Technology in Plastic Surgery
Have you been considering plastic surgery but are a little anxious about the permanent change? What if you could see your potential plastic surgery results with your smart phone or on your computer? With advances in software, and smart phone apps, it is now possible to see your potential results before going under the knife. Mobile apps for plastic surgery are taking the web and app stores by storm, just for smart phones, there are over 200 free body and face morphing apps.
A top rated app from Apple allows the user to upload a photo and simulate a variety of facial procedures. The user is then able to view what they may potentially look like with a number of facial injections, rhinoplasty, browlift, blepharoplasty (eye surgery), neck lift and lip augmentation. If you are looking to change the appearance of your body, then iAugment or iLipo may be the apps for you. iAugment is for women considering breast surgery, and iLipo allows users to perform virtual liposuction. Once the virtual procedures are performed, users can upload and share their before and after photos on social media.
Critics believe that these apps reduce the significance of plastic surgery and make it seem trivial to users. It is so easy to download the app, change your appearance, and share your new look with your friends, users may forget that plastic surgery is life changing and permanent.
While the idea of being able to see how you can enhance your appearance with a mouse click or screen swipe, “…these apps may cause unrealistic expectations.”, said Dr. Marc Malek, a top plastic surgeon in Scottsdale, AZ. There are many variables to performing a surgical procedure and to hold expectations to software generated images is just impractical. The best way to decided whether or not to go through with a procedure or not, is to choose a surgeon that you can trust. Take time to review photos of previous work, and read reviews. If you clearly demonstrate what you would like to change to an experienced surgeon that you trust, you should have no worries.
Dr. Marc Malek is listed among PHOENIX magazine’s annual Top Doctors rankings and is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, in addition to being a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Medical Association and the Arizona Medical Association. To request a consultation with Dr. Malek, please visit his website at www.marcmalekmd.com or call his office at 480.551.2040.