Popular cosmetic procedures are both safe and effective when performed by certified surgeons, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The study, which appears in the January issue of the Dermatologic Clinics journal, analyzed 98 studies on cosmetic procedures to decide on the safety of some of the most common procedures.
Those looking for an injectable to smooth their wrinkles, such as Botox, Dysport and others, should feel safe, the researchers say. These procedures have been around for 20 years, they said, and there have not been any cases of serious reaction when used properly and according to the instructions from the qualified surgeons.
Most cosmetical procedures are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which also marks them as safe. The new techniques, like cool-sculpting or using laser light for fat removal, are also safe during the short term, but because they are newer procedures their effectiveness is less known.
“Patients need to be smart consumers and ask their doctors better questions such as, ‘How does procedure A compare to procedure B?’”, said lead author Murad Alam, MD, chief of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Other questions might include: “Is there research comparing treatments, such as a facelift versus non-invasive skin tightening? Is there evidence regarding the degree of improvement and how long the results will last? How long has a particular procedure or device been approved, and would the doctor be comfortable recommending it to a friend or family member?’”
Key to patient’s safety is selecting a experienced, and more importantly, certified plastic surgeon that can provide the patient with additional data and choice of treatments.
(Image courtesy of http://www.theplasticsurgerychannel.com)