Are you a Good Candidate for Cosmetic Surgery?
Ans.: The ideal candidate for aesthetic surgery is an individual who recognizes a specific area in which his or her appearance could be improved and has a strong personal desire to make a change. This personal desire may be influenced to some degree by the individual's role in society. Because our culture is youth-oriented, people seek ways to counter the effects of aging on their appearance. Many elect surgery to look as young as they feel, to build confidence after a lifestyle change or to retain their edge against younger competitors.
Whatever your reasons for choosing aesthetic surgery, it is important to have realistic expectations The best surgeon in the world can't help you if your motivation is wrong, or if your expectations are unrealistic. Most importantly, you should be doing it for yourself. Not for your spouse, your children, your friends or anyone else.
Secondly, you should be doing it for the right reasons. Cosmetic surgery cannot save a bad marriage. It won't turn you into a movie star, and it won't turn an unhappy life into a happy one. But there's a lot it can do.
It can improve your looks. It can help you look as young as you feel. And sometimes it can even boost your self-esteem and self-confidence. The rest is up to you. You should be realistic about what you'll look like afterwards. Cosmetic surgery deals in improvement - not in perfection. If you can accept that, your surgery will be successful. If your expectations are realistic and you're doing it for the right reasons, the chances are excellent that you will be happy with your results.
Why should I choose a Cosmetic Surgery Centre?
Ans.: A Cosmetic Surgery Center is a surgical facility dedicated only to Cosmetic Surgery and therefore, offers high quality in the nursing team, anesthesia and post-op care available. Having surgery in a surgical facility gives you peace of mind, as the staff is completely geared up to deal with cosmetic surgery patients and every procedure & protocol is worked up to its minutest detail. A centre dedicated to Cosmetic Surgery also has less patient traffic thus maintaining complete confidentiality and greater testability.
How should I select a surgeon?
Ans.: Anyone can call themselves a "Cosmetic surgeon." What is the doctor's background? Is the doctor Board Certified in Plastic Surgery ( MCh or D.N.B Plastic Surgery) or is he/she a General Surgeon(M.S.), Dentist(B.D.S.,M.D. S.), Dermatologist (M.D,D.V.D) , or Ears Nose and Throat (M.S.ENT) Surgeon. Any doctor may be trained in doing some aspects of cosmetic surgery or plastic surgery. Ask specific questions about the doctor's training. Insist on certain qualifications. Has he done a fellowship training or specialized training in the procedures you want performed? A specialist does the same procedures far more often and therefore has greater experience and skill than most surgeons.
Board Certification by the Indian Board of Plastic Surgery takes years of education,careful testing of skills and broad training in the field of plastic surgery for another 3 years, following the 3 years basic training in the above mentioned specialities. Carefully evaluate the proposed surgery and the surgeon himself before proceeding.It would be wise to do some homework as your awareness is your greatest protection. Interview several and choose one who has credentials and certification in Plastic Surgery recognised by The Medical Council of India.
During your consultation, it is important to establish a rapport with the surgeon since you place total confidence in that doctor's ability. Select a surgeon who compares alternatives, explains clearly what will be done for you and the rationale for the approach selected. Be sure he discusses convalescence, possible risks and complications. Choose a surgeon who communicates,has an aesthetic taste and an artistic sense compatible with yours & has a clear understanding of your desired result.
What Anaesthesia will be used?
Ans.: Whichever cosmetic surgical procedure you have done, it will require anesthesia as it is an integral part of your surgical experience to make it painless and anxiety-free. With general anesthesia the patient is put to sleep. This anesthesia is usually associated with "bigger" operations. With local anesthesia , a specific area of the body is numbed by the local injection of medication at the site where the surgery will be performed.
Today, with the great advances in anesthesia, an entire spectrum exists between local and general anesthesia to eliminate pain and minimize anxiety. Here's how it works:
Before the operation, an anesthesiologist visits the patient. A sedative or tranquilizer(Valium, for example), may be given orally. This induces a pleasant state of drowsiness.A thin intravenous catheter is inserted into a vein in the arm. This open pipeline is imperative during any surgery, should the patient require additional medication for any reason. Additional sedation may be given through the intravenous catheter. This allows the local anesthesia (given in the operating room) to be injected without any unpleasant sensations. The local anesthesia is then injected into the area where the operation will take place, along with a small amount of adrenaline, which causes the blood vessels of the area to constrict. This helps to minimize bleeding, while the anesthetic "blocks" or "freezes" the tissues so no pain is felt.
