[face lift getting started .JPG]Hilary Brueck/Business Insider * PLASTIC SURGERY INVOLVES CUTTING, LOOSENING, AND RE-SEWING PARTS OF THE BODY TOGETHER. * THERE'S NOTHING PLASTIC ABOUT IT — THE TERM COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD _PLASTIKOS,_ WHICH MEANS "TO MOLD" OR "TO FORM." * THE PRACTICE DATES BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS, TO AT LEAST THE 6TH CENTURY B.C. * I SPENT A DAY WATCHING A WOMAN GET A FACE-LIFT, NECK-LIFT, BROW-LIFT, AND EYELID-LIFT, AND WAS AMAZED. Plastic surgery is a mysterious business. The average face-lift costs $7,500, though the price can get upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on where and how it's done. Typically, none of that cost is covered by insurance. And after it's all over, patients often stay hush-hush about whether or not they've had any work done. But in the quiet, picket-fenced town of Avon, Connecticut, patient Kim Maher and Dr. Paul Stanislaw recently let me enter their surgery room and see how plastic surgery happens up close. I was surprised by how low-tech and artful the procedure was, and fascinated by how resilient and tough human faces can be below the skin. I also learned first-hand that performing or undergoing a face-lift is an all-day slog, with hours of meticulous injecting, snipping, and stitching. The following photos give you a brief glance behind the scenes. But a few warnings are in order first. Please don't attempt any DIY plastic surgery — the images below show the work of a board-certified professional with 20 years of experience. If you are considering such a procedure, talk to your doctor. And for those who get squeamish about medical matters, beware: The surgery isn't terribly gory, but there is a bit of blood involved. WHEN PLANNING A SURGERY WITH A PATIENT, STANISLAW OFTEN ASKS THEM TO BRING IN OLD PHOTOS OF THEMSELVES SO HE CAN GET A SENSE FOR WHAT THEIR FACE SHAPE LOOKED LIKE IN THE PAST. THIS IS MAHER WHEN SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. Stanislaw Facial Plastic Surgery Center AS PEOPLE AGE, THEIR SKIN LOSES ELASTICITY, STRETCHES OUT, AND BECOMES LESS SUPPLE. Stanislaw Facial Plastic Surgery Center Muscles in the face that we use over and over again to smile and express emotion create creases. Fat that was once well distributed can also clump up and travel down. "It's like a stretched-out Slinky," Dr. Stanislaw said. "We're taking out a couple of links of that extra stretched-out Slinky to sort of tighten up." MAHER LOST 30 POUNDS RECENTLY, AND SHE SAID SHE NOW BELIEVES HER FACE DEFIES HER AGE. "I LOOK LIKE I'M GOING TO BE TURNING 60, AND NOT 53," SHE SAID. Stanislaw Facial Plastic Surgery Center About a year and a half ago, Maher decided to change her eating and drinking routines. Today, she said she maintains her weight by taking daily walks and being mindful not to overeat like she used to. "I walk like crazy," she said. "I walk between 6 and 10 miles a day. So everybody thinks 'oh, you lost all this weight,' but you know what, it didn't come off for free. I really work at it to keep it off." Maher didn't think there would be a dark side to losing that weight. "I feel like I'm 20 years old again, but then I look in the mirror and it's like, Oh God, what happened?" she said. "It made me look even older." SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER SEE ALSO: * A $6 million floating home that can withstand Category 4 hurricanes is now a reality. Take a look inside. * I went to Joshua Tree after the government shutdown. Even though it looked picture-perfect, it could actually take the park 300 years to recover from the damage. * 7 dangerous foods that could raise your risk of developing cancer SEE ALSO: WHY YOU NEVER REALLY DIE: A MICROBIOLOGIST EXPLAINS ALL THE WAYS THE BODY LIVES ON, AND WHY WE DON'T DECAY UNTIL WE'RE DEAD
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