5 Wrong Assumptions About Plastic Surgery

Like almost everything else in life, plastic surgery just happens to be one of the topics where people make assumptions. These assumptions tend to stem from word-of-mouth or just a lack of information. If you haven’t noticed, we’re all about talking about and debunking common plastic surgery myths here at SpaMedica. Below are a few widespread assumptions and comments that we hear about various procedures, so we wanted to share some insight and answers to them.

Assumption #1: Botox gives a frozen face

Botox has long had the reputation of giving people that frozen, startled look. A lot of people will think of celebrities who had not so great results after Botox injections like Nicole Kidman. That stems from overdoing the treatment which results in an unnatural appearance. Botox treatments shouldn’t erase all movement in your face—ideally, it’s meant to soften lines or wrinkles.

With your plastic surgeon, you’ll decide where you want to see improvements on your face. By injecting just enough units of Botox in your areas of concern, your end results should look natural and not frozen. And if your treatments are done well, no one should even know that you had anything done.

Assumption #2: I can use my friend or family member’s fat to transfer to my own body

Procedures that involve fat transfer like Brazilian butt lifts or fat grafting to the breasts require taking fat from one area and then transferring it to the butt or breasts. You can’t use someone else’s fat in these procedures. Your immune system simply can’t recognize another person’s fat and would reject their fat if this was attempted. Even if you have an identical twin, there’s still a possibility that the fat would be rejected. Another risk of using someone else’s fat is disease transmission.

Assumption #3: Men don’t get plastic surgery

Women are the ones who are always pegged as the ones who are most concerned with their appearance. With this mindset, the assumption is that women are the people who undergo plastic surgery. According to recent statistics from a RealSelf survey, men have been increasingly seeking plastic surgery procedures. 73% of doctors say their male patients have increased in the last year. 

These men are most interested in:

1. Botox and fillers
2. Eyelid surgery
3. Body contouring procedures
4. Male breast reduction

Men are now more open about wanting to maintain their appearance and will undergo treatments if they feel compelled to.

Assumption #4: Liposuction will help me achieve my target weight

Liposuction is often seen as a method to lose a lot of weight. That’s easy to assume, but it’s simply not the case. Liposuction is a body contouring procedure that removes fat from specific areas on the body for a slimmer looking physique. The procedure is ideal for patients who are at their ideal weight but still have some problem areas like love handles.

Source: SpaMedica. Before and after rhinoplasty at SpaMedica.

Assumption #5: I’ll see my final results right after my plastic surgery procedure

For many plastic surgery procedures, your final results won’t be seen immediately. That’s because there’s a recovery period where there’s swelling or bruising. Take for example rhinoplasty. This is a procedure where patients are required to take at least a week off from work to recover. Rhinoplasty patients should be aware that there’ll be ongoing improvements with their nose that can take up to 1 year to settle. The nose changes greatly over the course of 2-12 months, especially in the nasal tip area. After that, patients can see their final results.

What are some other assumptions you’ve heard about plastic surgery? Let us know and maybe we can address it!