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Doctor Luiz Toledo, understands that when some people hear about plastic surgery, they imagine a Hollywood star trying to delay the signs of aging, flatten their tummies, or increase the size of their breasts. However, there are all kinds of people, of all ages who opt for plastic surgery. In the main, plastic surgery procedures are surgery. They involve anesthesia, precise post-operative care and an element of risk, as in all surgeries. Dr. Toledo spends time interviewing prospective patients matching the candidate to the appropriate procedure and checking that they are ready to operate for the right reason. To ensure that the patient is physically ready for the procedure there will be specific blood tests carried out, x-rays, MRI or Mammogram and eye tests, depending on the surgery.

Doctor Toledo will explain the procedure, so that each patient understands and can handle the stress of surgery. Aesthetic (sometimes called Cosmetic) procedures aim to alter areas of the body that the person is not happy with. Common aesthetic procedures include making the breasts larger (augmentation mammoplasty) or smaller (reduction mammoplasty), reshaping the nose (rhinoplasty), facial rejuvenation and removing pockets of fat from specific areas on the body (liposuction/liposculpture). It is not surgery solely for vanity`s sake, as it involves a sense of self-preservation, of wanting to look your best for yourself and for others.

So what is the difference? According to Dr. Toledo the differences between aesthetic and cosmetic surgery are sometimes subtle, but he stresses that not all cosmetic surgeons are plastic surgeons. "A plastic surgeon undergoes a minimum of three years of residency in the specialty, after he has finished his general surgery training. To become a specialist the plastic surgeon still has to pass a rigorous exam. In the United States it is called the Board Examination. In Brazil it is the Specialist Title Examination. Cosmetic surgeons usually have not undergone this extensive training. They are, for the most part, doctors from other specialties, often with no surgical training, who undergo temporary fellowships to learn some cosmetic techniques, such as liposuction" says Dr Toledo.