Popular Types of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery, also known as plastic surgery, has become increasingly popular in the United States. Overall, there are more of these procedures performed today than at any point in our nation's history. As you might imagine, Beverly Hills is one of the cities with the most plastic surgery procedures.

There are many reasons for this growth. For one thing, it has a lot to do with a bigger marketplace and more aggressive marketing by Beverly Hills plastic surgeons and surgery centers. Technology has helped fuel this growing industry as well. Medical advances have made many cosmetic procedures safer, faster and more affordable than ever, thus increasing the demand.



So what are the most forms of plastic surgery in the Beverly Hills area? How do they work and what do they cost? Let's take a look at some recent trends.

Breast Augmentation

The Process -- Breast augmentation goes by many names, such as breast enhancement and the common slang term "boob job." It's a fairly straightforward procedure that uses implants to increase the size of a woman's breasts. Currently, there are two types of implants used within the United States -- silicon and saline. Silicon has the benefit of feeling more realistic, while saline implants are generally regarded as being the safer option.

The Popularity -- Without a doubt, this is one of the most common forms of plastic surgery in Beverly Hills and elsewhere in the U.S. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there were roughly 212,000 breast augmentation procedures in 2000 (nationwide). Seven years later, in 2007, there were more than 347,000 of these surgeries performed. That's an increase of 64 percent!

The Cost -- As with most Beverly Hills plastic surgery procedures, the cost of a breast augmentation will vary based on several factors. The geographical location, the level of consumer demand, and the surgeon's experience all play a role. Based on my research, the average cost of breast enhancement surgery ranges from $4,000 to $10,000. That includes all fees associated with the procedure, such as the cost of the implants, anesthesia, surgeon's fee, etc.

Learn more: Beverly Hills Breast Augmentation

Rhinoplasty / Nose Surgery

The Process -- Break this word up into its two parts, and you'll know exactly what the procedure involves. "Rhino" is from the Greek for nose. "Plasty" is from the Greek meaning to mold or to shape. Put them together and you have a reshaping of the nose. Or, as it's commonly known, the nose job. In this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision beneath the nose that usually extends into the nostrils. Through this incision, the surgeon is able to access (and reshape) certain areas of cartilage within the nose.

The Popularity -- The nose job is another popular form of cosmetic surgery in the U.S. While the number of procedures actually dropped from 2000 to 2007, rhinoplasty still remains one of the most common procedures. In 2007, there were nearly 285,000 performed within the U.S.

The Cost -- Here again, the cost of this procedure will vary based on different factors. After doing some price sampling from a dozen or so websites, I found that the average cost was around $6,000, but could run as high as $12,000 in places with higher demand (think Beverly Hills and Los Angeles).

Learn more: Beverly Hills Rhinoplasty

Liposuction Procedures

The Process -- Liposuction is a process through which a surgeon uses a suction device to remove unwanted fat. It can be performed in several areas of the body, most commonly in the abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks. After making an incision in the area to be targeted, the surgeon uses a stainless steel tube known as a cannula to break up fat cells and suck out the fatty tissue.

The Popularity -- The numbers have dropped a bit from 2000 to 2007, but it's still a common type of surgery. In 2007, more than 301,000 liposuction surgeries were performed in the United States.

The Cost -- There are different forms of liposuction, and it can be performed on different parts of the body. Add to that the differences in consumer demand, surgeon availability and other factors, and you have a wide-ranging cost scale. Lipo on the abdominal area, for example, can range from $4,000 upward to $8,000.

Learn more: Beverly Hills Liposuction Guide

Plastic surgery is big business in Beverly Hills -- perhaps bigger business than anywhere else in the United States. But these procedures still have risks associated with them. So if you are considering any of the procedures listed above, you should do plenty of research and ask plenty of questions before choosing a surgeon.

* Data source: 2000 - 2007 National Plastic Surgery Statistics, published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Beverly Hills Rhinoplasty Surgery Guide

If you're considering rhinoplasty surgery in the Beverly Hills area, but you're not sure if it's right for you, you've come to the right place. Our website is an educational resource designed to help you make an informed decision.

