Some say photos capture the spirit. The truth can be much harsher. Skin sags, eyes droop, foreheads wrinkle; time takes its toll. Plastic surgery is a great way to turn back the clock. And everyone loves seeing the new, improved photos of themselves after surgery. 

You are not the only one interested in your before and after photos. They are vital information to your surgeon, insurance company, and other patients.

Clinical Photography

Before and after photos show the specific changes your body undergoes during surgery. Posing sometimes makes people nervous. Photos can be revealing or embarrassing. Plastic surgeons learn how to take quality clinical photographs in medical school. The main purpose of the photos is for the surgeons to assess their own work. In medical school, surgeons also receive training on how to counsel nervous patients. Feel free to discuss any concerns you have with your surgeon. He can help put your mind at ease.

Patient Education

Secondary use of before and after photos is for the education of other patients. It is important for you to examine pictures of a surgeon’s previous patients. How have their procedures turned out, in your opinion? Reviews and reputation are important. There is nothing like strong visual proof to convince you of a surgeon’s ability. Some surgeons create more natural-looking results than others. Make sure your surgeon will give you the look you want.

Your surgeon cannot share your before or after photos without your written consent. The photos are as anonymous as possible. Your face will remain covered, partially so for facial procedures.

Understanding Your Anatomy

Everyone’s body is different. Models and other patients can only give an approximation of what your results will look like. Taking before photos helps your doctor teach you about the nuances of your anatomy. You will understand how surgery will affect your individual look.

At xxx Plastic Surgery, the goal is to help you achieve the results YOU are looking for, not results someone else may want to create for you. The time Dr. xxx spends with you helps define your specific goals, without “up-selling” you on unnecessary treatments. He provides an inviting environment for questions both before and after surgery. 

After surgery, you can compare your before and after photos to understand your changes better. 

Keeping Track of Progress

One of the main reasons doctors take before and after photos is so they can assess their own work. This includes times when a patient has a sequence of procedures, like with a Mommy Makeover. Assessing the progression of changes helps your doctor update the surgical timeline. It allows him to keep an eye on how well you heal from each surgery to make sure you are ready for the next. 

Evidence for Insurance Claims

Most insurance companies only cover plastic surgery when deemed “medically necessary.” They may base this determination on their own assessment of your condition. Before and after photos are evidence proving your surgery solved a medical problem. Many times, insurance companies need visual evidence to process your claim. 

At xxx Plastic Surgery, patients are educated on different treatment options that exist for a given issue, so they can make truly informed decisions.

Schedule your consultation today!

We live in a culture where youth and beauty are prized – for men and women alike, it seems. In the past three to five years, there has been a huge boom in male spending on cosmetic procedures, busting the misconception that all patients are women.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of cosmetic procedures performed on men has increased more than 325 percent since 1997. While men still only account for 7.7 percent of surgical procedures and 9.2 percent of minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures, they spent approximately $1.5 billion on the two combined last year.

The Reason Men are Flocking to the Cosmetic Surgeon’s Office

Its no secret that men want to look young, fit, and masculine. What may come as a surprise is what is cited as the primary reason for the rise is cosmetic procedures among men: climbing the corporate ladder. “The days of staying with your company for 40 years until you get your gold watch at retirement are over,” says plastic surgeon Dr. Marc Mani. Plus “in an economy driven by tech and social media, youthful looks are more important than ever before.”

The ‘Forbes Facelift’

Helping men advance their careers is a powerful marketing tool, and one that Manhattan-based plastic surgeon Dr. Douglas Steinbrech uses to attract patients. His so-called ‘Forbes Facelift’ is geared towards men who “feel young and confident but are worried they don’t look it.” Steinbrech says he purposely leaves some wrinkles – “since wrinkles are sexy and trustworthy (on a man)” – and gives them a neck lift, eyelift, jaw contouring, and possible liposuction.

