Cosmetic surgery is once again on the rise. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons notes that there has been a 115 percent increase in the number of cosmetic surgery procedures performed in the United States since 2000, and there is now much more diversity in the type of procedures that people are opting for. Even though breast augmentation, liposuction and rhinoplasty are still the most commonly performed procedures, advancements in technology have ensured that patients now have far more options than ever before. With this in mind, we’ll now take a look at some of the ways that technology is advancing cosmetic surgery.
Endoscopic Micro-Surgeries
One of the biggest changes in the field of plastic surgery has been the increased use of micro-surgical techniques, such as endoscopy. Scarring is always a potential issue with cosmetic surgery, and the use of micro-surgical techniques has allowed surgeons to perform breast augmentations, face lifts and other procedures with only very minimal scarring. Using an endoscope, surgeons are able to perform complex procedures using only tiny incisions as the tiny camera allows them to fully view and work on the underlying tissues without the need for large incisions.
The Rise of Minimally Invasive Procedures
Endoscopy is only one way that technology is advancing cosmetic surgery, and there are also a wide range of other minimally invasive procedures available to patients. One such example is anti-wrinkle injections like Botox, which have allowed patients to undergo facial rejuvenation without the need for surgery.
According to Cosmos Clinic, experts for Botox injections in Canberra, anti-wrinkle injections have already been used for well over 30 years and can provide facial rejuvenation and relief from wrinkles without any downtime. Due to new advancements, minimally-invasive procedures are gaining in popularity faster than any other type of plastic surgery.
Producing Better Results with Computer-Assisted Imaging
Another area where technology has provided major benefits to plastic surgery is through the use of computer-assisted imaging. The use of computer imaging allows cosmetic surgeons to get a more thorough picture of the underlying craniofacial structure, which can be a huge benefit when performing both cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries. This type of imaging is frequently used in a range of craniofacial surgeries, which can be performed to help correct any underlying skull or facial deformities.
Many craniofacial surgeries are performed on infants and young children in order to correct the deformities before they begin to cause major issues as the child grows. Unfortunately, these procedures can actually exacerbate the problems when not performed correctly. Through the use of computer-assisted imaging, surgeons can now design their procedures so that the tissue grows with the patient over time, which essentially means that the results will continue to improve over time.
The Importance of Tissue Engineering
Skin and tissue grafts have long been an important part of many cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. The issue is that there is no guarantee that the new tissues will take, as there is a good chance the body will end up rejecting the new tissues.
Advancements in tissue engineering have ensured that skin grafts are not always necessary, and in fact, surgeons can now engineer tissues and implants out of silicone materials. At the same time, technology has allowed doctors to better understand how specific cells and tissues respond to external structures, which makes it far easier to ensure that the new engineered tissues ‘take’ and aren’t rejected by the body.
The fact is that technology is truly revolutionizing almost every single aspect of our lives, and it seems that medicine and surgical techniques have seen some of the biggest benefits of the recent technological revolution. This has directly led to an increase in the number of cosmetic surgeries being performed, as the vast majority of surgeries can now provide improved results along with a lower risk for complications. For this reason, it seems highly likely that cosmetic surgery will continue to grow in popularity as the technology behind it continues to improve.
