The Truth About Cosmetic Surgery Abroad

If you're unhappy with any aspect of your personal appearance, there are many types of cosmetic surgery that can correct signs of aging, unsightly dental defects, or "body work" that can make all the difference in your emotional self-esteem.

The stereotype of having cosmetic surgery abroad that existed a half-century ago is now something we find more than a little silly! The old stories about aging movie stars who sneak off to Switzerland to have face lifts may once have been true.

Yet today, having cosmetic surgery abroad is not only de-stigmatized, but is openly promoted. Since American insurance companies and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) will not cover elective cosmetic procedures, it is financially prudent to have your surgery abroad in a fully accredited medical center staffed with board-certified surgeons who maintain an outstanding standard of care that is comparable to any major medical facility in the United States.

If you elect to have cosmetic surgery abroad, distinguished medical facilities perform many kinds of procedures including dental correction and lasik eye surgery.

One of the most popular cosmetic procedures is blepharoplasty; this is eyelid surgery that is designed to remove the excess skin, fat and drooping muscles around your upper and lower eyelids.

This condition is often referred to as "hooded eyes" and can make you appear constantly fatigued or older than you really are. Having this type of cosmetic surgery abroad is completely safe and effective when performed at a state-of-the-art medical center with a board-certified surgeon.

Another very popular type of cosmetic surgery abroad is abdominoplasty; this procedure is commonly known as a "tummy tuck." It removes excess skin and fat in your abdomen that can occur after pregnancy, after a substantial weight loss, or upon aging.

This is not a simple procedure and should never be performed by an unqualified surgeon or at a sub-standard foreign medical center. When you have this type of cosmetic surgery abroad at a top-quality facility, you can be assured of only the best surgical and follow-up nursing care.

Breast augmentation is one of the most common types of cosmetic surgery. Although it is widely performed in the United States, it is not covered by insurance companies or HMOs since it is an elective surgery. Having breast augmentation at a high-quality foreign medical facility is much less expensive than having the procedure done in America.

Our high cost of living is what drives the price of breast augmentation and other surgeries so very high. Having this cosmetic surgery abroad is very affordable since the local cost of living is lower and there is no tax involved.

There are many excellent reasons why you should choose to have your cosmetic surgery abroad; the most essential detail of your surgery depends upon doing your homework about the accreditation of the foreign medical facility and the qualifications of the medical staff.

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Using Botox For a Chemical Brow Lift

Botox is now the most well known injectable cosmetic facial treatment and is phenomenally effective at reducing undesired lines of facial expression, particularly in the forehead and eye area. The temporary paralysis effect of Botox works by reducing muscle pull on the overlying skin. Since lines and wrinkles form on the face from the pull of muscle that runs perpendicular to the line or wrinkle, this provides a strategy for where to place Botox injections. In the glabellar frown wrinkles (the now famous number 11s!), which are the number one facial area for Botox injections and the facial area from which the initial clinical studies for FDA approval were done, injection into the brow depressors (corrugator and procerus msucles are the main ones) is an effective approach.

Coincidentally, and with a simultaneous positive cosmetic result, paralysis of the brow depressors leaves the brow elevator muscles unopposed. In so doing, a minor brow lift is obtained in many patients. As the eyebrows are elevated by the vertical-running frontalis muscle, the lack of any down pull by the depressors allows this muscle to raise the eyebrows to some degree. Multiple clinical studies have shown that modest brow elevation occurs in the range of 1 to 3mms. This may sound like a modest amount, but in the face this can be a make a real observable difference.

Brow elevation with Botox can be done for the inner brow, outer brow, or both. It all depends on where one places the injections. As the most common area for Botox injections is in the glabellar area, only an inner brow lift will result. To create a more complete eyebrow lift, the outer brow depressors must be paralyzed as well. This means injecting out on the side of the brow to weaken the downward pull of the orbicularis oculi muscle. Injecting both inner and outer brows can create a 'chemical' brow lift which appears within seven days after the injections. You can see that an artistic eye in conjunction with the patient's input, is key in getting a result that the patient sees as both desireable and pleasing.

I have found that brow lifting with Botox works best in female patients who do not have thick forehead skin or heavy brow tissue. It seems to be less effective in males although this probably dose-related as it is well known that larger muscles needs higher doses of Botox to be effective. While Botox only lasts 4 months or so, their non-surgical aesthetic benefits are worth it for many patients.

Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com