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Plastic surgery: Fact vs. fiction

Type the word 鈥渇acelift鈥� into a search engine and you鈥檒l be overwhelmed with results. For instance, Google serves up 54 million results. When it comes to plastic surgery, society is in information overload. From advertisements to television shows to advice from friends and relatives, information about plastic surgery is everywhere 鈥� and it鈥檚 not always accurate.

To help us separate plastic surgery facts from fiction, Bruce Mast, M.D., UF鈥檚 chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery, weighs in:

Fiction: The name 鈥減lastic surgery鈥� is due to the use of implants and other synthetic materials.

Fact: The term comes from the Greek word 鈥減lastikos,鈥� which means to shape or to mold.

Fiction: Plastic surgery is never covered by health insurance.

Fact: Typically, insurers cover plastic surgery that restores, recreates or reforms aspects of physical appearance and function that have been affected by development, growth, disease or trauma. Some examples are , surgery to treat non-healing wounds, , and that affect vision.

Surgery done for improvement or correction of physical conditions, development, growth or aging is typically self-pay. The BOB体育 Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics Center personnel encourage you to speak with your physician and insurance provider about .

Fiction: There is an age cut-off for plastic surgery procedures.

Age is a consideration, but the overall health and fitness of an individual is the most important factor.

Fiction: There are no treatments available to make hands look younger.

Fact: , or collagen, take only a few minutes and produce immediate results. They are very quick and painless, with many patients electing to take care of the procedure during their lunch hour. Results are noticeable immediately and depending on the type of injection you choose, can last up to one year.

Fiction: Silicone breast implants are unsafe.

Fact: In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration released findings that . However, silicone gel-filled implants may change over time, as does a woman鈥檚 body, so a .

Fiction: Tummy tucks can only be done if you stay in the hospital.

Fact: A t, known in the medical field as abdominoplasty, is a procedure conducted to remove excess or loose skin and fat from the abdomen. Tummy tucks are frequently combined with . While this procedure is traditionally done in the hospital, it may be safely done as an outpatient procedure 鈥� but only with carefully selected patients and .

Do you have more questions about plastic surgery procedures? Request a free consultation with the BOB体育 Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics Center.

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Peyton Wesner
Communications Manager for BOB体育 External Communications
[email protected] (352) 273-9620