Time flies, doesn’t it? 2018 is almost here, and if you’re anything like us, you’re hoping that this will be your best year yet. You’re probably making resolutions to stay calm and focused, to be twice as productive as you were in 2017, or to finally try that Paleo diet craze everyone is talking about. These kind of vows don’t always pan out, of course, but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying… And while you’re at it, why not add a few cosmetic goals to your list of resolutions? After all, the more confident and comfortable you feel in your own skin, the easier it becomes to avoid negative emotions like jealousy and insecurity. Looking great is also highly motivating; several studies have shown that people who are happy with their bodies are more likely to lose weight (and keep it off). They also tend to perform better at work and enjoy more raises and promotions. When we invest in ourselves from the outside in, we create a path to happiness and prosperity.
With all of that being said, the choice to have plastic surgery is a serious commitment. It’s not like a fad diet, something that you can easily opt out of when you realize that carbs are delicious. (Let’s face it—they are.) Having plastic surgery requires a long term financial commitment, a dedication to maintaining optimal health (both before and after surgery), and in many cases, weeks or months of recovery time. Naturally, then, you’ll want to make sure you pick the procedures that will offer you the best rewards. Our advice? Avoid “trendy” novelty procedures and stick with the tried, tested, and true surgeries covered below:
The 3 Best Plastic Surgery Procedures to Help You Rock 2018
Rhinoplasty
In our selfie-obsessed world, having the picture-perfect nose can feel like more of a necessity than a luxury. In some ways, this is true: Because we now use photographs to represent ourselves professionally (e.g., on LinkedIn), being photogenic can go a long way toward getting you noticed and connecting you with new opportunities. Rhinoplasty has other advantages too, such as the following benefits:
- Having a rhinoplasty can help you draw attention to your other features. When you have a prominent nose, it’s usually the first thing that other people notice. This can serve as a distraction from your beautiful eyes, cheekbones, etc. Many people find that after they have rhinoplasty surgery, their whole face looks better to them because they’re able to focus on their most attractive features. Rhinoplasty therefore makes a great plastic surgery “starting point.” After you have this procedure, you may decide that you don’t actually need to get your cheeks, chin, or lips enhanced after all.
- Rhinoplasty surgery can be used to correct breathing problems. Contrary to popular belief, a significant number of rhinoplasties are done for medical rather than cosmetic reasons. Rhinoplasty surgery can be used to correct a deviated septum, one of the most common causes of breathing problems in the United States. This can reduce snoring, improve the symptoms of sleep apnea, and give the patient greater endurance when exercising. (Treating sleep apnea can lower your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes, so having a rhinoplasty is an important step to take if you have serious breathing problems.) Rhinoplasty can also be used to treat nasal polyps and create better airflow through the bridge of the nose. (Some people with a flat nasal bridge experience breathing problems due to restricted airflow through the nasal passages; rhinoplasty can be used to construct a higher nasal bridge and correct this issue.)
- Changing your nose can dramatically alter how you look in photographs. As alluded to above, having a nose that’s refined and proportional with the rest of your face is essential if you want to photograph well. Because camera lenses produce a certain amount of distortion, they make our noses look larger than they actually are. If a person has a small nose, this effect is barely noticeable, but large or even mid-sized noses can absolutely dominate one’s face in photographs. (This is particularly true if the individual being photographed has a prominent bridge to their nose or their nose has a bulbous tip.) If you have ever wondered why you look so different in photographs than you do in the mirror, this is why—and having a rhinoplasty can reshape your nose so that you look like “you” in pictures. This is why so many models and celebrities have rhinoplasty surgery.
Breast Reduction Surgery
As you no doubt already know, being top-heavy is decidedly “out.” Today, most women want mid-sized (but shapely) breasts that are balanced out by a curvaceous posterior. This is not, however, the most compelling reason to get a breast reduction. Instead, breast reduction surgery is a good way to achieve all of the following practical and cosmetic objectives:
- Combined breast reduction and lift surgery can restore your breasts to their prior size and shape if you have had implants. While breast implant surgery is a popular and useful plastic surgery procedure, breast augmentation patients sometimes end up regretting having implants placed. This generally occurs because either they or their surgeon made an error where sizing is concerned. Some people erroneously believe that bigger is always better where implants are concerned, when nothing could be further from the truth. Too-large implants usually look unnatural and typically carry a higher risk of complications (such as scarring, implant slippage, and loss of nipple sensation). In other cases, the patient decides that she does not like how her implants “sit” (implants can sometimes accentuate breast oddities, e.g., they can make wide-set breasts look even further apart) or feel. Finally, lifestyle changes, such as taking up sports, can make implants feel like a cumbersome inconvenience. If you experience any of the aforementioned issues, breast reduction and lift surgery can downsize your breasts while also improving their shape and position.
