How Much Plastic Surgery is Too Much?
According to a report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were 17.1 million cosmetic plastic surgeries performed in 2016, a three percent increase from 2015. The top cosmetic surgical procedure was breast augmentation, which has remained in the number one spot since 2006. Along with breast augmentation, the top five procedures of 2016 included liposuction, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and facelift. As the number of people choosing plastic surgery every year rises, the question becomes, how much plastic surgery is too much?
THE REASONS BEHIND TOO MUCH PLASTIC SURGERY
It starts with one surgery. That surgery can either be very successful or it can result in a case that may end up on the reality show Botched. In both scenarios, patients can be tempted to have more work done, which can lead to too much plastic surgery.
When surgeries are successful, patients are happy with their appearance and have an improved self-image. The problem occurs, however, when they become hooked on compliments and praise that come from the results. Natalie Wilson, PhD, explains, “It makes us feel better and want that high again.” For example, a woman may go in for a tummy tuck after having kids. If she is happy with the results from this surgery, she may consider a breast lift, lip augmentation, or other procedures.
Furthermore, Wilson told WebMD stories of some practices that "up sell" procedures and offer credit plans while reducing prices for multiple procedures. She says, "Not all surgeons do that, and some turn people away. But that is how they make their money -- by doing surgery."
On the other hand, when a surgery turns into a bad experience, people often seek more surgeries to fix what went wrong. While plastic surgery disasters typically make for an attention grabbing TV show, these cases aren’t the norm. Instead, simple unmet expectations are much more common, says Cleveland Clinic plastic surgeon James Zins, MD. For example, your breasts aren’t quite as big as you imagined or your nose isn’t quite as symmetrical.
A third reason that can cause people to seek out too much plastic surgery is body dysmorphic disorder. According to the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery, body dysmorphic disorder has been defined as an obsession with a facial or body trait, a kind of exaggerated self-criticism. For example, one survey found that 75 percent of women between the ages of 18 to 35 considered themselves fat. In reality, only 25 percent were medically overweight. Studies have determined that up to 12 percent of all plastic surgery patients have this disorder.
Regardless of the reason, too much plastic surgery can cause both scar tissue and tissue that dies during the healing process to become unhealthy issues, according to WebMD.
SCARRING AFTER TOO MUCH PLASTIC SURGERY
Any plastic surgery that requires an incision will result in a scar where the incision was closed. Scars have been called the “necessary evil” of any invasive plastic surgery. But did you know that some scars can be worse than others?
Scars will generally appear somewhat flat with a pale white or pink color, and may fade with time. However, some scars can follow a deleterious path of healing, and may even worsen over time. These scars can be classified as either hypertrophic or keloidal. Both form due to an excess production of collagen during the wound healing process. Collagen is a protein that provides structural support to the wound and, along with several other components, seals the incision. When the body goes into overdrive and produces too much collagen, a raised, discolored scar may form.
If the raised scar stays within the boundaries of the initial incision, it is called a hypertrophic scar. On the other hand, if the scar grows past the original scar boundary, it is classified as a keloid. These scars may turn from red to brown and often have a lumpy appearance. Left untreated, keloid scars can continue to thicken and grow indefinitely. Skin with darker pigmentation is more prone to keloid formation.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT SCARRING AFTER TOO MUCH PLASTIC SURGERY
As mentioned above, scars are usually unavoidable after a surgery, especially in the case of too much plastic surgery. Fortunately, there are treatment options to minimize and even prevent scar formation. Clinical studies have shown that silicone gel and sheeting are considered the first-line therapy to manage and minimize scarring. In fact, silicone gel products are the only topical treatments recommended by the scar experts who create scar treatment guidelines for other doctors.
NewGel+ offers the widest variety of silicone scar treatment products available, ranging from silicone gel strips, sheets, shapes, and two tube sizes of topical silicone gel. All of these products have demonstrated to be a successful treatment for a variety of scar types, both old and new.
For instance, we understand that one size does not fit all, especially when it comes to facial scars. Covering scars after a facelift or nose reshaping can be challenging, which is why we have created shapes specifically designed for facial scars. Additionally, NewGel+ offers areola circles, lollypops, and anchors that are specially designed to meet the needs of any cosmetic breast surgery--augmentation, lift (mastopexy), or reduction mammoplasty.
Whether you’ve had one surgery or perhaps too much plastic surgery, NewGel+ has a product that will be the perfect fit for your unique scar needs. Find your perfect match by browsing our product collection now.
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