Even though more and more people are now able to afford plastic surgery, it is still one of those things that we hear about from someone or somewhere else – from movies, celebrity news, some alleged gossip, etc. Well, the fact is it’s really a VIP procedure. Rich, famous, public and powerful people do it all the time. It is for them as tires check or a physical for you. If you are interested about the true facts of this “royal” treatment read on.

First of all, plastic operation field is way older than you might think. There are some records that the surgery was practiced as early as 800 BC. Of course, given the lack of knowledge and technology the results were chilling, but it is said to be a start. The Roman times and much later World War I were the two periods, during which the most significant method and technique advances were introduced. The first sex change operation was performed only in 1946. After that the sky was the limit – the tools became better, surgeons more skilled and knowledgeable and the technology almost almighty. The last three decades proved to be revolutionary in terms of progress. Some of the procedures that were performed on a regular basis just fifty years ago, became rapidly replaced by new, less invasive procedures. For instance, nobody does the awful tread lift anymore. And frankly, why would you, if you can patch up whatever needs patching up with a serious of cool therapies, that feel more like a spa treatment. In any way, today there are so many procedures with different degrees of invasiveness and for various levels of damage – we are living in the golden age of plastic surgery.

The huge assortment is certainly good in terms of affordability. Non-invasive procedures, that typically produce short-term to prolonged results (very rarely permanent) may cost from just a couple of hundred bucks to anywhere around several thousand dollars. Depending on the severity of your problem, personal factors and not to forget, location the price can bounce greatly. For instance, one of the more popular anti-cellulite, body-shaping procedures called CoolSculpting, was reported to be performed for $700 for one patient, and big fat $3,750 for another. The real, surgical treatments are of course more expensive. On average a nose job, or rhinoplasty, costs about six grands. A forehead lift typically costs about $4000, full face is about twice as much. Any major liposuction will cost you four thousands and up. Pretty expensive, but for those who are able to pay such money it is totally worth it. It is way easier to find the needed cash, then start eating right, being more active, drink water all the time, give up alcohol and smoking, and quit stressing all the time. As long as there is a concept of fast food (and what food is slow now – it is all 30 minutes away no matter where you are) and as long as there are mortgages, it ain’t going to happen.

Celebrities are of course the surgery junkies. One of the leading and most exclusive hollywood surgeons says that they all do it. There is not a person over the age of thirty in the movie and television business that doesn’t have something done. The plastic surgeon shares that the biggest problem with all this celebrity nipping and tucking is not the fact that they do it, but the fact that they start relying on it at such a young age. There is nothing wrong with fixing a little here and improving a little there. It’s a lavish, highly public world, so if you are about to show up on a red carpet wearing stylish, expensive outfit, you better make sure that your ugly, wrinkled skin doesn’t spoil the picture. It is considered that doing more or less regular maintenance works starting from age of 40 or later is quite acceptable in terms of appearances and health. The surgeon says, that since his practice is successful now he is able to turn down the cases with which his professional integrity just can’t help disagreeing. If some freshly horizoned starlet storms in and asks for a surgery just because “it is time” or “I don’t look perfect” – the answer is a firm “no”.

So how do we tell if our favorite superstars have had a plastic operation? One of the biggest, and most obvious tells is a certain period of absence and a sudden reappearance with a fresh new look. In most cases, the celebs will start blabbing about some new diets, a great spa vacation, a freshly-discovered vitamin, etc. You can of course convince yourself that this nice little story is true – but the actual truth is there was a surgery done. Another sign of a recent plastic operation is a slightly receded hair line. Persons with sharp or pronounced facial features change dramatically if some part was altered or pulled. They will start looking not themselves – a nose or chin will all of a sudden look like it was made for a different person. You’ve seen it – one day you wake, turn on your TV and a certain movie star just looks weird.

One last thing you should know is that it is all about the surgeon, but even the best of them cannot guarantee drastic improvements. A celebrity plastic surgeon says, that if your eye shape or a nose are complete disasters, the only thing he could do is to make them less disastrous. Here’s what you need to remember – if you are not happy with the way your face looks, do not try to get a new face for yourself – it will be only worse. Decide what you dislike the most and discuss a couple of alterations with your surgeon. Do not try to totally change shapes – just make enough changes to soften the appearance.