For better or worse, most people in modern society care about their appearance.  An unsatisfactory appearance, which can be determined by any of a variety of factors, is liable to result in at least a small degree of social and other consequences, and the effects can often be devastating.

Genetics and aging are the two main factors factors which affect human aesthetics.  When it comes to genetics, of course, different people have different experiences.  Everyone has their own unique features, and this in itself may be cause for concern for some individuals.  Heredity determines the appearance of both the face and body.  Although many people may believe that body shape can be accurately controlled through diet and exercise, the fact is that some people accumulate more fat in some areas than others.  In other words, even with a healthy diet and rigorous, targeted exercise, many people find it hard to eliminate fat deposits from particular areas; most frequently among these are the abdomen, thighs, and below the chin.  Aging, of course, leaves its mark on everyone without exception.

In some cases, cosmetic surgery is the only option.  This isn’t as bad a situation as it may seem, though, as cosmetic surgery is actually very widely practiced, and continues to become more common as methods and technologies continue to move forward.  Virtually all aesthetic issues can be addressed thanks to cosmetic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery has actually existed for more than 4 millennia.  It is thought to have first been developed in India in approximately 2000 BC.  It wasn’t until the advent of the Hollywood film industry, though, that cosmetic surgery became truly popular among people of all walks of life; as today, many celebrities achieved their “sculpted” features at least partially through cosmetic surgery.  Now, a wide variety of procedures are available to the public, and are affordable enough that millions of people have undergone cosmetic surgery in recent years.

In the United States alone, in the year 2008, according to data provided by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, over 1,700,000 cosmetic surgical procedures were performed.  90 percent of recipients were female, but the proportion of men receiving cosmetic surgical procedures continues to increase year by year as well, perhaps as stigmas involved become less pronounced and men are now expected to take care of their looks as well. The most popular cosmetic procedures are breast enhancement, liposuction, blepharoplasty, which is cosmetic surgery for the eyelids, abdominoplasty (also called the “tummy tuck”), and breast reduction, while the most popular procedures for men are liposuction, rhinoplasty, which is cosmetic surgery for the nose, blepharoplasty, gynecomastia, or male breast reduction surgery, and hair transplantation.

In terms of age, the group most likely to undergo cosmetic surgery are people aged 35-50; this suggests that aging is the biggest factor which leads to people taking an interest in cosmetic surgery, perhaps because genetics or features present from birth are usually addressed at a younger age.  Over 70% of people say that they are not ashamed to say that they have received a cosmetic surgical procedure, which indicates that cosmetic surgery is a socially accepted practice.

Cosmetic surgical procedures themselves take varying amounts of time.  By the same token, the period of time needed in order to achieve full recovery from a given operation corresponds to the extensiveness of the procedure itself; some operations may require as little as two weeks of rest before the patient can resume his or her daily activities, while some procedures require months of recovery time.  During the recovery period, it is crucial that the patient adheres to the instructions detailed by the surgeon in terms of how to treat the area (which may involve using dressings, compression garments, ointments and so on), what kind of activities to avoid (for example, strenuous physical activity usually has to be avoided for at least two weeks), clothing-related issues (loose-fitting clothing is almost always recommended following any type of surgery; after a face lift, the patient should wear button-down shirts because t-shirts and sweatshirts need to be pulled over the face when worn and can cause irritation to the recovering face when being put on), and dietary and similar considerations (smoking, for example, must be ceased following any type of surgery).

Any type of surgery involves some chance of complications.  Any procedure involving the use of incisions will cause scarring, which becomes more difficult to see over time, but may leave permanent marks.  Swelling may remain in the short term, but swelling or irritation that remains or worsens past the period indicated by the surgeon indicates a problem.  Some individuals will experience an allergic reaction to anaesthetic, which is used in virtually all surgical procedures.  Individuals with certain medical conditions, such as cardiovascular problems, may not be eligible for cosmetic surgery.  Consult with a physician in order to find out if cosmetic surgery is a good option for you.