Plastic Surgery - Do Not Believe the Hype

When is a beautiful model in a publication not really a beautiful model? When someone has played funny with the image!

You read magazines. I read magazines. We all read magazines. We all think the same thing: My God, there are some beautiful people in the world. Or are there?

Of course, there are incredibly beautiful people in the world. The uber couple of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are just one example. Many of the photographs you see in magazines, however, are not exactly accurate. This is also true for the Internet.

The massive improvements in software over the last 10 years have led to some interesting developments. In this case, we are talking about digital editing software. Editing software is all about touching up photographs. Prior to the digital revolution, this meant images would get small changes to correct minor imperfections. In the digital age, it is fairly shocking models are actually employed any longer.

Using basic desktop programs such as Adobe Photoshop, one can mold a body into practically anything you want. Hair can be made longer, shorter or a different color. Noses can be made bigger, smaller, wider, darker or lighter. Prefer the model to look insanely thin? Just start pointing and clicking. The same goes for any part of the body. If a photograph does not have the correct lighting for a magazine cover, it can be corrected using software.

Is there anything wrong with this? Yes and no. On one hand, there is not law against touching up photographs to fit a marketing position nor should there be. There is, however, an indirect downside. Many people view these images as a goal for their personal appearance.

When considering plastic surgery, you must be objective about the potential results. It is highly unlikely you are going to look like the model in your favorite image. Heck, the model did not even look like that until undergoing a bit of editing! Plastic surgery has come a long way, but it has its limits.

Plastic surgery is designed to enhance your personal appearance. That being said, it is important that you have reasonable expectations. Forget the images in magazines. Sit down with your plastic surgeon and get an opinion from them regarding what you can expect in regard to results. If those results sound attractive, go ahead. If they don't sound like enough of an improvement, then surgery probably is not a good option.

Types of Plastic Surgery Procedures

There are many different plastic surgery procedures available to those who would like to alter certain aspects of their bodies. Plastic surgery has been around in some form or another for many years, but has only been in extensive use in the 20th and 21st century. The top three cosmetic surgical procedures in 2004 Liposuction (325,000); nose reshaping (305,000); and breast augmentation (264,000. In addition to these procedures there are many other options for other areas of the body. In this article I plan to explore some of those cosmetic surgery options and give background information on those procedures as well. These numbers clearly show an increasing trend to have cosmetic surgery procedures performed for aesthetic, as well as reconstructive reasons.

We'll start by exploring the number one plastic surgery procedure, Liposuction. In the last year alone, 325,000 Liposuction procedures were performed on both men and women of all ages and race. Liposuction is a procedure that can help to sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, cheeks, neck, chin and upper arms. Liposuction is not a substitute for regular good diet practices or exercise but rather a further refinement in addition to diet and exercise. Recently a number of new techniques in liposuction have been developed, including the ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL), the tumescent technique, and the super-wet technique. These new procedures are helping many plastic surgeons to provide their patients with more precise results and quicker recovery times. Not all patients will be able to use the newest techniques but your doctor can discuss which techniques are the best for you based upon your medical history and various other factors.

Liposuction is best performed on Normal weight individuals with firm, elastic skin who have excess fat in certain areas of their body. Liposuction carries a greater risk for people with medical problems such as poor circulation, severe lung or heart disease, diabetes, as well as some other conditions not listed. It is always best to let your doctor know your full medical history so that he can accurately assess the correct procedures for your body as well as safely and effectively treat you. In your first consultation, your plastic surgeon will most likely evaluate your health, determine where your fat deposits lie and the elasticity of your skin, and develop a plan that is right for you and your body.

Rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping, is another commonly performed technique in which the nose is reshaped, altered, or straightened for both reconstructive and aesthetic reasons. This procedure is often used to correct breathing problems in the nasal region as well. There are two options for the incision in this type of plastic surgery, There is open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty. Open rhinoplasty is performed by making a small incision across the columella, between the nostrils, in addition to incisions on the inside of your nose. This surgery is often performed in the most complicated cases. In the case of closed rhinoplasty the incision is inside of the nose helping to promote a speedier recovery as well as reducing the amount of swelling. Rhinoplasty can change the shape of your nose by recontouring the underlying cartilage and bone into the desired shape. Plastic surgeons today have the ability to make your nose shorter, longer, thinner, and straighter. Most of the incision in nasal surgery are made internally so there is no visual scarring on the exterior nasal cavity. Healing times vary with the type of incision but healing from nasal plastic surgery generally occurs within a few weeks after surgery.

Breast Augmentation cosmetic surgery is another very popular procedure and one that has been widely publicized by women around the world. Breast augmentation is surgery to enhance the size or shape of a woman's breast for reconstructive or aesthetic reasons. Some of these reasons include, but are not limited to, enhancing the size of the breast for a woman who feels that hers are too small, correcting a difference in breast size, reconstructing the breast after surgery, and a reduced breast volume after pregnancy. Breast size can be increased during surgery by the insertion of an implant behind each breast and can effectively increase the bustline by a cup size or more.

Is a Facelift of Your Garage Important?

Most of us are confused over the issue that we must facelift our garage or not. Why should I facelift my garage? I only have to park my vehicle in it. But the truth is that the garage doors are at the front portion of your house and it decides the look of your house. If you have a generic garage door but the rest of the house is designed perfectly then the garage seems to be like the black spot on the whitish milk.

Gone are the days when we were compelled to use those generic garage doors. Times have changed and so the technology, nowadays you can use the designer garage doors for your home. These doors are designed to be mixed with your house exteriors. You may also opt for the wooden doors as they are very popular these days. Such attractive garage doors are easily available at the home improvement near to your place. All you have to do is to go there, select the best door and purchase it.

Most of us ignore the flooring of the garage but it is very important form the point of view of the interior designer as it beautifies your home or makes it a place with a horrible corner. You may use the new interlocking garage floor tiles available in different colors and various patterns to suit your needs. Such interlocking garage floor tiles are made up of polypropylene material that is easy to install and clean. Some people also like the amazing coin shaped G-flooring. It depends on you how to beautify your home and garage.

Greg Culver is the owner of www.homeandfamilyarena.com. For information and articles on your home and family go to: www.homeandfamilyarena.com