The drowsiness induced by the intravenous sedative may become a twilight sleep. Some patients experience a sense of well-being bordering on euphoria. Others may feel completely unconscious, even though, medically speaking, they are only lightly anesthetized. They can respond to commands and even answer questions. When performing cosmetic surgery on the face, most surgeons prefer this state to total unconsciousness because the operation is done on a face that is not completely relaxed.(The muscles of a deeply anesthetized face are so relaxed that they lose their usual tone.) The patients wakefulness also allows the surgeon to give commands (look up; look down; open your mouth; show me your teeth, raise your eyebrows), and the amount of excess tissue to be removed is more easily estimated.
Another advantage of sedation is that medications may be used to block out all memory of the operation. The patient recalls either a pleasant twilight state or remembers nothing. The patient is comfortably relaxed during the operation. Breathing, heartbeat, and other vital functions remain strong and steady the entire time. Some patients prefer being put to sleep. They want their surgery in a state of complete oblivion, wishing to wake up without any memory of the operation.
Others prefer being fully aware of everything in the operating room. They want to retain a sense of control over mind and body, wishing to recall the surgery clearly and completely. These patients may request minimal sedation - enough for relaxation - but not enough to cause drowsiness.
A pain-free procedure does not guarantee that there will be no anxiety. Some find lying or sitting back (in a dental chair in an operating room) very trying, even though it is painless. There is no need to endure anxiety during an operation! It is important to know that the combination of anesthetics can alleviate this. By regulating the amount of sedative given, the patient can be made to feel comfortably anxiety-free while surgery proceeds painlessly.
What are the possible after effects of Anesthesia?
Ans.: There may be some after effects of anesthesia. Some people have a slight feeling of nausea during the immediate postoperative period. This will pass quickly. Some people may vomit, but this is infrequent. Some patients may feel slightly lethargic for the first few hours after surgery. This will wear off.
These possible consequences of anesthesia are not necessarily dose-related. Rather, they depend on how much you individually react to the anesthesia. Some people may have after effects even with slight amounts of sedation. These minor problems make it mandatory that you be observed during the immediate post-operative period by a trained nursing staff.
What are the risks involved following cosmetic surgery?
Ans.: Although some of the procedures described appear to be relatively simple operations, it is essential for you to understand that aesthetic surgery, like all surgery, has attendant risks.Plastic surgeons perform thousands of successful aesthetic procedures each week, but in some cases a patient can have an adverse reaction to the anesthetic or be affected by postoperative complications such as blood clots, infection or poor healing. These problems can occur even when the surgeon has performed the operation with the utmost skill. Occasionally, surgical revisions may be desirable to achieve optimal results.
It is important to remember that aesthetic surgery molds and reshapes living tissue, and the results are not absolutely predictable. Even the best surgeon cannot offer risk-free surgery nor guarantee a perfect result.
How long will my recovery be?
Ans.: Your surgeon will inform you of any restrictions to your normal activities following surgery. In general, you should curtail strenuous exercise and other activities that raise your blood pressure, including bending, for several days to weeks (depending on what type of surgery was performed). The most common concern is an uncomfortable feeling, not pain. Pain is surprisingly minimal and easily controlled with medication. Mild analgesics are used in most cases, but stronger medication is given when necessary.
It takes time as well for the visible signs of healing to subside. .Do not expect to see the final results of your surgery right away. Complete maturation of the surgical area takes more than one year, though in most cases after one or two weeks, only the patient and physician can detect the surgical incision. Plan your social activities to allow sufficient time for recovery. Remember,Time is the greatest healer.
How long will the results last?
Ans.: The results achieved in some aesthetic procedures, such as surgery of the nose, ears and chin, are permanent. In others, particularly those that diminish the effects of aging, results may be long-lasting but not permanent. Your aesthetic plastic surgeon may be able to turn back the clock but cannot stop it from running.
