Plastic Surgery Addresses More Unusual Patient Concerns

Some of today's plastic surgery procedures are becoming unusual by traditional standards. Many are relatively minor in scope but they are a reflection of contemporary Anerican societie's perception of beauty and a decreasing tolerance for physical imperfections

As I step mink lashes back and look at some of the plastic surgery procedures done today, I realize that some of them may be considered unusual . Certainly, some of them are different than traditional perceptions of plastic surgery. Many are relatively minor procedures that can be performed in the office and probably reflect the trend toward treating smaller concerns. They are the opposite of bariatric plastic surgery, for example, where a new subspecialty of plastic surgery has developed to treat the sequelae of gastric bypass and massive weight loss patients. The development of big plastic surgery procedures occurs very infrequently perhaps every few decades. But the emergence of more minor plastic surgery procedures occurs much more frequently. Here is a list of my unusual plastic surgery procedures that have emerged and become popular in the past decade.

Buttock Implants/Fat Injections - The appeal of a larger, more rounded buttocks is certainly a body image of recent note. Whether done by transferring fat from one body part to another or by an implant placed through an incision near the tailbone, the desire for buttock enhancement could not have been envisioned ten or twenty years ago. In reality, there are actually more people in America that would want buttock reduction but there is no good procedure for that problem.

Labioplasty (Labial Reduction) - A protruding or enlarged labia can be both a source of irritation and embarrassment and is becoming an increasingly common procedure. One would never have thought that such a concealed part of the anatomy would create a demand for treatment. A very simple and effective procedure, labial reduction restores the outer appearance of the vagina to a more youthful appearance.

Earlobe Reduction/Enhancement - As woman age and with the lifelong use of ear rings, the ear lobes will frequently get longer. The size of the ar lobe can easily8 be reduced in the office and it is a procedure that I often do at the same time of a facelift. Aging may also make one's earlobes get quite thin and almost shriveled in appearance in very thin females. Injectable fillers, such as Juvaderm or Radiesse, can give an immediate rejuvenation effect to the earlobes that may last as long as a year.

Eyebrow/Eyelash Transplants - The science of hair transplantation has evolved to the point that single hair (follicle) transplants are now routinuely done in scalp hair restoration. It is quite logical that single follicular transplantation be applied to very small areas such as the eyebrow and even the eye lashes. The alternatives of permanent makeup, colored pencils, and false eyelashes made opting for actual hair tranplants a difficult decision. But some few patients do.

Umbilioplasty - While every full tummy tuck patient gets a new bellybutton (umbilicus), some non-tummy tuck patients want one also. Most commonly, it is to change an outie to an inne belly button. Nipple Reduction/Nipple Enlargement - I have seen it both ways. Large nipples can often be seen through clothes...and at all times. Nipple reduction is actually quite easy although some women may have to exchange a smaller nipple for less feeling in that nipple. Most recently, I have started to some men that want their nipples reduced also! With the opposite concern, niple enlargement is usually about fixing a nipple which turns inward (inverted nipple) to one that points outward. While not quite as predictable (long-term result) as nipple reduction, the nipple can be released and brought more outward.

Corner of Mouth Lift - The downturning of the corners of one's mouth with age gives a sad or angry appearance. This is a simple and cute procedure where a touch of skin is removed from the mouth corners, resulting in a nice subtle lift. Such a procedure is a simple office operation or is often done as part of a facelift. This is actually an old procedure that has now been 'reinvented' or rediscovered.

One wonders what this list will be in another ten years!

Dr Barry Eppley, board-certified plastic surgeon of Indianapolis, operates a private practice at Clarian North and West Medical Centers in suburban Indianapolis. He writes a daily blogs on topics and trends in plastic surgery