Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Overview

Cosmetic plastic surgery is done to change the way you look. For some, it may mean redesigning the body's contour and shape, smoothing wrinkles, or getting rid of balding areas. Others may choose varicose vein treatment or breast enlargement. There are a number of cosmetic surgery procedures that people can choose from. It can help create an image that makes them feel more confident and comfortable with how they look.

Health insurance rarely covers the cost of cosmetic procedures. Despite that, the number of people choosing to have cosmetic plastic surgery continues to grow. The top cosmetic surgeries are breast enlargement, liposuction, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, tummy tuck, and facelift.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the most common cosmetic procedures (invasive and minimally invasive) are listed here by their common or descriptive names. The medical term for the procedure is in parentheses:

• Breast augmentation or enlargement (augmentation mammoplasty)

• Breast implant removal

• Breast lift (mastopexy) with or without the placement of an implant

• Buttock lift

• Chin, cheek, or jaw reshaping (facial implants or soft tissue augmentation)

• Dermabrasion

• Eyelid lift (blepharoplasty)

• Facelift (rhytidectomy)

• Forehead lift

• Hair replacement or transplantation

• Lip augmentation

• Liposuction (lipoplasty)

• Lower body lift

• Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty)

• Thigh lift

• Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)

• Upper arm lift (brachioplasty)

• Botox injections

• Cellulite treatment

• Chemical peel

• Plumping, or collagen or fat injections (facial rejuvenation)

• Laser skin resurfacing

• Laser treatment of leg veins

• Vaginal rejuvenation