A Social Taboo

As cosmetic surgery becomes more common among men, it becomes less taboo to talk about. Men are now openly discussing cosmetic procedures among themselves, which is a completely new phenomenon. In our youth-obsessed culture, men have discovered that cosmetic procedures are just another way to stay ‘young.’ “Men don’t find it as taboo as it might have been. They are taking care of themselves,” says New York-based dermatologist Dr. Anthony Rossi. “Its like going to the gym or eating healthy.”

Ageism in the Workplace

Patricia Barnes, an ageism lawyer and author of “Betrayed: The Legalization of Age Discrimination in the Workplace,” said the trend shows just how pervasive the problem is.

Renato, a 40-year-old who works in real estate, says he felt that pressure. “I had this one client who was a first-time homebuyer in his late 20s. We were talking about social media and apps I wasn’t familiar with and he said, ‘You wouldn’t understand because you are older.’ But he was only about five years younger,” Renato said.

“That’s pretty dramatic, to feel like, ‘If don’t have surgery, I might not have a job,” said Barnes. “It’s a sad commentary on how insecure older people feel in the workplace today.”

Renato has since spent upwards of $50,000 on cosmetic procedures, and he is thrilled with the results. “I certainly don’t look like I’m 40,” he says.

The Human Ken Doll

34-year-old Brazilian-born British citizen Rodrigo Alves, aka “The Human Ken Doll,” has gained worldwide recognition as the poster boy for male cosmetic enhancement. Alves has undergone 60 plastic surgeries and 103 non-invasive cosmetic procedures, including “10 nose jobs, a butt lift, silicone chest implants, eight pack abs, hair implants, and rib removal to enhance his waist.” His love of the cosmetic method of self-improvement has lead him to spend an estimated 508,000 British Pounds on the procedures.

Alves says he hopes to “break the taboo” that surrounds male cosmetic enhancement – and in doing so he wants to shed light on the pros and cons of ‘going under the knife.’ In September 2017 he was reported to have been held at a Dubai airport for three hours because his face no longer matches his passport photo.

While a little freshening up can make you look and feel better, take a cue from Rodrigo and remember, less is often more.

The 5 Most Popular Surgical Procedures for Men 2017

1. Facelift
2. Eyelid surgery
3. Tummy tuck
4. Male breast reduction (for the treatment of gynecomastia)
5. Nose reduction

The 5 Most Popular Non-Invasive Cosmetic Procedures for Men 2017

1. Botulinum Toxin (Botox, Dysport and Xeomin)
2. Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
3. Laser or Pulsed Light Hair Removal
4. Photorejuvenation (IPL)
5. Chemical Peel

You may have heard the old adage “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” When we look into another’s eyes, we search for clues about who they are and how they feel. But for many people, the effects of aging, genetics, and external factors like sun exposure have made their eyes send the wrong cues.  You may be sending the message that you are tired or sad when really, you feel great.

 

Eyelid surgery XXX fights the effects of time and circumstance to restore a naturally youthful and refreshed appearance to the eye area. Dr. XXX offers both non-invasive and surgical rejuvenation solutions for the eyes and brows.

Why Consider Eyelid Surgery?

Signs of aging usually show around the eyes sooner than other areas of the body, This is because the eyes house the thinnest, most delicate skin we have. Drooping eyelids not only make a person’s face look older, but they can also make it look tired or sad– even angry.  Eyelid surgery XXX counteracts the effects of aging so your eyes properly express your emotions.

 

Another issue that arises with droopy eyelids is they can obstruct vision. Here, eyelid surgery allows the patient to open his or her eyes more fully, restoring the ability to see clearly.

What is Botox?

Botox is a muscle-relaxing neurotoxin used to improve visible lines and wrinkles around the eyes, between the brows, and across the forehead. In addition to using Botox around the eyes, Dr. XXX utilizes Botox to give the brows a subtle lift.  Both procedures are ideal for those seeing the first signs of aging and the slight sagging of the upper lids.

What is Blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is known as “the gold standard” for rejuvenating the eye area. A type of Eyelid surgery XXX, blepharoplasty eliminates excess skin and repositions fat around the eyes by creating an incision in the natural crease of the lid. This incision is virtually invisible when healed. Blepharoplasty can be performed under local anesthesia and recovery is relatively quick and painless. Blepharoplasty can be performed on the upper lid, lower lid, or “quad” (combining upper and lower eyelid surgery.)

