While at the hair-dresser’s or the
barber’s, waiting at the doctor’s anteroom, or at the car-rider line, I flip
through magazines … not necessarily reading the articles, but definitely
looking at the photos of people, particularly those of celebrities, who always
look so fabulous! I am often times
jealous of them … with their flawless bodies and their beautiful ageless
faces! It’s amazing and even miraculous
that they manage to look so stunning at any age, at any occasion and with any
outfit … and then I remember the “magic” of Photoshop! I was told some time back that this process
of fixing everything imperfect is called “retouch”. Actually, photo retouching is “the treatment
of a photograph to remove dust spots or blemishes, or to adjust or remove
unwanted elements of the image, or add new elements to an image.”
Ok, these celebrities have the
benefit of having their bodies and faces retouched so all their photos look
remarkable, astonishing and immaculate.
Whether their photos are taken in a pre-organized setting or they are
selfies, before being posted or printed anywhere, magazines, social media
sites, etc., they are always “fixed”.
Their cellulite disappears, their stretch marks vanish, their tummies
are “tucked”, their wrinkles are faded away and all imperfections …
evaporate! Need I say more about these
photos?
The question is what do we do? What
about all of us who do not have the luxury of having a mobile
photo-retouching-Photoshop-expert 24/7?
Do we stay looking at ourselves in the mirror and remain unhappy with
the image reflected back? Do we vow to
accept that “person” looking at us from inside the mirror or do we do something
to change the “imperfections?”
Well … I am a fighter, thus I
always look at my options, and here I have made a list of the possible plastic
surgery procedures that help improve “thy self” … not momentarily, as photo retouching
does, but more permanently!
FACELIFT – A
facelift (technically known as rhytidectomy) is a cosmetic surgical operation
to remove unwanted wrinkles by tightening the skin of the face. It can not stop
the aging process, but it can “set back the clock” improving the most visible
signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and
re-draping the skin of the face and neck.
At the end of it, you look at yourself and you recognize the face … it’s
the one you’ve lived with for the past years and not the one that suddenly
creped up on you overnight … you know what I’m talking about … the one with the
wrinkles!
BLEPHAROPLASTY – This
procedure, also known as eyelid surgery, removes extra fat and skin from the
eyelids. Droopy eyelids can make you look older and can impair vision. Blepharoplasty corrects these problems but
also removes puffiness and bags under the eyes that give a worn and tired
look. Although the change most of the
times is not drastic, the procedure gives the patient a more rested and
refreshed look.
RHINOPLASTY – The
term rhinoplasty is derived from the German “rhinoplastik” which means:
“changing the shape of the nose”. Some
people are unhappy with their nose they were born with or with the way their
nose has changed with aging. Others
request the surgery due to an injury that may have distorted their nose and for
others the goal is improved breathing.
Whatever the case, since the nose occupies a central position on the
face, its size and shape has a great impact on an individual’s appearance and
it’s really a play between bright areas and shadows.
BREAST AUGMENTATION – This
surgical procedure is used to enhance the size and shape of a woman’s breasts
for reasons that include the enhancement of the body contour of a woman who,
for personal reasons, feels that her breast size is too small, the correction
of a reductions in breast volume after pregnancy, and/or to balance a
difference in breast size. Chose and pick, whatever the reason, this procedures
boost self-confidence and improves body image.
BREAST MASTOPEXY – Over
the years, factors such as pregnancy, nursing, and the force of gravity, take
their toll on a woman's breasts. As the skin loses its elasticity, the breasts
often lose their shape and firmness and begin to sag. Breast lift, or
mastopexy, is a surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts - at
least, for a time. (No surgery can permanently delay the effects of gravity and
everything on our bodies moving south!) Mastopexy can also reduce the size of
the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. If the breasts are small or
have lost volume, after pregnancy, breast implants inserted in conjunction with
mastopexy, can increase both their firmness and their size.
LIPOSUCTION – This
procedure can help re-establish the curves and sculpt a thinner body, by
removing the deep layer of fat from areas genetically predisposed to accumulate
fat. Patients that are not overweight, but still have
"stubborn" pockets of fat, are the best candidates for liposuction. Liposuction
techniques may be used to reduce these fat deposits in the thighs, the hips and
buttocks, the abdomen and waist, the upper arms, the back, the inner knee, the
chest area, the cheeks, chin and neck, and the calves and ankles. A
healthy lifestyle is an absolute must for anybody contemplating having
liposuction, as without it patients can still gain weight, with
the remaining fat cells enlarging – more evenly throughout, but still they can
enlarge.
TUMMY TUCK – Abdominoplasty,
known more commonly as a "tummy tuck," is a procedure to remove
excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen, and to tighten the
muscles of the abdominal wall. The procedure can dramatically reduce the
appearance of a protruding abdomen, and remove unsightly stretch marks that
resulted from pregnancy and/or weight gain. A tummy tuck restores weakened or
separated muscles creating an abdominal profile that is smoother and firmer.
Sometimes liposuction alone can produce the desired results, but sometimes skin
removal along with the tummy tuck is necessary.
BRACHIOPLASTY – This
surgical procedure removes fat and excess skin hanging from the upper arm. For
people who have had a dramatic weight loss or who simply want their arms to look
shapely, a brachioplasty can help.
Ok, now that you’ve seen what the
options are, you can actually fight the “demon” in your mirror … throw him
overboard now and forever. It’s all a
matter of choice … and forget about Photoshop altogether!
Works cited:
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