Questions You've Always Had About Cosmetic Surgery

by Joanne Millares August 15, 2017 OMG

Is plastic surgery painful?

Not really. A tummy tuck is invasive surgery, but it is normally done under general anaesthetic so you don't feel anything. However, recovery can be slow.

On a smaller scale, lip treatments can smart because of the number of nerves around your mouth.

Anaesthetic cream dulls the sensation or a nerve block can numb the whole area.

If I have fat removed through liposuction, will it reappear elsewhere?

Liposuction completely removes fat cells from a specific area of the body. However, if you gain weight, fat cells in other parts of your body will expand. This means areas that are not normally fat, such as your wrists, may gain weight.

Is liposuction the best way to get rid of cellulite?

No. Sadly, there are no truly effective treatments for stretch marks or cellulite.

How many years can you take off your face without looking odd?

You will never look more than 15 years younger than you are, and even that is probably too much to ask. The best to hope for is that you look young for your age, not many years younger than you are.

Will I have to wear my hair over my ears to cover face-lift scars?

No. Most scars heal almost invisibly, but you could opt for keyhole surgery where the incision is made inside your ear.

How long does it take to get over cosmetic surgery?

There is a difference between being back on your feet and complete recovery.

'With make-up, you'll be presentable two weeks after a face-lift, but full recovery can take six months,' says Jan Stanek.

'Most of the swelling with breast reduction disappears within two weeks, but it'll be up to nine months before you're back to normal.'

After liposuction, you have to spend three weeks wearing very tight bandages over the areas treated. This can be hot, uncomfortable and embarrassing - it may even affect everyday activities (such as using the lavatory).

But laser peels require the most dedication. Your face will have been stripped of its top layers of skin and you will be left with a bright red, oozing face.

You have to clean the skin to remove any scabs and re-apply special burn cream many times during the day and night.

What's the worst thing that can happen after plastic surgery?

Start with death and work your way down. You could suffer scarring, bleeding, prolonged bruising, delayed healing, skin loss (cells can die at the edges of over-pulled face-lifts), nerve damage, wound infection, paralysis or numbness.

With liposuction, complications include ruptured abdomens and bowels, perforated spleens, serious tissue infection, and death caused by the blood pressure plummeting and the body going into shock if too much fat and fluid is removed.

Which procedures are the riskiest?

Breast reduction carries a risk of nipple loss (they have to be removed and replaced so the body can reject them). A tummy tuck can lead to infection or even gangrene.