(Originally posted by Dustin Driver ,http://www.askmen.com/sports/health_150/150_mens_health.html)
We’d all like to look like Brad Pitt or Denzel Washington; actually most of us wouldn’t mind looking like any of the muscled and chiseled movie stars who have been deified in the mainstream media. Unfortunately, not all of us are blessed with mesomorphic builds, square jaws and granite abs. So we spend hours in the gym, guzzle magical bodybuilding shakes or simply throw in the towel and give up. But fret not, for modern medicine can slice, dice and sculpt your body into nearly any shape you can imagine. Breast reduction, liposuction, Botox, and a dazzling array of shape-enhancing implants are all within reach -- if you can afford them.
If you’re thinking about surgical body modifications, keep reading. The following procedures can be performed in a matter of hours by a skilled plastic surgeon. But watch out, surgery has its risks.
Breast reduction
So you have a little extra fat on your chest or maybe you have full-fledged man boobs. Either way, you’d like a flat, smooth, manly chest. Breast-reduction surgery involves vacuuming out the fat and trimming excess skin to give you a flat, masculine chest. The procedure is called gynecomastia, which is also the name for the man-boob condition, and usually takes one to two hours to complete.
Risks: There are relatively few risks that result from this procedure. As with any surgery, bacterial infections are a possibility, but they’re rare. You could also experience numbness in the nipples and surrounding areas, and the lack of sensation could be permanent or fleeting.
Costs: Breast reduction can be one of the most economical procedures. Surgeons typically charge between $1,500 and $3,000, depending on the length of the surgery and whether you have any pectoral implants installed.
Implants
You’ve spent months at the gym, but your chest is still concave and puny. And no matter how much time you devote to your calves, your legs are as scrawny as saplings. But don’t worry, pectoral, calf, abdominal, and even butt implants can give you the appearance of an iron-pumping gym rat in a matter of hours. Implants are typically made of silicone or a malleable plastic that’s meant to mimic firm muscle, and are inserted into the desired area through a small incision that’s about an inch long. Each implant surgery usually lasts between one and two hours per area.
Risks: Again, infection is a risk. Swelling and tightness around the implant are common and recovery times range from one to two weeks. Although implants may be permanent, they can drift and cause an asymmetrical appearance.
Costs: Implants are a bit more time-consuming than breast reduction or liposuction. As a result, expect to pay between $2,000 and $5,000 for an implant.
Going under the knife could mean a simple injection or a vacuuming event… Next >>
Botox
Your eyebrows have been perpetually furrowed since your promotion five years ago, and now you look like a shar-pei. Botox may be just what you’re looking for: a way to smooth out those wrinkles without a scalpel. Botox is a nerve-killing toxin that’s produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. When it’s injected under your wrinkles, it causes your facial muscles to relax, which in turn allows your skin to smooth out. A treatment takes effect within five days and lasts up to six months. After that, the muscles in your face regain their strength and your wrinkles could return.
Risks: Despite the inherently toxic nature of Botox, the procedure involves very little risk. In some cases, an injection may initially cause a drooping around the eyelids, but the effect almost always wears off in a few weeks.
Cost: Botox isn’t cheap. A tiny vial of the stuff costs around $450. Keeping that in mind, you should expect to pay between $200 and $300 per injection. And if you want to keep those wrinkles at bay, you’ll have to fork over the cash about every six months.
Liposuction
Your cardio plan was a smash success and you lost tons of weight, but you’re still harboring pockets of blubber around your belly and your love handles provide ample grip. Liposuction can remove that fat in an instant, giving you a perfectly sculpted body. During the procedure the surgeon will insert the liposuction tube -- a fancy vacuum cleaner -- and suck out the excess fat. Depending on how much fat was removed and how elastic your skin is, the surgeon may then remove sections of loose skin. The whole procedure can take anywhere from one to four hours, depending on the extent of the fat removal.
Risks: Although liposuction seems like a simple procedure, it’s actually quite traumatic to the affected area. During the procedure, the matrix that holds your skin to your body is ripped away, leaving a massive wound for your body to deal with. Swelling is common and sometimes so great that compression garments (tight clothing) must be worn to keep swelling to a minimum. Bruising in the area is also common, but usually subsides in about a week. It can take up to three weeks for a full recovery from the procedure and even then, numbness can persist in the area.
Costs: Depending on the extent of your surgery, liposuction can cost between $1,500 and $15,000.
