Sure, celebrities may have influenced the prevalence of Botox injections, wraps, peels and laser treatments. But these days, cosmetic procedures are not just for the rich and the famous.
Americans spent $10.7 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2010. About $6.6 billion of that was spent on surgery and the rest on nonsurgical procedures, skin rejuvenations and laser treatments, Dr. James McAdoo of Rockford's McAdoo Cosmetic Surgery said, citing the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, or ASAPS.
While Americans still appear to invest more in going under the knife, nonsurgical procedures are still more common than surgical. There are several treatments available to help soften or invigorate your look if you truly believe you're aging before your time, without undergoing surgery, experts say.
"It's fairly inexpensive to do these things versus going under the knife and spending $10,000 on a face-lift or more," Sarah Ramirez, an aesthetician with InnovaMed on Main Street in Rockford said. (Typically, she sees women getting into cosmetic procedures in their 40s.)
"Any time you go under versus doing something non-invasive, the risks are a lot more. Nonsurgical procedures are temporary. If you don't like it, it's not permanent," she said.
In order of popularity, the most frequent nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2010 according to ASAPS were: botulism toxin A (Botox), hyluronic acid injection, laser hair removal, laser skin resurfacing and chemical pills. But a decent amount of dough — $1.8 billion — was spent on skin rejuvenation treatments in 2010.
If you're still reading this, it must mean you're somewhat intrigued by the concept. McAdoo and Ramirez give us the basics on wrapping, peeling, filling and tightening below.
Treatment types
What do all these treatments mean? A Botox injection tells the muscles to stop moving the skin so the skin doesn't buckle and new skin cells fill in wrinkles. A collagen injection can create plumper lips or fill in lines, according to McAdoo.
Laser skin resurfacing or tightening causes the skin to contract and the surface texture to smooth with light heating up and vaporizing the skin evenly. Other laser treatments can get rid of pesky, unwanted hair or freckles and dark spots.
Then there are wraps, peels and microdermabrasion, all of which get rid of dead skin to create healthy, rejuvenated skin and can sometimes tighten, Ramirez says.
Another topical treatment, Beta 3 growth factor creams, train the skin to grow baby collagen instead of adult collagen.
Clearing the air
We've all seen the reality shows and have heard the horror stories about our most beloved (or loathed) celebrities. So what's the truth about injections like Botox?
Take it from Ramirez: "Botox does not hurt. A lot of people are scared of needles, and you can hardly feel it. Some people are scared of Botox because you can have an unnatural look to your face, but that's not true. Our goal is to enhance (your) natural look. … That's why with plastic surgery, you can tell."
Be selective, look for skill
Seek out a plastic surgeon trained in injections and nonsurgical procedures, and those with a plastic surgery residency.
Also, know how many procedures the surgeon has done. McAdoo suggests a plastic surgeon should have thousands of patient injections under their belt, and be Board Certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Ramirez says to only work with a certified aesthetician on peels and other skin treatments. The best treatment centers will offer a free consultation.