In truth, we do not weigh in for or against Beverly Hills rhinoplasty procedures. We remain neutral on the subject and choose instead to provide quality, unbiased information and resources. So with that said, let's examine rhinoplasty surgery from all angles...

How Does Rhinoplasty Work?

Before approaching a Beverly Hills surgeon to perform your procedure, you need to know everything you can about rhinoplasty -- the techniques, the risks, the average cost, etc. Only then can you make a smart decision for or against the procedure. So let's start with an overview of how this type of cosmetic surgery works.

Rhinoplasty is the medical term for a nose job. Sometimes these procedures are performed as a medical necessity, as in the case of a person with breathing problems or facial deformity. Other times the surgery is performed for cosmetic reasons. As you would imagine, the vast majority of Beverly Hills rhinoplasty procedures are done for cosmetic purposes.

There are several types of surgeons who can perform a nose job. Typically, the surgery will performed by either performed by either a plastic surgeon; an otolaryngologist (also known as an ear, nose and throat doctor); or a maxillofacial surgeon. All of these specialists are plentiful in the Beverly Hills area, particularly the plastic surgeons.

Depending on the severity of the procedure, rhinoplasty can be performed with the patient under general anesthesia (knocked out) or with only a local anesthetic. There are two common types of procedures that differ in where the initial incisions are made. With a closed rhinoplasty, the incisions are made inside the nostrils. With an open rhinoplasty, on the other hand, the incisions are made across the columella (the small piece of skin that separates the two nostrils).

Next, your Beverly Hills surgeon will separate the soft tissue of the nose from the structures beneath the tissue. This allows the surgeon to reshape the cartilage and bone within the nose. This is also why rhinoplasty is sometimes referred to as "nose reshaping."

We spent an hour scouring YouTube for instructional videos that showed how a rhinoplasty / nose surgery was performed. The video below is one of the best we could find. It's not a Beverly Hills surgeon, but it does a great job of walking you through the procedure.


Video: An good explanation of how nose surgery works

Understand the Risks of Rhinoplasty

Cosmetic Nose surgery is one of the most common forms of plastic surgery in use today. But that doesn't change the fact that there are risks. Once a while, you hear about the rhinoplasty that went bad and left the patient disfigured or worse. While these unfortunate cases represent the minority of total surgeries performed, it is a potential risk you should understand.

Rhinoplasty has come a long way in terms of safety and effectiveness, and serious complications are rare. But there are certain risks such as:

• Pain and swelling in the nose (fairly common)
  
• Bruising (also common)
  
• The sensation of a "stuffy" nose for a few weeks
• Numbness of the nose for a few months
• Delays in healing
• Sudden nose bleeds
• Infection (a potential risk of any surgery)

Before undergoing a Beverly Hills rhinoplasty procedure, be sure to ask your chosen surgeon about these and other risk, and what he or she does to minimize them.

Good luck, and good health.

Beverly Hills Breast Augmentation

The breast augmentation (also known as the breast enhancement and, more informally, the boob job) is one of the most common forms of cosmetic surgery in Beverly Hills and elsewhere in the United States. But it's still surgery, and so anyone considering such a procedure should do plenty of research before making a decision.

This blog post marks the first in a series that will discuss the Beverly Hills breast augmentation from all angles. We will talk about how these procedures work, how much they cost, the potential risks associated with them, and more.

In this first post, we will talk about the actual procedures that are used during a breast augmentation surgery. It's a fairly straightforward process, so this post will be short. We have also included an educational video for your viewing.

The Augmentation Process Explained

The technical term for this type of cosmetic surgery is augmentation mammaplasty. Essentially, it employs special implant devices to increase or augment the patient's breast size. In nearly all cases, it performed solely for cosmetic reasons (as opposed to being a medical necessity).

From a technical standpoint, the process of having a Beverly Hills breast augmentation is pretty straightforward. While the procedure may vary slightly from one surgeon to another, the same basic steps are performed. These include the following:

1. The surgeon administers anesthesia to the patient.
2. The surgeon makes an incision on each breast.
3. The surgeon inserts the saline or xx implants into the breasts.
4. The surgeon completes the procedure by closing the incisions.

The anesthesia given during a Beverly Hills breast enhancement procedure may come in one of two forms -- intravenous sedation (the I.V.), or general anesthesia (the mask).

