obadia, a plastic surgeon operating in Paris , warns us in SHOELIVER.COM magazine: “Surgery involving buttock implants is not very common because there is a fairly high risk of complications, including infections or implants rotating. It must therefore be performed by experienced hands and, above all, with full knowledge of the risks.”

Another dangerous operation is abdominoplasty, with an average death rate of 1 in 13,000.

It's important to remember that the world of cosmetic surgery is rife with charlatans, and its high profitability makes it difficult to obtain information about botched operations. Furthermore, because of the self-care required after surgery, if a death occurs, practitioners often absolve themselves of responsibility and blame the patient.

What you need to know before resorting to cosmetic surgery

Yes, it's important to have self-confidence, it's important to look at yourself in the mirror and not feel self-conscious, and it's understandable that people would seek solutions to this problem if they have it. However, some people undergo cosmetic surgery to please others, especially when they have these procedures done at a young age. A significant number of young people between the ages of 18 and 34 are turning to cosmetic surgery, particularly rhinoplasty (64.5%) and breast augmentation (54%). As shown by a survey on the devastating effects of cosmetic surgery on young people, young people represent 50% of patients across all types of cosmetic surgery. The most common reason among young people is to look like a celebrity or to please someone else.

If you're young, for example, when considering breast augmentation with implants, you have to keep in mind that your body will naturally change over time and with age. Therefore, the initial implants will need to be replaced after a few years; generally, it's recommended after 10 years. However, since every body is different and other events can occur, the need for replacement may arise well before 10 years. The same applies to buttock implants; so you need to be sure you have the budget.

Complications can arise after many years for various reasons:

• Medical error : As mentioned above, the world of cosmetic surgery is rife with charlatans. Some are doctors specializing in other fields who have turned to cosmetic surgery for financial reasons. Others are specialists in one area but do everything. And still others don't even have a medical degree. Some clinics are located in remote areas of countries where this practice is less regulated and the laws are generally not on the patient's side.

• Certain illnesses can cause the body to reject implants.

• Poor postoperative care: In most cases, the patient returns home a day or two after the operation and continues to follow the care prescribed by the surgeon. Therefore, an infection, hygiene errors, or other issues can arise.

The risk of dying during the operation is not entirely excluded, especially since most of these cosmetic surgeries are performed under general anesthesia.

Not getting the expected results and with no possibility of going back

Cosmetic surgery can be addictive, especially among young people.

Our advice:

Be sure of why you're doing it. That's important!

Changing your body to resemble such a personality... you don't know what the person in question has endured to be the way you see them, and besides, they might want to change tomorrow, would you go along with it?

For young people, it might be better to wait. While large buttocks and breasts are fashionable today, this hasn't always been the case, and it could change in the coming years. Fashion and beauty standards evolve over time!

It should not be forgotten that other physical changes that can occur during the evolution of the body, such as weight loss or gain, illness, or other reasons related to the natural evolution of the body, can bring dangers such as the displacement of implants, etc.

If you are still determined, which is entirely your right, and you consider your reasons important:

You must choose your clinic carefully, and be wary of tempting prices and advertisements, as before and after photos are often stolen from other clinics' websites. Also, be cautious of advertisements from influencers; keep in mind that clinics and practitioners are primarily in business ! Therefore, they will use any means necessary to attract clients. Fortunately, some celebrities are starting to break their silence and discuss the problems they've encountered following cosmetic surgery, which you can follow on this channel, for example. Among others: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYOENvgzX8E

You need to find information about the doctor or practitioner who will be operating on you. What training did they have? What is their specialty? Where? When? What is their experience? What is the post-surgery follow-up plan? Ask questions about potential risks and what the doctor will do if something goes wrong.

Let's be beautiful!