Plastic Surgery and Senior Citizens

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Bringing down some plastic surgery myths

Plastic surgery may be a staple procedure in Hollywood, yet most celebrities are still put under scrutiny in tabloids and magazines if the public or critics notice any apparent change in their appearance. People associate plastic surgery with unnecessary vanity. In some countries, plastic surgery is frowned upon whereas in some countries like South Korea, it stands is considered as a status symbol. Whatever the beliefs about plastic surgery are, its purpose remains the same: to maintain or improve physical appearance and function.

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Are there additional risks for plastic surgery among senior citizens?

Today, men and women of all ages undergo plastic surgery.  It is no wonder why there are a lot of senior citizens joining the bandwagon. The physical functions of men and women vary with age.  It is said that a person is in his optimum state from his teenage years to about 40 years old.  From then, healing slows down and the metabolism seems suddenly sluggish. In addition, hormonal changes occur, thus affecting overall well-being and mood.

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image courtesy of stlouislipo.com

There is no serious additional risk for senior citizens who wish to undergo plastic surgery. Doctors have assessed over 100 plastic surgery patients over 5 years and found out that people younger and older than 65 years old show no significant comparable complications. However, in some cases, healing or scarring may take longer among senior citizens. This may not be as serious as it sounds but scarring is one of the inevitable effects that plastic surgery patients want to subdue or minimize. Overall, plastic surgery is safe for senior citizens.

When is a patient too old for plastic surgery?

There is a point in life where people should just embrace old age and stop fighting it. When it comes to plastic surgery for senior citizens, how old is too old? Many plastic surgeons share that as long as the patient is in good health, plastic surgery is no problem. However, senior citizens who wish to undergo plastic surgery must be checked up to make sure that they would withstand the effects of anesthesia, narcotic pain killers and swelling associated with wound healing. Depending on the procedure, the recovery time would last from 4 weeks (nose jobs, eyelid surgeries) to 6 months (tummy tuck, liposuction). Women as old as 93 years old can undergo plastic surgery provided that they have no health complications. As they consider plastic surgery, patients should also think about how their bodies would cope with the healing and medications post surgery.

Thomas Wright

Thomas Wright M.D., F.A.C.P. , medical director of the St. Louis Laser Liposuction Center is a board-certified liposuction surgeon who has been performing cosmetic procedures for over 10 (ten) years. He was trained by the inventor of tumescent Liposuction, Dr. Jeffrey Klein. In 2013, HealthTap gave Dr. Wright the Top Doctor Award and named him Top Phlebologist in the Nation.