The majority of all procedures, classified as ?cosmetic surgery? are not eligible for insurance reimbursement. However, many surgeons now offer an affordable payment plan for prospective patients, on a budget.



Plastic surgery, in some capacity, has been around for centuries. The word plastic is derived from the Greek word ?plastikos?, which means able to be shaped or molded. There are two types of plastic surgery, cosmetic and reconstructive.

In fact, the first plastic surgery was said to be nasal reconstruction surgery, which was referenced in Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Moving forward to 1898, Jacques Joseph (known as the Father of Rhinoplasty) preformed his first cosmetic surgery on a boy with overly large ears. Plastic surgery, as we know it today, evolved from reconstructive surgery that was a necessity during World War I.

There are many different types of plastic surgery, available today. These include but are by no means limited to: breast augmentation or reduction, brow lifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction, tummy tucks. Botox is also considered a form of plastic surgery.

Breast augmentation involves placing an implant into each breast, making them larger. Many women, who have experienced a loss in breast tissue, due to pregnancy, weight loss or aging, opt for this type of plastic surgery.

Although, there has been controversy regarding the safety of breast implants in the past, both the saline and silicone versions undergo constant scrutiny and improvement. As with any surgery there is always a slight chance of risk. However, as long as recovery instructions are followed most women do not experience anything other than the expected discomfort from surgery.

A brow lift, also referred to as a temporal lift or endrobrow lift, is a procedure that is becoming increasingly popular. It smoothes out forehead winkles and lifts the sagging brow back to its natural position. This surgery eliminates the constant ?I'm tired? look that many individuals experience.

This surgery is often performed in conjunction with a facelift or nose reconstruction. It involves maneuvering and/or removing muscle and skin on the forehead, which are causing wrinkles.

As a rule, a single incision is made starting at ear level? up and following the hairline and then back down to the other ear. This way, scarring will be virtually unnoticeable.

Some surgeons will require patients, who have long hair, trim it before the procedure. This will make it easier for them to perform the actual surgery.

Liposuction is simply the removal of fatty deposits (by way of vacuum tube), located under the skin. The original procedure was developed, in 1974, by Italian gynecologist Giorgio Fischer.

By 1985, after much research and countless surgical improvements the tumescent liposuction technique was developed. This allowed patients to undergo the procedure with the use of local anesthesia and a smaller vacuum tube, which greatly eliminated the fear and possibility of excessive bleeding and unsightly skin depressions.

Today, liposuction can be performed under general anesthesia, IV sedation or the above-mentioned local anesthesia.

Abdominoplasty commonly referred to as a ?tummy tuck? removes excess fat and skin from the abdomen. This procedure repairs and restores weakened and separated muscles, resulting in a much firmer (not to mention a smoother) stomach.

As with liposuction, there is a choice of anesthesia. This is a decision the plastic surgeon always assists the patient in making.

During tummy tuck surgery, a horizontal incision is made between the vaginal hairline and the navel. The link of this cut depends on the amount of tissue that will be removed. In many cases, a second incision, around the navel is also necessary. This makes it easier for the surgeon to remove excess skin located in the upper abdomen.

Recovery time for a tummy tuck normally takes about two weeks. Prior to that abdominal swelling and the inability to stand up straight is common and should not be a cause of undue concern.

Obviously, plastic surgery is not the answer for everyone. But, for countless individuals who have made this choice, they will tell you that they made the right one. That decision is reaffirmed every time they look in the mirror.