Facial plastic surgery can profoundly affect how people think and relate to the world. While the procedure can completely change a person’s appearance, it also goes beyond rejuvenating and renewing appearance, giving people more confidence. Throughout the years, plastic surgery has become an evolutionary phenomenon known as “facial profiling” that has helped many people achieve a subtle or dramatic alteration of their faces.
Whatever the case is, people, undergo plastic surgery for several reasons. Some procedures are performed to remedy scarring or disfigurements, while other procedures are elective cosmetic enhancements. In fact, some people opt for a facial makeover when issues with appearance impact relationships or work opportunities.
Why Consider A Facial Plastic Surgery?
As part of otolaryngology, facial plastic surgery is divided into two categories, which are reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries. In addition, otolaryngologists or ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists diagnose and treat several conditions that involve the whole face, nose, lips, ears, and neck.
For reconstructive plastic surgery, patients can receive this treatment, especially those with birth defects affecting normal function, such as cleft lip and palate, birthmarks on the face, protruding ears, and a crooked smile. Aside from those, the surgery can also be performed with other conditions, such as the result of trauma, accidents, burns, or to correct previous surgery. In fact, some reconstructive procedures are required to treat existing diseases like skin cancer.
As another option, cosmetic facial plastic surgery is a surgery meant to enhance the visual appearance of facial features and structures. The most common cosmetic procedures are rhinoplasty, facelifts, facial implants, liposuction, and many more. Actually, ENT specialists are well trained to address all these problems.
What Changes Can Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery Bring?
Reconstructive Surgery
Reconstructive surgery helps improve the quality of life by repairing the function that has been affected as well as restoring a normal appearance. Patients can choose this surgery to correct fractures or lacerations caused by accidents, animal bites, athletic injury, and other forms of trauma. Many patients find facial reconstructive surgery to be their solution and source of relief in treating facial fractures.
Some major facial fractures can result in impaired vision, trouble breathing through the nose, airway obstruction, or painful chewing. Reconstructive surgery is then performed since facial bones and tissues tend to heal quickly. However, patients seeking reconstructive surgery should ensure that their surgeon is board-certified.
Cosmetic Surgery
For people who desire a long-lasting change in the shape of the face, cosmetic surgery remains the last resort. Below are non-surgical procedures and techniques that people may want to opt to:
- Botox. It can change someone’s face and has become increasingly popular in recent years. When the right cosmetic surgeon is administered, youthful changes to the jawline, mouth, cheeks, nose, and overall face shape are possible.
- Liquid fillers. Examples of liquid fillers are hyaluronic and silicon fillers, which are injected to sharpen the nose bridge and firm the jawline. For this reason, they add projection to the cheekbones, fill the under-eye hollows, and pad the temples.
- Facelifts. The procedure can pull loose skin taut since they remove jowls and make the bone structure more evident. Also, they can make the eyes appear wider and raise the brow.
- Skin Surface Procedures. These include lasers, chemical peels, or derma-abrasion to improve the skin’s smoothness.
- Orthodontics and veneers. They can alter a person’s bite, changing facial symmetry and profile.
On the other hand, surgical facial plastic treatments include:
- Rhinoplasty/Septoplasty. This involves surgery on the outside and inside the nose, in which cartilage and bone are rebuilt and reshaped to improve the function and appearance of the nose.
- Blepharoplasty. This is performed to improve the function of the upper and/or lower eyelids (like drooping eyelids) and/or the appearance of the eyes.
- Browlift. The surgery can help improve forehead wrinkles and droopy eyebrows.
- Rhytidectomy. A skin surgery on the face and neck to tighten the skin and remove excess wrinkles
- Liposuction. This surgery can remove excess fat in the neck or under the chin.
- Facial Implants. Facial implants can address certain structures of the face like cheeks, chin, and lips to be more well-defined and prominent.
- Otoplasty. This surgery is performed to reshape the ears’ cartilage to protrude less.
How To Get The Best Results Of Facial Plastic Surgery?
While a lot of myths exist about plastic surgery, below are some myth busters and tips for getting the best out of plastic surgery:
- Opt for a subtle change. Drastic change may look unnatural.
- Consider the face as a whole. The individual features (eyes/nose/lips/complexion) can add to the overall look. However, improving a single feature will not change the face a lot.
- Choose temporary procedures and make a few changes at a time. If happy with the results, go for more but must set a proper expectation on what to anticipate.
- Have realistic expectations. While pictures of movie stars have become the standard of beauty, they are edited with Photoshop to make them look perfect. They do not exist in nature and are sometimes done with special makeup.
- Perfect symmetry is neither possible nor desirable. Slight asymmetry is natural. Only gross asymmetry is worth treating.
- Clarify expectations with a doctor. Expect improvement with plastic surgery and treatments, but there is no guarantee of a particular result or perfection. Be wary of anyone who offers guarantees.
- Tissues have limitations. While every person has unique tissue characteristics, results may still vary even if the same surgery is performed on two different people. Plastic surgery cannot create a particular face from the catalog.
- It has limitations. It’s best to listen to the plastic surgeons since not all things can be achieved.
- A surgeon can say “No” to a surgery. While surgeries aren’t for all, some people are not ready to take no for an answer from the surgeon. As mentioned, it’s best to listen to the surgeon to prevent quacks and getting cheated by other doctors.
- Risk-benefit ratio. To make the procedure worthwhile, consider the risks and benefits. It’s better to discuss with a doctor what can go wrong.
- Consider the cost-benefit ratio. Always consider whether the cost of treatment is worth the result. This is because sometimes the treatment can be expensive but may only give a subtle result.
- Do not go for unproven procedures. Not all technologies, latest or not, are proven and safe. So, opt for treatments that have withstood the test of time.
- Do not believe everything in the media.
- Choose the right doctor. Make sure to check the qualification and credentials of the doctor since this is the most critical thing to do. In fact, asking for before and after pictures of similar cases is suggested.
- Take responsibility for the decision. Choose the right doctor, and ask many questions before making an informed decision about the surgery.
The Bottom Line
Whatever the motivation behind plastic surgery, the goal is always the same: to look good or optimize the value of surgery to regain its function or repair its appearance. Cache Valley Ear, Nose & Throat provides reconstructive and cosmetic facial plastic surgery. They provide reconstructive options for facial defects caused by congenital deformities, cancer, and trauma and also offer cosmetic procedures to enhance the patients’ cosmetic appearance and aesthetic features.