- Breast reduction surgery can protect your breasts. Large implants put additional stress on the nerves within the breasts, which can gradually lead to a loss of sensation. If you have had large implants placed and you notice that you’re losing feeling in your breasts, reduction surgery is advised. Furthermore, whether large breasts are natural or the result of augmentation surgery, they’re associated with an increased risk of sagging. Having a breast reduction before the age of 30 (the age at which our bodies begin to produce less skin-firming collagen) can minimize the amount of sagging you experience as you get older.
- Breast reduction surgery can be good for your health. We all know that large breasts are associated with an increased risk of back pain. What is less discussed, however, is the long-term impact that carrying large breasts can have on a woman’s level of physical fitness. Women with large breasts often experience pain and discomfort when exercising, which can cause them to avoid cardiovascular workouts. Unfortunately, poor cardiovascular fitness has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and lung disease, even in people who are not overweight. Reducing your breasts to a manageable size can therefore help you protect your health.
- There are social and professional advantages to having breast reduction surgery. It’s a sad comment on the state of society, but women with large breasts are still frequently objectified. They are often assumed to be less intelligent than they actually are and they may be denied professional opportunities as a result. As such, some women find that having breast reduction surgery reduces social and professional stress.
Tummy Tuck Surgery
If you find yourself vowing to finally get rid of your “paunch” every new year, you’re not alone—many people struggle with stubborn fat and loose skin in this area. Thinking that these problems can always be corrected via dietary changes and special exercises is a common mistake, and it’s one that sets a lot of people up for frustration and failure. If your resolution to diet or take up an exercise regimen has left you feeling disappointed year after year, it might be time to consider tummy tuck surgery.
Tummy tuck surgery is sometimes necessary to correct a protruding lower stomach because this issue does not always arise from being overweight. Instead, some people have structural damage within their abdominal cavity as a result of pregnancy or a past history of obesity. Carrying a lot of weight around the midsection can weaken and sometimes tear the abdominal muscles, rendering them unable to support the abdomen and back. When this happens, the weight of the individual’s organs and other abdominal tissues can push the stomach forward, making him or her look much heavier than he or she is. This effect is often compounded by the presence of loose, stretched skin that creates a “flabby” look… Even if the individual is a healthy weight.
Once the abdominal muscles are damaged and the skin is loosened, exercise alone cannot firm the abdominal region. Instead, the patient must have a procedure known as abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck surgery. During this procedure, damaged abdominal muscles are repaired (tears in them are closed with sutures, allowing the tissue to heal properly) and loose skin is removed. The end result of this process is a stronger, leaner-looking core that functions properly. This allows the patient to maintain the appearance of his or her abdomen with diet and exercise.
Tummy tuck surgery has a number of medical benefits, too. First and foremost, it can help to prevent chronic lower back pain and dangerous ventral hernias. (Note that it’s especially important to ask about tummy tuck surgery if you have given birth by cesarean section. The long incision made during a cesarean section does additional damage to the abdominal muscles, greatly increasing your risk of suffering a ventral hernia.) Tummy tuck surgery can also be used to treat stress urinary incontinence, a common problem experienced by women who have given birth vaginally.
Tummy tuck surgery is a major operation, so you will need to prepare well in advance if you want to have this surgery. You can expect to take at least three weeks off of work, and during this time you will need someone to help you with everyday tasks like meal preparation. You should also hire someone to help you look after your children (if you have young children) as you will not be able lift more than 25 pounds for at least a month.
Embracing 2018 Starts with Feeling Good About Yourself
If you’re ready to meet the new year with fearless confidence and a fresh take on life, plastic surgery can help. By addressing cosmetic issues that have been weighing on your mind for years, you can start to simply and freely enjoy life—wherever it takes you. You’ll never again be afraid to smile for the camera or slip into a swimsuit; from 2018 onward, you’ll feel free to be your fabulous self.
