What are the most common plastic surgical procedures?

Statistics show that cosmetic surgeries are on the rise;  the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that there were 13.8 million cosmetic procedures performed in the United States in 2011, an increase of 5% over 2010.

Surgical procedures:

Breast augmentation has been the top cosmetic surgical procedure since 2006, at 307 thousand (up 4%).

Rhinoplasty is number two, at 244 thousand.
Liposuction was up 1% at 205 thousand.
Eyelid lift - 196 thousand.
Facelift - 116 thousand.

Non-surgical procedures (up 6%):

Botox is still the most common non-surgical procedure, 5.7 million procedures, up 5%.

Then fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm, 1.9 million.
Chemical peels – 1.1 million
Laser hair removal and microdermabrasion are 4th and 5th.

The top 5 in men:

Rhinoplasty

Eyelid lift
Liposuction
Male breast reduction (gynecomastia surgery)
Facelift

Top 5 in women: 
 

Breast augmentation

Rhinoplasty
Liposuction
Eyelid lift
Tummy tuck
 
There seems to be a new trend though that might be of interest:

The biggest increase in plastic surgery is now chin augmentation, up 71% over last year.

Lip augmentation is also up significantly, 49%.
Buttock implants and/or lift up 40%.

For more information go to: www.diehlplasticsurgery.com

What is the recovery for Breast Augmentation?

Most of my patients want to know about their recovery.

While it is nice to try get back to your normal activities as soon as possible, it is also nice to treat yourself to a few days off to recover more comfortably.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you should not necessarily rush your recovery process.

Breast Augmentation is a safe procedure with a fairly simple recovery.  Dr. Diehl’s patients go home approximately one hour after surgery, and can go back to their simple routine later that night.  There is some discomfort after breast augmentation surgery, and patients go home with pain medicine.  Dr. Diehl’s patients usually rest at home for the weekend and are back to work Monday morning.  You can expect to resume mild exercise in 10 days.    

Here is an approximate timeline of the Breast Augmentation recovery process:

Day of surgery:  Rest is recommended with an hourly walk around the house to keep the circulation moving.

Day after surgery:  Your breasts feel much better, and you can begin to get back to normal routines around the house.   

 
First week:  There is swelling and soreness in your breasts, so movements of the upper body should be limited.  If your job does not require lifting, then you can be back at work.

Week two:  The swelling is still present but should begin to diminish.  The tightness of the swelling has gone down and your breasts feel much more natural. 

 

Week three:  The shape of your breasts should look more natural and are “bikini ready”.  Light running may resume.  Lower body and core gym activities may resume.

Week four:  You breast implants have settled in.  Regular gym activities may resume.

 

For more information visit: http://www.diehlplasticsurgery.com

 

 

 

 

“Board Certified in Plastic Surgery” vs. “Board Certified in Cosmetic Surgery”, what is the difference?

The term “Board Certification” is confusing, and not all board certifications are the same but if you are choosing a plastic surgeon, knowing which Board Certification he or she has is very important.

Cosmetic surgery has become so popular that many non-plastic surgeons are performing cosmetic surgery, such as obstetricians, dermatologists, general surgeons and dentists with maxillofacial backgrounds.   To be able to be considered “Board Certified”, these physicians created the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) in 1982.  This board certification has less training requirements than the American Board of Plastic Surgeons.

Plastic surgeons are boarded by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS).  This means that they have undergone the most extensive training and have proven themselves after two additional years in practice by taking a comprehensive written and oral examination.  The ABPS was established in 1931 and has the largest membership of over 7,000.

The American Board of Plastic Surgeons requires at least two years of plastic surgical training after general surgery training, or three years of plastic surgical training after ENT training.  Then there are two additional years of practice which is analyzed for proof of ongoing expertise in plastic surgery.

Cosmetic surgeons (who are not plastic surgeons) are NOT recognized by the ABMS, and do not have the same training requirements..  If a surgeon uses the term "cosmetic surgeon" or "aesthetic surgeon", they are likely not a plastic surgeon.

The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery requires only one year of cosmetic fellowship.  It requires no prerequisite training in plastic surgery.  This fellowship is undertaken without the benefit of the two to three years of plastic surgical training.  Dermatologists, General Surgeons, Obsteticians, Ophthalmologists, ENT, and Dentists with maxillofacial training may be boarded in cosmetic surgery within one year of their training.  There is also a provision for this board certification without the cosmetic fellowship at all, if the surgeon submits enough cosmetic surgical cases to pass the exams.

          
To verify a physician's board status, contact the American Board of Plastic Surgery at (215) 587-9322. You may also contact the American Board of Medical Specialties at (800) 776-2378 or www.abms.com.

Or, just look for the symbol shown above;  this symbol indicates Board Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr.Gregory Diehl is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon specializing in Plastic Surgery, located in Port Jefferson Station, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York.

For more information visit: http://www.diehlplasticsurgery.com