What is Browlift Surgery?

If the brows need more than a small lift, browlift surgery may be recommended. Browlift surgery is done in addition to blepharoplasty to rejuvenate the eye area. Often, the combination of procedures reduces the need to remove too much skin from the eyelid, because the brow lift tightens the eye area more naturally. In combination, brow lift and blepharoplasty create more comprehensive, youthful-looking results.

 

Will cosmetic surgery make you look and feel better? Those are the questions likely at top of mind when you make the first call to the office of your plastic surgeon in xxx.

The answer is a (somewhat complex) yes. In some cases, cosmetic surgery can improve your health – if you have a physical impediment to breathing, musculoskeletal comfort, or wound healing, for example. At other times, making slight adjustments to your appearance can improve your self-image.

 

Health Benefits of Cosmetic Surgery

Rhinoplasty (Nose Job)

A person suffering from a deviated septum, which causes snoring and difficulty breathing due to chronic congestion, can choose to undergo a rhinoplasty to improve their condition.

Breast Reduction

Women with abundantly large breasts can experience back, shoulder, and neck pain from the added weight. A breast reduction can significantly improve their quality of life.

Skin Surgery

Via cosmetic surgery, most types of skin cancer can be removed. Cosmetic surgery also helps close wounds and heal burn victims’ skin.

Liposuction

Liposuction can make huge improvements in the odds of diabetes in at-risk populations.

Migraine Surgery

Nerve Decompression Surgery helps migraine sufferers experience many fewer headaches per month.

 

Psycho-Social Benefits of Cosmetic Surgery

People call their plastic surgeon in Houston for their own reasons. Some want to become more well-liked by strangers, or by people that already know them. Others believe an enhanced appearance will “get them ahead” in the workplace. However, many people do it simply for “me.” That is, they have less obvious motivations that have little to do with objective rewards.

Improved Body Image

Most people are motivated to undergo cosmetic surgery to improve their body image, says Susan Thorpe, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Surrey in Guildford, Surrey (England,) who conducts cosmetic surgery research.

“They want to look normal–that is, they don’t want to stand out in an obvious way or to have features which cause comments or make them feel self-conscious,” Thorpe says. “They also want their physical appearance to be more in line with their personalities and feel that they want all the bits of their bodies to match [apa.org.]”

Happiness Levels

Interestingly, what matters most with cosmetic surgery is how you feel about it. “In other words, people who are objectively more physically attractive are not more happy, on average… however, self-perceptions of physical attractiveness do relate strongly and positively to happiness [psychologytoday.com.]”

So, no matter how big your bias about how “attractive” you are, the good news is that all that really matters for your happiness is the feelings themselves. If you feel like you look great, for all intents and purposes you really do.

A Few Words of Warning

Expectations Matter

You have probably heard that you should not expect cosmetic surgery to “turn you into a new person” or “solve all your problems.” A representative review study confirms that if you have unrealistically high expectations about what cosmetic surgery will do for you, you are likely to be disappointed—and wind up less happy than you were to begin with.

On Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), first introduced into the lexicon in 1987, is condition primarily characterized by a fixation on an aspect of your appearance.

“People with BDD repeatedly change or examine the offending body part to the point that the obsession interferes with other aspects of their life. Several studies show that 7 to 12 percent of plastic surgery patients have some form of BDD. Plus, the majority of BDD patients who have cosmetic surgery do not experience improvement in their BDD symptoms, often asking for multiple procedures on the same or other body features [apa.org.]”

If you think you may have BDD, Take This Questionnaire.

Then, Find Help Here.

(via the Body Dysmorphic Association.)

Additional Benefits of Cosmetic Surgery

One recent study revealed a wide range of benefits to cosmetic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery may be able to help with:

• Anxiety
• Social phobia
• Depression
• Goal attainment
• Life satisfaction
• Mental and physical health
• Self-efficacy
• Self-esteem