Natural Results - How Plastic Surgery Has Changed in Recent Years

When the American Society of Plastic Surgeons released the ASPS annual procedural statistics report after the global pandemic began, there were a few surprises. The impact of COVID-19 on elective cosmetic procedures was expected, but what came as a surprise from the new data on the annual survey was that the pandemic had affected practically every aspect of the aesthetics industry, including a reshuffle in the top five surgical procedures. After years of ruling the roost, breast augmentation was overtaken by nose reshaping surgery as the most popular among different cosmetic surgical procedures.

Amidst all this, the one new trend that board certified plastic surgeons around the world are reporting is that many patients now prefer cosmetic surgery that offers natural results. In this article, I'll talk about some minimally invasive procedures and plastic surgery procedures that provide the most natural results. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, these less invasive procedures can make it impossible for anyone to tell you've had work done, while subtly enhancing your appearance so that the compliments come thick and fast.

Natural Results from Minimally Invasive Procedures

For patients who prefer a natural approach and natural looking results, there are several cosmetic procedures that can help in achieving these cosmetic goals. A board certified plastic surgeon can perform various nonsurgical cosmetic procedures as standalone treatments or in conjunction with cosmetic surgery to address a broad range of concerns.

I'm going to briefly describe three therapeutic approaches below, all of which can effectively improve your appearance by using your own cells and tissues and your body's natural healing processes. A key advantage of these minimally invasive procedures is that there is no risk of adverse effects such as an allergic or immune reaction because no foreign substance is introduced into your body.

Collagen Induction Therapy

Treatments like microneedling are called collagen induction therapy because they create tiny areas of injury in the skin, thereby stimulating collagen production. Soft tissue fillers are another example of treatment that augment the skin's natural collagen.

Formation of new collagen and elastin and increased skin turnover leads to smoother, tighter, and younger looking skin over a period of several weeks, giving you naturally beautiful results. There is a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, pigmentation, and acne scars on the face and stretch marks on the body.

Collagen induction therapy is an office procedure. It is done using local anesthesia and is associated with minimal downtime. However, to get optimal results you need multiple treatments spaced 4-6 weeks apart. A series of treatments can lead to a visible improvement in your skin tone, texture, and appearance. Injectable dermal fillers produce long-lasting but temporary results and need to be repeated to ain the results. The treatment can be combined with botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections or other non invasive procedures.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

PRP has been used in medicine to heal damaged or injured tissues, for example, skin burns, torn tendons, and arthritic joints. More recently, PRP is being used by aesthetic providers to treat hair loss and perform skin rejuvenation (commonly called the vampire facial).

Platelet-rich plasma treatment uses a concentrated supply of growth factors obtained from your own blood. Your provider will inject the PRP directly into the target area. In cosmetic surgery, PRP injections help to improve the appearance of aging skin by promoting blood flow and stimulating collagen and elastin production.

The treatment itself is pretty straightforward. Your provider will draw a sample of your blood, process it in a centrifuge machine to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the other blood components, and then inject the PRP into the target area.

PRP has gained popularity because it is 100% natural. There are no chemicals, toxins, or foreign substances injected into your body. Moreover, it can be done as a standalone treatment or in combination with facial procedures like microneedling or chemical peels. It can also be done with a cosmetic surgery such as a facelift.

Autologous Fat Transfer

If you want to correct volume loss or contour irregularities with a natural approach, ask your provider about a type of plastic surgery called autologous fat grafting. This is a minimally invasive procedure in which your own fat is used to give you a smoother and more youthful appearance in the target area. Autologous fat transfer can be performed as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with collagen induction therapy, depending on your concerns.

To perform fat grafting, your plastic surgeon will harvest or remove fat from a part of your body where it is unwanted, such as the abdomen, flanks, or thighs, using liposuction. The harvested fat will then be purified or processed and then injected into an area where you have a volume deficiency or contour irregularity.

Plastic surgeons offer this treatment to patients who want to take a natural approach to body shaping procedures. It is also a good option for people who want more permanent results than soft tissue fillers. An added advantage is that, unlike injectable fillers, there is no risk of an allergic reaction to the product.

Autologous fat transfer can be used during reconstructive plastic surgery. It is also an option for patients who are interested in breast augmentation without saline or silicone breast implants and for those who want less invasive surgical procedures.

Natural Results from Cosmetic Surgical Procedures

As I mentioned, nose jobs and breast augmentation have consistently been among the most popular procedures in the US, UK, and other parts of the world. However, in recent years, the desired outcomes from these top procedures have changed dramatically, whether it is facial procedures or body shaping procedures.

These days, if you choose to undergo plastic surgery, you don't have to settle for a one-size-fits-all or cookie cutter approach. Plastic surgeons can tailor a nose job or breast implants according to your desires. Many patients now prefer subtle, natural looking nose jobs and smaller breast implants that are more suited to their overall frame.

The time when people wanted a dramatic change in cup size with big breast implants is all but gone. It's now rare for plastic surgeons to get these types of requests during consultations for breast augmentations. Most people go to a plastic surgeon seeking plastic surgeries that can give them natural and subtle results that enhance their features. In general, the goal is that someone who doesn't know you well, say a person sitting across from you on a train, should not be able to tell you've had plastic surgery done, yet the change should be enough to boost your confidence and self-esteem dramatically.

Leading plastic surgeons say there's a bonus when a patient's specific objective is natural results. These results are typically longer lasting and less likely to cause problems compared to a heavy handed approach to plastic surgery.

If you want to find a plastic surgeon who can deliver a natural look, the MeTime app makes it easy. You can chat with experts, get answers to your questions, do video calls, and get quotes. Whether you're interested in cutting edge minimally invasive cosmetic treatments like microneedling, PRP, or laser hair removal, or you're interested in invasive cosmetic procedures like eyelid surgery, a tummy tuck, nose reshaping, breast augmentation, or other specialized procedures, MeTime makes it easy.

Make sure your surgeon is certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons if you are in the United States or listed on the General Medical Council’s specialist register for plastic surgery in the UK.

To get a more predictable result, look at some of your plastic surgeon's before and after photos, especially if you're considering invasive cosmetic procedures. You can ask the plastic surgeon to show you some photos, or if they are on Instagram, check out their feed.

Last but not least, during your consultation, stress that you're interested in subtle but effective results. If you're not convinced, a second opinion may be a good idea.

Now that you're armed with all this procedural information, all that's left to do is download the MeTime app if you haven't already done so. MeTime will connect with an aesthetic provider who can help you decide on the best course.