What Are the Latest Advances in Plastic Surgery?

Plastic surgery, like everything else in life, is constantly evolving. Yet, there are those who avoid plastic surgery based on antiquated notions of what it is.

So if you’re interested in a procedure for yourself but are wondering about the latest advances in plastic surgery, we’ll take a look at how the face of the industry is changing. (No pun intended.)

Drainless Tummy Tuck

Once upon a time, getting a tummy tuck meant you were going to have to deal with the inconvenience of two or even three drains and their wires coming off your body post surgery. Yeah. Pretty draconian stuff.

Plus, there was always the possibility of bacteria entering through the portal entries of these drains and wires. Not anymore.

With the development of progressive tension sutures, surgeons now advance the skin flaps down toward the incision line so there’s no longer a fluid-gathering space that requires drains. Furthermore, the sutures create a much more aesthetic scar too.

Allergan

When an ophthalmologist in the 1990s discovered that treating people with a tight eyelid condition with Botox injections also smoothed wrinkles, Allergan Pharmaceuticals bought the medication and effectively entered the aesthetics game.

Over the course of the next several decades, they grew into a company that now makes treatments including “medical aesthetics”.

Today, Allergan breast implants are among the most popular for their round implants that deliver a fuller look. They also make tissue expanders to be used in reconstructive breast surgery.

Sciton Laser

In the past, resurfacing the skin involved CO2 lasers and intense heat that could cause pigmented lesions and scarring to those with pigment-elevated skin types. As such, those with darker pigmentation found it difficult to get effective treatment for conditions such as wrinkles, dyschromia, hyper-pigmentation, and pigmented lesions.

But Sciton lasers use halo technology for laser resurfacing. An ablative laser targets very small pathways in the skin while leaving the area around it untouched. Meanwhile, a non-ablative laser drills little thermal holes into the skin. Recognizing these as injuries, the skin is triggered into elastin and collagen production.

Halo not only smooths out wrinkles, but it’s key in the prevention of future wrinkles. And since it doesn’t generate the same level of heat, it is effective on darker skin types.

Emsculpt

Wouldn’t it be great if you could get an intense workout while relaxing? It might sound too good to be true, but one of the greatest technological advances in the field of aesthetics is Emsculpt.

You simply relax back onto a table while a small device is strapped over the area you’re targeting. Meanwhile, you’re given guidance on ways to breathe and relax through the session.

As power from the device slowly increases, your muscles begin to contract, creating an intense vibration. After a few contractions, the machine switches over to a tapping action. This helps to break down the lactic acid your muscles produced during the contractions.

At the end of 30 minutes, you’re done. You’ll probably feel it the next day in the same way you would an intense workout. Within two to six weeks after the last session, you’ll see a difference.

Exparel

We all know by now how well narcotics help patients manage pain. But they also have side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, constipation and nausea. Then there’s also the serious risk of addiction – as is evidenced by the current opioid epidemic.

Thus, responsible plastic surgeons have turned to Exparel as a long-lasting extended release anesthetic to ease the pain during early recovery.

It’s similar to getting a shot at the dentist to numb the pain. Exparel is administered at the end of the surgery before the patient is awakened. It’s either done prior to closure by the surgeon by direct injection into the nerves behind the muscle, or by the anesthesiologist by way of TAP lock after closure. It simply blocks the nerves of the area during the procedure to create numbness.

And it continues to provide pain control for up to three days. No, it doesn’t eliminate the pain during recovery, but it reduces the need for narcotics by about 2/3.

So Many Advances in Plastic Surgery

Of course, the above advances in plastic surgery are just the tip of the iceberg. Plastic surgeons continue to be educated in new procedures such as power assisted liposuction and surgical procedures that incorporate no-touch techniques.

So if you’re feeling more confident about getting a desired procedure, contact us today. There’s no commitment. You’ll just start with a free consultation to help ease you into the idea.

Then from there, the choice is yours.