Most Common Plastic Surgeries – How They Work and What They Cost

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.

Here are the three most popular procedures, based on the number performed each year.

Cosmetic surgery, also referred to as plastic surgery, has become extremely popular in the United States. There are several reasons for this growth, ranging from social pressure to increased marketing by surgeons.

But it’s beyond the scope of this article to pass judgment for or against these procedures, or to speculate on the reasons for their popularity. Instead, I will list the three most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in the U.S., explain how they work, and give you an idea of what they cost. So here they are in no particular order.

Rhinoplasty

The Process – A quick lesson in word origin. "Rhino" comes from the Greek word for nose. "Plasty" refers to the act of molding or shaping something. Combine them and you have a process that reshapes the nose, commonly referred to as the nose job. To perform this procedure, the surgeon will make a small incision below the nose and extending into the nostrils. Through this, the surgeon can access (and reshape) certain areas of cartilage within the nose.

The Popularity – The nose job is a very popular form of cosmetic surgery in the U.S. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there were nearly 285,000 performed in 2007.

The Cost – As with most 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 rhinoplasty was around $6,000, but could run as high as $12,000 in places with higher demand (think Beverly Hills and Los Angeles).

Breast Augmentation

The Process – Commonly referred to as the "boob job," breast augmentation is a straightforward procedure that uses synthetic implants to increase a woman’s breast size. The two types of implants currently being used in the U.S. are saline and silicon. Saline implants are regarded as the safer option of the two, while silicon implants are said to feel more natural.

 
The Popularity – According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there were roughly 212,000 breast augmentation procedures in 2000. Seven years later, in 2007, there were more than 347,000 of these surgeries performed. This is one of the fastest growing of all cosmetic surgeries.

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 cost 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.

Liposuction

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 cosmetic 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.

Conclusion and Cautionary Statement

This article is not meant to trivialize plastic surgery, but only to chronicle its rising popularity within the United States. All surgeries have risks associated with them, and the items on this list are no different. Always do plenty of research and ask plenty of questions before making a decision about cosmetic or any other form of surgery.

Alternative Medicine: For Breast Augmentation
In particular, The Swan Center for Plastic Surgery founder, Dr. Joseph Bauer participated in Ms. Trevelino’s review and commented on the increase in breast augmentation procedures

Beverly Hills breast augmentation
Many people are not aware of the Beverly Hills breast augmentation and hence they are much worried about the operation. The fact is that the process of operation is very simple and hence I would recommend you to undertake this surgery.

Breast Augmentation Statistics
This blog is about breast implants, especially breast implant sizing, and breast augmentation. We also feature reviews of celebrity breasts including both with and without breast implants.

Breast Enlargement Implant Dangers
Occasionally, breast implants may break or leak. The saline fill is salt water and will be absorbed by the body without ill effects. Older implants with silicone gel can leak also.

* Source used for statistical data: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, data compiled between 2000 and 2007.

Brandon Cornett is the publisher of My Outer Self, a website offering unbiased information Beverly Hills rhinoplasty and other types of plastic surgery. Learn more by visiting the author’s informative blog at this blog.

By Brandon Cornett
Published: 8/6/2008 

Tags: augmentation, breast, enlarged, enlargement, gel, implants, male, men, new york city, reduction, saline, silicone, surgeon, surgeons, surgery

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 at 12:10 pm and is filed under Breast Augmentation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.