Ah, women. Every one of us, though obviously #flawless, has at some point gotten stuck in front of the the mirror and then stuck on one feature we’d like to, maybe-I-dunno, change. It could be the new frown lines or the old freckles, strangely thinning lips or slouchy boobs. Of course, the goal is to learn to love the quirks in our bodies but that doesn’t mean we are all above getting a little fix. (Would you try Botox? Here are both sides.)
From the non-invasive to the surgical, cosmetic procedures are on the rise and there are a hundred ways to nip, tuck, lift and smooth just about any area of our bodies. Not all of it is as vain and superficial as you might thik. Some procedures have amazingly high satisfaction ratings with patients reporting not just looking better but feeling way more confident.
But which procedures are worth the time, money and pain? According to the experts, these are the nips and tucks that are worth it and the ones you should skip. Do you agree?
Which Cosmetic Procedures Should You Go For and Which Should You Skip?
Worth it: Breast Reduction
By far, breast reductions produce the happiest post-op patients, says plastic surgeon and bestselling author Dr. John Zannis. That’s because people who go for the The procedure have usually been uncomfortable with the size of their breasts for years, in many cases since early puberty. You can really see an immediate boost to their confidence.
Overly large breasts have uncomfortable physical effects like chronic back pain and bad posture, but they can also become a huge self-esteem complex, especially for girls. Breast reduction surgeries report an extremely high satisfaction rate of almost 90% according to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Magazine.
Skip it: Lip Fillers
Lip fillers can work wonders but they’re tricky. They don’t look the same on everyone; your end result could be Kylie Jenner’s lipstick-empire-building pout or Donatella Versace’s trout mouth. They’re more of a toss up and depend on too many variables, from the natural curve of your lips to the skill of your doctor to the type of filler used.
“Some of my happiest clients are non-invasive face lift patients,” says Dr. Kally Papantoniou, adermatologist who specializes in surgical and medical skin procedures. In the non-invasive face lift, the skin on the neck and chin get a substantial lift and smooth with no cutting or general anesthetics. Patients report not only looking younger but constantly say they feel better about themselves, which is the key phrase when you’re gauging post-recovery satisfaction.
A rhinoplasty from a skilled plastic surgeon can completely change a face. The nose is the most protruding facial feature and sits right in the centre; any sort of change alters how you look from different angles, how light and shadows hit you and can make the face look more symmetrical. To become a full believer in the power of rhinoplasty just search “Bella Hadid before and after nose job” on Google. Literally a different person.
Cheeks have a very prominent position in your face. Like tweaking your nose, tweaking the shape and size of your cheeks changes your whole look, but like any other facial implant or filler, they are not one size fits all. In older individuals, cheek implants are just as likely to drag your skin down as smooth it. Good results depend on implant type, technique, original face shape, and considering the natural effects of aging in the future. Tricky business.
Worth it: Body Contouring
These are non-invasive fat loss techniques and they give truly amazing results after about three months of treatments. There is no downtime, no pain. Some patients come in for them during long lunch breaks! Patients lose whole inches. Again, the most telling sign is how they stress feeling good after the procedure.