Once the patient is under the effects of anesthesia, surgeon will make an incision on the breast. Different surgeons make this incision in different areas, but the goal here is to choose a location that will hide the scar as much as possible.

The next step in a breast augmentation is the insertion of the implant devices. These days, breast implants may consist of saline or silicone. Each type has pros and cons, so ask your Beverly Hills surgeon which kind they use and why.

Silicon Versus Saline for Breast Enhancement

As mentioned, there are two types of implants available these days. Patients may choose between silicon and saline implants when having a breast augmentation in the Beverly Hills area. Here's a great video from NBC News that explains the difference.



Granted, this video is pretty one-sided. You could probably find an equal number of Beverly Hills surgeons to weight in on either side of this issue. But according to everything we have read, the silicon implant feels the most natural. The benefit most commonly cited for saline implants, on the other hand, is that saline can be absorbed into the body naturally (in the event of leakage).

Choosing a Beverly Hills Surgeon

We have said this before, but here it goes again. The most important thing to do when considering breast augmentation in Beverly Hills (or anywhere else for that matter) is to ask plenty of questions and do plenty of research. Ask each surgeon about the types of implants they use, and that the advantages and disadvantages are for each type. Ask about the potential risks of a breast enhancement procedure. Ask about the typical recovery process, and what you can expect after your surgery.

If these questions lead to more questions, so much the better. The goal here is to go into the process with a clear understand of what it involves. And if you do choose to pursue an augmentation procedure, we wish you luck and a speedy recovery.

Los Angeles Tummy Tuck - Know the Risks

The tummy tuck is one of the most popular forms of cosmetic surgery in the Los Angeles area, and in the United States in general. In 2000, there were around 62,000 tummy tuck procedures across the U.S. In 2007, that number had risen to more than 148,000. (This according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons).

But while the Los Angeles tummy tuck is certainly growing in popularity, it still poses serious risks for patients. Your job is to learn about these risks before making a final decision on pursuing a tummy tuck (a.k.a. abdominoplasty) in the Los Angeles area.

So in this article, we will take on the role of consumer advocate, providing some unbiased and factual information about the risks of abdominoplasty surgeries. But first, let's talk about how the procedures are performed in the first place. By starting with a procedural overview, you'll have an easier time understanding the risks of a Los Angeles tummy tuck procedure.

How a Tummy Tuck Works

This popular form of cosmetic surgery is done under general anesthesia, with the patient being completely "under." The Los Angeles surgeon will begin by making a horizontal incision across the patient's lower abdomen, just above the pubic area. A second incision is sometimes made near the belly button as well.



Next, the doctor will separate the patient's skin from the abdominal wall. The muscles in the abdominal area will then be tightened up and sutured. To allow this reduced stomach area to come back into place, the surgeon will remove excess fat, skin and tissue. When all of this is complete, the surgeon will suture the remaining skin back into place.

So there you have it -- a simplified version of the Los Angeles tummy tuck in only two paragraphs. At least now you can better understand the risks associated with such a procedure. So let's move on to those...

The Potential Risks

Below, we have listed some of the most common risks associated with tummy tuck surgeries in Los Angeles or elsewhere. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive -- there are other risks not listed here. So be sure to conduct further research into this subject.

• Excessive Bleeding -- All surgical procedures carry a risk of excessive bleeding. Any time you deal with incisions, you encounter the possibility of such complications. Tummy tuck surgeries are certainly no exception. There is a greater risk of excessive bleeding among patients who have experienced it in the past, during previous surgeries.
• Blood Clots -- This is a serious problem that occurs when an artery gets obstructed by a clot, an air bubble, or a piece of tissue matter. It can lead to many complications and can even be fatal. Blood clots are a risk associated with many forms of surgery, and that includes tummy tuck / abdominoplasty procedures.
  
• Infections -- Anytime a doctor makes an incision on a patient, there's a risk of infection occurring. For this reason, some doctors who perform Los Angeles tummy tucks will give their patients a prescription for antibiotics after the surgery.
  

