Technically known as “augmentation mammoplasty,” breast augmentation is designed to surgically enhance breast size with breast implants. It can correct a reduction in breast volume after pregnancy, help balance a difference in size, or implemented as a reconstructive technique following breast surgery. Breast augmentation is usually performed using saline-filled breast implants, but consult with your doctor regarding the use of silicone implants as recently approved by the FDA in 2005.
Technology
To hide scarring, the surgeon can insert implants through an incision in the armpit, through the areola or where the bottom of the breast meets the chest. Some surgeons use a technique known as Transumbilical Breast Augmentation (TUBA), in which implants are inserted through the belly button via an endoscope.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 2,500 - 3,000
Facelift Surgery (Rhytidectomy)
Improves sagging facial skin, a slack jaw, and loose neck skin by removing excess fat, tightening muscles, and redraping skin. Most patients who desire a facelift are men and women over 40 years old, seeking to remove the most visible signs of aging.
Technology
(Placement of the incisions and the sequence of events depend on a patient’s facial structure and the surgeon’s technique) Generally, incisions begin above the hairline at the temples, extending in a natural line in front of the ear, and continues behind the earlobe to the lower scalp. The surgeon separates the skin from the fat and muscle below, trimming or suctioning fat from around the neck to improve the contour. He or she then tightens the underlying muscle and membrane, pulling the skin back, and then removes the excess.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 3,000 - 4,000
Liposuction - (Suction Lipectomy or Lipoplasty)
Removes stubborn fat deposits from the body that are resistant to diet and exercise with a tube and vacuum device. Liposuction can be performed either using the tumescent technique or through ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL). Common locations for liposuction include the chin, cheeks, neck, upper arms, above breasts, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, and ankles.
Technology
The surgeon makes small incisions in the skin near fatty areas and inserts a long, hollow tube (known as a cannula) which vacuums out fatty tissues. Using the tumescent technique, targeted fat cells are infused with saline containing solution with a local anesthetic before the procedure to reduce post-operative bruising and swelling. Using UAL, an ultrasound probe is inserted under the skin to “liquify” the fat before it is suctioned out.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 2,000.00 - 4,000.00
Tummy Tuck - (Abdominoplasty)
“Abdominoplasty,” or a tummy tuck, is a surgical procedure designed to flatten the abdomen by removing excess skin and fat, tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall. Tummy tucks can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen.
Technology
Most commonly, a surgeon will make a long incision across the hipbone directly above the pubic area, with a second incision following to free the navel from surrounding tissue. The surgeon will separate the skin from the abdominal wall up to the ribs, lifting a large skin flap to reveal the vertical muscles in the abdomen. He or she will eventually tighten the muscles by pulling them close together and stitching them into their new position. Some patients qualify for a “minimum” tummy tuck, if most of their fat is carried below their navel. This is considered a less complex procedure.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 3,000 - 4,000
Nose Surgery - (Rhinoplasty)
Reshapes the nose by reducing or increasing size, removing bump, narrowing span of the nostrils, changing the angle between the nose and upper lip, or changing the shape of tip or bridge. Rhinoplasty may help to relieve breathing problems (in which case it may be covered by insurance).
Technology
The skin of the nose is separated from its supporting framework of bone and cartilage, which the surgeon then sculpts to the desired shape. The nature of the sculpting will depend on your problem and your surgeon’s preferred technique. The skin is then redraped over the new framework. Most surgeons place stitches inside the nose.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 700 - 1,000
Eyelid Surgery - (Blepharoplasty)
Corrects sagging, puffy or drooping eyelids, as well as bags and bulges above and below the eyes. The condition is caused when fat forces its way through layers of muscles. If surgery is used to correct visual field defects, upper-eyelid surgery may be covered by medical insurance.
Technology
Drooping eyelids are corrected by incising a flap of skin just above the eyelid and removing excess skin and fat. For lower eyelid surgery, the incision to remove fat is hidden just under the lower lashes. However, blepharoplasty won’t remove crow’s feet and other wrinkles, or eliminate dark circles under the eyes. A surgeon may also use Transconjunctival blepharoplasty, another technique to remove excess under-eye fat; using tiny forceps by making an incision just inside the lower eyelid, in the pink area known as the conjunctival tissue.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 700 – 1,400
Breast Reduction - (Reduction Mammoplasty)
Removes fat, glandular tissue, and skin from the breasts, making them smaller, lighter, and firmer. Breast reduction can also reduce the size of the areola – the darker skin surrounding the nipple. The goal of this procedure is to give patient smaller breasts that are in proportion with the rest of her body. Breast reduction is usually performed for physical relief versus cosmetic improvement.
Technology
Although techniques vary, the most common procedure involves an anchor-shaped incision that circles the areola, which extends downward, and follows the natural curve of the crease beneath the breast. After the surgeon removes excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin, moving the nipple and areola to their new position, he or she then brings the skin from both sides of the breast down and around the areola, shaping the new contour of the breast.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 3,000 - 3,500
Male Breast Reduction - (Gynecomastia Correction)
Reduces abnormally-enlarged, female-like breasts in men through the procedure of liposuction and/or cutting out excess glandular tissue.
Technology
An incision is made in the areola, the dark area surrounding the nipple, or in the armpit. Fat and glandular tissue are removed to create a chest that is flatter and firmer, contributing to a more masculine contour. Liposuction may be performed in conjunction with male breast reduction.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 3,500 - 4,000
Ear Pinning Surgery - (Otoplasty)
Reduces the size of large ears or sets prominent ears back closer to the head. Ear surgery is commonly done on children between ages 4 and 14 years old.
Technology
The type of incisions used for ear surgery will depend on the problem, and even when only one ear appears to protrude, surgery is usually performed on both ears for a better balance. For one of the common techniques, a surgeon makes a small incision in the back of the ear to expose cartilage, then sculpts the cartilage, bending it back toward the head; occasionally removing a larger piece of cartilage to provide a more natural-looking fold. Another technique involves a similar incision in the back of the ear, skin removal, and stitches used to fold the cartilage back on itself to reshape the ear without removing cartilage.
Average cost of the surgery: US$ 1,000 - 2,000
