When a person considers plastic surgery, they usually have a particular procedure in mind. If a woman’s breasts are too small, she can have them enlarged. If a person’s nose is too large, it can be made smaller. Elective procedures are very popular and range in effect from subtle to dramatic. Costs also range depending on the type of procedure. In the world of cosmetic procedures, there is something for everyone.A very popular procedure is the face lift. As women age, facial skin begins to sag and wrinkle. Fine lines appear and the eyes can appear droopy. A face lift smoothes the wrinkles and lifts the droopiness to enhance the appearance of the face and make a woman appear more youthful. Many current procedures are minimally invasive and do not require a lot of down time during the healing process.Another common procedure is breast augmentation. Breast augmentation is the enlargement of the breasts by using silicone or saline implants. Some women choose to have small implants put in to make the breasts fuller, while others have larger implants put in to completely change the way their breasts look as a whole. Healing from this type of plastic surgery does take some time, but a majority of women have been very pleased with the outcome of their own procedures.Rhinoplasty, otherwise known as a “nose job,” is a procedure that sculpts and reshapes or resizes the nose. Changes can be major or minor depending on the needs of each patient. Often just making a few subtle changes can be enough to satisfy most patients; however, those with larger or more protruding noses can have more extensive work done.Perhaps one of the most common procedures is the tummy tuck. After a woman has a baby, sometimes she finds it difficult to get a flat stomach again. Also, after extreme weight loss, many patients have excess skin and flab that make a flat stomach an impossibility. A tummy tuck removes the excess skin and gives the patient a flat, sculpted stomach.If you are considering plastic surgery, it is important to remember that each of these procedures carries risks. Any surgery runs the risk of complications and infection, but most people find that they are willing to take the risks to achieve the results that they want. Complications and infections can be minimized if you realize the importance of following your doctor’s recommendations for post-operative care. Obviously not all complications can be avoided, but they can be minimized.Elective procedures are not typically covered by insurance. In some cases (surgery necessitated by disease or injury) insurance companies will cover these types of surgeries, but it is important to check the fine print and make sure. If your plastic surgery will not be covered by insurance, your doctor or surgical center may offer payment plans or financing options. You should not let the high cost of elective procedures deter you from at least considering the options available.