Choosing a Los Angeles Surgeon

The key when choosing a surgeon for your tummy tuck is to ask plenty of questions. Ask about the procedure in general, but particularly the risks associated with it. A professional Los Angeles surgeon will take the time to address your concerns, and will give you factual information regarding the risks of a tummy tuck surgery. It's also wise to choose somebody who is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

In other words, if you encounter a Los Angeles doctor who glosses over the risks as if they're not important, then keep looking!

Beverly Hills Liposuction Guide

Are you considering a liposuction procedure in the Beverly Hills area? If so, you should take a few minutes to read our guide to Beverly Hills liposuction surgery and the surgeons who provide it. We do not represent any surgery centers, so you can rest assured that the following information is unbiased and objective.

Liposuction has long been one of the most popular forms of cosmetic surgery, not just in Beverly Hills but all over the world. But how, exactly do these procedures work? What can you expect in term of results? What kind of risks should be aware of? And how do you go about finding a qualified liposuction surgeon in the Beverly Hills area? Let's take these questions one at a time.

The Basic Liposuction Process

Chances are, you already have a pretty good idea of how liposuction works. After all, who hasn't seen those suction devices in action on the TLC network? But before having this type of procedure, or choosing a Beverly Hills surgeon to perform it for you, you'll need to know a lot more about it. Here's how it works.



Liposuction is a medial procedure designed to remove small areas of fat on the body -- particularly those stubborn areas that do not respond to diet and exercise. The most common parts of the body that are targeted include the abdomen area, the hips, thighs and buttocks. No surprise there! That's where fat tends to accumulate.

First, your Beverly Hills liposuction surgeon will make a small incision near the area of focus (stomach, hips, etc.). Next, the surgeon will insert a stainless tube, known as a cannula, through the incision. Essentially, this tube functions as a vacuum designed to remove fatty tissue.

Of course, fat doesn't just come out of the body right away. The Beverly Hills surgeon will need to push and pull the cannula tube in order to break up fat cells and tissue. This takes place at the same time the suction if working. This is probably the part of the process you've seen on medical programs in the past, where the surgeon works the tube in and out of the patient's stomach, hips, thighs or buttock area.

Advancements in Beverly Hills Lipo

For decades, the basic process of liposuction was performed as described above, with the surgeon pushing and pulling the tube in order to break up and vacuum out the fatty tissue. But as all fields of medicine, there have been advancements in the field of Beverly Hills liposuction procedures. For example, there is now a machine that can duplicate the "push and pull" actions of the surgeon. This removes some of the manual labor from the process, allowing the surgeon to focus on other aspects of the liposuction process.

There is also a relatively new type of procedure known as SmartLipo. This newer form of liposuction is available throughout the Beverly Hills area (as you would imagine). Through the SmartLipo process, surgeons use medical lasers to essentially melt the fat within the fat cells. According to the practitioners of this procedure, it is said to offer results that are equal to traditional liposuction procedures, but with less trauma and a faster recovery process.

Lasers have been revolutionizing many different medical procedures, from eye surgery to dental work. Now, it seems, Beverly Hills liposuction is being equally influenced by medical lasers. The downside to this is that there's currently a lack of long-term data about the safety of SmartLipo. But the new procedure seems to be gaining in popularity, so we thought you should know about it when considering liposuction in the Beverly Hills area.

Choosing a Surgeon

So you've done all the necessary research, and you've decided that liposuction is right for you. Now you're looking for a surgeon in the Beverly Hills area to perform your procedure. Where do you go? Whom do you call?

Choosing a liposuction surgeon is similar to choosing any other medical professional. You should base your decision on thorough research, and you should ask potential surgeons all the right questions to get a feel for their abilities.

If you can base your choice on the recommendation of a trusted source, such as a friend or family member, then so much the better. After all, every liposuction surgeon in Beverly Hills will claim to be highly skilled, but they're a little biased now aren't they? When somebody you know and trust has good things to say about a particular surgeon, it's a big difference.

You can also use some of the online surgical directories to find a lipo specialist in the area. There are quite a few of these directories online -- more than I care to list here. So the best way to start this kind of research is by doing a Google search for Beverly Hills liposuction surgeon and looking for any directory websites that come up.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is also a good place to start your search. In addition to being a directory of plastic surgeons across the United States, their helpful website (PlasticSurgery.org) also offers advice on choosing a professional in this field.

Related article: Risks Associated With Liposuction