Modern medicine

One can safely have a facelift every 10 years; and there is no age limit as to who is eligible.

By MOSHE BENADY
plastic surgery 224.88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
plastic surgery 224.88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Throughout history, people have endeavored to look their best. The products and services aimed at improving the look of the body and especially the face have always been big business. Facial creams based on the extracts of plants and minerals, medicinal waters, etc., have always been popular. Legend has it that Egyptian queen Cleopatra wanted Rome to give her the area of then southeastern Judea because she wanted exclusive rights to the Dead Sea. The beauty- conscious queen knew of the special cosmetic properties of the waters and salts of the Dead Sea and wanted to build a spa for her own personal use.
Mankind is still concerned with the urge to look better, younger, fitter. Exercising makes one look both fitter and better, and the use of cosmetics can delay the ravages of time. But today, medical technology can remove excess fat and reshape parts of the body. These treatments are generally called plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery. Medical science has also found ways to remove excess fat. Fat is one of the major problems of modern society. Technology has made fantastic strides in automation, which means that machine do most of our manual labor. Little physical labor means little exertion, which in turn means a low rate of burning calories and the consequent formation of fat.
Dr. Anne Gurevitch, senior surgeon at Proporzia, a clinic that specializes in aesthetic medicine, told Active “Many people believe that the best way to combat fat is by dieting and exercising, and that is very true. But there are certain concentrations of fat that are not affected by either dieting or exercise. These stubborn fat cells can only be removed by a minimally invasive procedure,” she says. “This is a physical condition that varies with different people. Some have stubborn concentrations of fat in the abdomen, others in the arms, others in the thighs and buttocks, etc. It may be genetic or otherwise. But with the help of medical technology and trained professionals, most of these fat concentrations can be removed. This treatment can solve stubborn obesity because it kills the fat cells in that particular area, which means that no more fat will form in that particular part of the body,” says Gurevitch.
“While the treatment is suitable for all kinds of concentrations of stubborn fat, it is not suitable for everyone. It is not suitable for those with a BMI [bodily mass index] of 35, for example. At Proporzia, we only accept patients with a BMI of under 32 because we want to play it safe. Furthermore, we only apply this treatment to clients between the age of 18 and 70,” she says.
“BMI equals bodily weight in kilograms divided by height in centimeters to the power of two. That particular treatment at Proporzia is called Body-Tite. The fat is melted with a radio frequency technology and then drained out of the body,” Gurevitch explains. Dr. Dean Ad-El, head of the department of plastic surgery and burns at Rabin Medical Center told Active, “Plastic surgery is the art of reshaping the body by modifying certain features such as nose, ears, as well as breast augmentation, removing skin stains, etc. Plastic surgery can also improve the shape of the body by resculpting, or contouring, it. These are attempts to improve on nature.”
One of the most common treatments in plastic surgery is a facelift, which is meant to make one look younger. “In this case,” says Ad-El, “the role of the plastic surgeon is both surgical and psychological. He has to perform the operation; but before that, he has to explain to the patient what to expect and mostly what not to expect.”
Expectations are a major problem in plastic surgery. A successful plastic surgery is one in which the client is satisfied with the results, which means the expectations are fulfilled. But many people who have a facelift have unreasonable expectations.
If a 50-year-old woman wants a facelift on the assumption that it will make her look 25, she will be disappointed. A successful facelift can make one look 10 years younger perhaps a bit more, but it will gradually lose its effect. In 10 years’ time she will not look 50 but more like 60, her natural biological age. That is why many women, and men as well, have more than one facelift during their lifetime, the effects wear off. One can safely have a facelift every 10 years; and there is no age limit as to who is eligible.
The overall demand for cosmetic surgery is increasing, and clients are availing themselves of more types of treatments because the look of youth has many advantages in our society. Dr. Ad -El explains that looking younger has many practical advantages. “The family framework is not as stable and binding as it was in the past, and many couples get divorced. Consequently, for a recently divorced male or female, getting a facelift and taking steps to look better and younger is very practical because looking younger will make them look more attractive. This will help them feel better about themselves and, if they so desire, find a new partner,” he says.
“The same holds true for those who lose their jobs. At these times, despite the fact that discrimination on the basis of age is no longer politically correct, the chances of finding employment will increase dramatically if one looks like an energetic 35 instead of a tired 45.”