Every plastic surgeon has a slightly different philosophy about plastic surgery. At my practice, achieving a natural look is a top priority. In general, my patients want to enhance their appearance without it being evident that they’ve had surgery. I, too, prefer to avoid a “fake” look for aesthetic reasons and, perhaps more importantly, health reasons.
Example: Breast Augmentation
When I perform breast augmentation at my Phoenix, Arizona practice, my goal is to improve the size and shape of the breasts and, ultimately, improve body proportions. The end result is a beautiful, sensual, feminine look.
There are some women who want to go “extra extra large” and, odds are, they’ll find a surgeon who is willing to do it. The problem is that their surgeon may not completely explain or they may not completely understand the potential risks. For example, very large implants can place excessive strain on the body. Pushing too far past natural limits can cause deformity and damage. Rupture and capsular contracture (tightening scar tissue around the breast implant) may be more likely with extra large implants. And the actual surgical procedure to insert extra large implants may also carry increased risk.
In addition to the health risks, going extra large can also lead to premature sagging of the breasts, necessitating a secondary surgery to lift the breasts or place smaller implants. In cases where a patient wants a smaller breast size later in life, extra large implants may make the second surgery difficult because of the associated stretched skin and tissue damage.
This is not to say that large implants are a bad choice for every woman. But the procedure should be safe and the end result should be aesthetically pleasing regardless of implant size.
Other Procedures
Breast augmentation isn’t the only procedure where “natural” is in style. This can also be seen with cosmetic procedures including rhinoplasty and liposuction. If a natural look is important to you – and I think it should be – evaluate before and after photos of real patients and pick your surgeon carefully.
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