Considering cosmetic surgery? Make sure your expectations are realistic, talk to your doctor about risks and find an experienced technician. To help you, we got the goods on the most common procedures.
Type of procedure | How it works | Recovery time | The fine print |
Vein injections, or sclerotherapy ($80 to $250) | A solution injected into red broken blood vessels and varicose veins makes them collapse and disappear | None | Skin tone can darken or lighten in affected areas. Treatment won't prevent other veins from surfacing |
Chemical peels ($100 to $4,000, depending on strength) | Acid solutions applied to the face remove sun spots, acne scars and other blemishes | None for light peels; two weeks off work for strong peels (roughly equivalent to a surgical facelift) | Light peels often require multiple sessions; strong peels carry risk of scarring, discoloration and infection |
Microdermabrasion ($150 per session) | Crystals slough off dead cells, acne scars and sun spots to reveal smoother skin and improve elasticity | Virtually none, but skin may be slightly red and sun-sensitive | Not recommended for sensitive skin. The glow lasts only two weeks, but skin will feel softer for four to six weeks |
Non-invasive lasers ($200 to $500 per session) | Lasers target and remove freckles, age spots and spider veins | Treated spots will scab over and heal in one week | Possibility of temporary bruising. More spots or veins may surface |
Type of procedure | How it works | Recovery time | The fine print |
Botox injections ($200 to $500) | A protein made from botulism bacteria is injected directly into the facial muscles to relax them for several months | None, but bruising and needle marks may be visible for a short time | Avoid if you have a neuromuscular disorder. Also, poorly placed needles can cause eyelids to droop or interfere with smiling or speech for six months |
Temporary fillers ($300 to $800) | Synthetic and naturally derived fillers are injected into wrinkled areas or lips | None, but minor bruising and swelling are common | Collagen may provoke an allergic reaction, so a skin allergy test is a must. Results last three to six months |
Longer-lasting fillers ($750) | Injected synthetic fillers (such as Artecoll), made of plastic microspheres suspended in collagen, fill out wrinkles or lips | Minor bruising and swelling | Artecoll lasts five to 10 years (good if it's the desired result; bad if it isn't). These fillers can also bunch up or shift position and can only be removed surgically |
Type of procedure | How it works | Recovery time | The fine print |
Eyelid lifts, or blepharoplasty ($3,000 to $5,000) | Excess skin and fat are cut away from the upper and/or lower lids and the area is tightened. Simpler and less painful than a facelift | One to two weeks for swelling and discoloration to subside | Vision is occasionally blurry during recovery. Results last five to 10 years. Provincial health insurance may cover some costs if sagging skin was obscuring peripheral vision |
Nose job, or rhinoplasty ($3,000 to $5,500) | The nose is downsized or reshaped and nasal breathing problems may be corrected | Two weeks off work; more if bending or lifting is involved. Swelling can take up to one year to disappear completely | Patients are most often dissatisfied with this type of surgery, so follow-up surgery is common. Provincial health insurance may cover breathing-related surgery |
Type of procedure | How it works | Recovery time | The fine print |
Breast reduction (often covered by health insurance, but some doctors charge additional fees from $1,500 to $4,000) | An incision in the lower part of the breast removes excess tissue | Two weeks off work; no exercise for at least six weeks | Risk of scarring and loss of sensitivity. Repositioning the nipple may prevent breastfeeding |
Liposuction, or lipoplasty ($1,000 to $1,500 per area) | A long tube is inserted to vacuum out fat | One to two weeks. A supersnug girdle promotes skin shrinkage and minimizes swelling and bruising | Best for slim people with localized fat deposits such as love handles. Blood loss is a concern in liposuction involving more than five litres of fat, and a few people have died due to poor monitoring |
Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty ($3,500 to $8,000) | Incisions between the navel and pubic area allow doctors to remove excess tissue to create a flatter-looking stomach | One month (an abdominal binder is needed for two weeks); no exercise for four to six weeks | Often mistaken for a weight-loss plan, this surgery only removes excess skin and fat. Scarring, lingering numbness and high risk of blood clots are concerns |
Breast lift, or mastopexy ($4,000 to $7,000) | Removing excess skin and repositioning the nipple can reverse the effects of gravity but won't change cup size | Two to three weeks | The larger the breast, the bigger the scar. Repositioning the nipple may prevent breastfeeding |
Breast augmentation ($4,000 to $9,000 per pair) | Depending on their size, silicone or saline implants are inserted under breast tissue through the armpit, breast, areola or navel | One to two weeks off work. Loss of ability to raise arms for three weeks; no exercise for one month | Silicone implants don't increase your risk of cancer, but all implants involve risk of infection, hardening, leaking or rupture. They can also complicate a mammogram. Follow-up surgery is common |
Youth in a bottle? Not ready to commit to Botox or non-invasive lasers? You're in luck: cosmetics companies are delivering new supercharged creams that freshen and brighten skin without cosmetic surgery's costs, time commitment or possible Michael Jackson-like results. "Cosmetic creams won't erase crow's feet," says Dr. Paul Cohen, consultant dermatologist at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. "But used in conjunction with a sunscreen daily, they can help moisturize, protect and improve the appearance of your skin." Here are the best of the bunch: · Brighten up Estée Lauder Idealist Micro-D Deep Thermal Refinisher (75 mL/$60) blends exfoliants in a skin-warming formula to clean out enlarged pores and whisk away lacklustre surface skin. Although not as vigorous as dermabrasion, Micro-D leaves your complexion silky smooth, with no irritation or recovery time, says Daniel Maes, vice-president of global research and development at Estée Lauder. Another potent exfoliant, Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum (50 mL/$30) uses peptide technology—known for its use in wound healing—to leave skin feeling velvety soft. · Lighten up Other new creams contain light-diffusing particles that make skin appear more radiant or ingredients that inhibit the skin contractions that cause wrinkles for a Botox-like effect. Try L'Oréal Dermo-Expertise Wrinkle De-Crease (50 mL/$27), Lancôme Résolution D-Contraxol Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Treatment Dermo-Creasing Reducer (50 mL/$83) or Vichy Myokine Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Dermo-Decontracting Care (50 mL/$38). · Tighten up Firming creams can't promise a facelift, but they do help smooth and temporarily plump skin. RoC Protient Immediate Lift Concentrate (30 mL/$45) uses mineral technology, while Avon Anew Clinical Line and Wrinkle Corrector (30 mL/$39) includes firming apple-root and olive-leaf extracts. |
Before you get a lift, laser or lipo, get informed. Canada doesn't regulate who performs cosmetic surgery, so anyone holding an MD can practiseâand being a doctor doesn't immediately confer expertise. Although initial consultations range from $50 to $150, it's worth shopping around. Here's what you need to ask, according to our experts:
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