Is There Such A Thing As Environmentally Friendly Plastic Surgery?

As it turns out, yes, yes there is (sort of). With all the talk of global warming and the increasing potential for an inevitable apocalypse, maybe you’re starting to wonder how you can do your part to spare Mother Earth from more human-made injuries. For example, maybe you could do a better job when trying to recycle. Interestingly, that’s where environmentally friendly plastic surgery comes into play. Believe it or not, you can transfer and recycle body fat for your own use. Isn’t that a yummy idea?

While there have been some rather creative ideas on reusing a person’s body fat (everything from energy sources to potential donation), the transfer is really the only viable option for the recycling of this wonderful tissue. It’s even a desirable procedure, as a great number of people do find convenient places in which to place their excess body fat. Basically, your NYC surgeon, if that’s where you happen to be, would remove unwanted fat from one area of your body and proceed to place it where it would be more aesthetically pleasing.

Most people generally take a look at their stomach, parts of their back, hips, and thighs and think: I want that fat to go away. Then again, some people look to their breasts, face, or butt and think: I would look so much better if that were just a wee bit plumper. Aging patients might choose to have tiny amounts of fat placed in lips, cheeks, eyelids or around their temples in order to reduce wrinkles. Your plastic surgeon can make any of these dreams a quick reality with only a few simple tools during a not-so-terrible procedure.

Liposuction helps remove the fat through a steel straw, or cannula. Usually, you’ll have the necessary areas numbed or end up a little zonky from general anesthetic, but it’s a common procedure and usually, you have nothing to worry about. Make sure your surgeon has a proven track record and you’ll be okay.

You might think that the fat can go right back into the next location, but that can’t happen until it has been washed, rinsed, and treated. Using a method that is essentially the opposite of liposuction, the fat tissue is then placed right where you want it.

Although these procedures are usually done for personal reasons, victims of severe accidents might use excess fat during reconstructive surgeries. During breast reconstruction, for example, a patient might receive an implant to retain the shape of a normal breast, while fat transfer can then be used to provide the appearance of a normal breast.

Of course, not every procedure is a hundred percent successful. During a fat transfer, about half the fat moved will end up being absorbed again by the healing process. While that may not be ideal for those looking to have the procedure done, it is a telltale sign of a body that knows how to function properly. At the end of the day, that’s what you should want most!

Sure, you’re probably thinking that fat transfer isn’t “real” recycling, but when you’re trying to get the perfect body you do what you have to do. These procedures help reduce the use of other resources that would otherwise be wasted with other technologies that will never now need to be conceived of or implemented. Your body provides everything you need to make it as perfect as you want it–but it might take an experienced plastic surgeon to put everything in the right proportion.

Melissa Thompson writes about a wide range of topics, revealing interesting things we didn’t know before. She is a freelance USA Today producer, and a Technorati contributor.