Almost everyone has concerns about some aspect of the appearance of their face.  Many people may not ever experience big problems with the rest of the body, like the neck, legs, or otherwise, or they may just feel that things like these are not that significant, because they’re hidden by their clothes, however, the face, as the most visible part on the individual’s body, is a source of worry for almost everyone.  Aesthetic concerns involving the face, naturally, don’t just come from aging; many individuals are born with aspects of their appearance with which they’re uncomfortable, whether or not they result in unpleasant attention.  Large or misshapen noses, excess fat, or gaunt cheeks or lips are among the most common aesthetic concerns people have.  Injury (especially to the nose), post-surgical scarring, and damage from sun exposure are some of the other factors that can negatively affect the aesthetic condition of the face.

Self-consciousness or other misgivings about the facial features can lead to further consequences.  A problem with self-confidence is often among these issues.  The individual’s social life is also liable to be negatively affected.  Aesthetic problems can even have an effect on an individual’s career prospects.

For these reasons and many others, a steadily growing number of people are undergoing face plastic surgery.  The figures referenced in this article are provided by the ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).

The face lift is perhaps the best known cosmetic surgical procedure for the face.  Over 132,000 face lift procedures were performed in the US in 2008.  A face lift primarily targets the skin and other underlying tissues of the face, which begin to lose their elasticity with time due to the depletion of some naturally occurring chemicals, which subsequently leads to loose, fatigued-looking skin.  Excess tissues are also sometimes removed during the face lift procedure, after which the remaining tissues are lifted and tightened.  Incisions are generally made in the natural folds of the skin, in areas like the skin behind the ear.  This means that the resulting scarring is hard to see from common angles.  For patients who are looking for more subtle corrections, more specialized alternatives to the face lift are available.  The upper, lower, and mid face lifts, among others, are some examples of this type of procedure.

Another well known form of cosmetic surgery for the face is surgical reshaping of the nose, also called rhinoplasty.  Rhinoplasties were performed over 152,000 times in 2008 in the US.  There are many reasons as to why a patient may desire a rhinoplasty: it could be for aesthetic reasons, including a reduction in the length or width of the nose, removing the hump from the upper bridge, changing the position of the nose or altering its angle, or repairing crookedness.  Also, rhino-plasty plastic surgery is also often performed on individuals who experience problems with breathing properly as a result of the shape of the nasal bones or tissues or the septum.

Blepharoplasty was carried out over 195,000 times in 2008 in the US.  Blepharoplasty is cosmetic surgery for the eyelids.  The eyelids play a major role in determining the general appearance of the face, and because of this they are thought of as a good area to look at for improvement.  Drooping or hollow eyelids and darkened bags below the eyelids, which occur in just about everyone sooner or later, are liable to make the individual look more tired than he or she actually is, and conversely, rejuvenated eyelids make the whole face appear more youthful.  Within the field of blepharoplasty, there are a number of approaches and possibilities in use.  One of them is lower eyelid surgery, which works against the appearance of bags below the eyelids, and upper eyelid surgery, which can tighten the upper eyelid and rejuvenate the appearance of the eye area, and/or correct issues with eyesight that result from drooping of the upper eyelid.  Asian blepharoplasty, which adds an additional fold in the upper eyelid for patients of Asian descent, is another very popular procedure.  All types of blepharoplasty usually involve only small incisions, which are made in the creases of the eyelids themselves, or on the lines of the eyelashes, leaving virtually no visible scarring.

 All types of surgery involve risks, and may not be advisable for individuals with certain allergies or other medical conditions.  Prospective patients must understand the realistic possibilities in terms of correction, and be prepared to observe a strict recovery regimen following the operation.  In order to determine whether facial cosmetic surgery is right for you, please consult with a surgeon.