Revealing the truth about plastic surgery

Dr Maher Alahdab dispels some of the common misconceptions about plastic surgery

With cosmetic procedures and surgery gaining popularity around the world, there is a lot of curiosity about the process. However, the downside of this is that there is a lot of false and inaccurate information that is being spread. Dr Maher Alahdab addresses some of the major misconceptions that people have when it comes to cosmetic procedures:

1 - Plastic surgery radically changes the person's features.

Popular movies show the hero or villain getting plastic surgery and revealing a new face that no one can recognize. To a large extent, cosmetic procedures, and plastic surgeons, aim to improve the person’s appearance while still maintaining his/her identity.

2 - Plastic surgery does not leave scars.

Any surgical incision in the skin will leave a trace. However, a skilled plastic surgeon chooses hidden sites in the body, so scars are less noticeable. They also use auxiliary treatments such as lasers to help improve or reduce surgical scars.

3 - Liposuction is a risky procedure.

There are stories of a famous actress who passed away after a liposuction procedure, which started the conversation about the risks of the procedure. The fact is that liposuction is one of the safest operations, and the risk of complication does not exceed 5%. Mortality only occurs when the surgery is done by unqualified doctors, in unauthorized centres, and extra amounts are sucked out.

4 - Any problem can be solved with a needle.

Over the last ten years, non-surgical treatments such as botox, fillers, and others have become popular. This has led some people to believe that one needle can make a huge difference and will yield beautiful results. The fact is that non-surgical treatments are suitable for minor and moderate problems – they are not a substitute for surgery.

5 - All operations are performed with local anesthesia.

Surgery can be scary, so people always prefer options that use local anesthesia. While a lot of easy to medium plastic surgeries can be performed with local anesthesia, some procedures may require general anesthesia for best results.