Top 3 Misconceptions in Plastic Surgery and Healthcare

Health and beauty-related information are often susceptible to misconceptions because of the way information is spread so quickly these days. Medical fields such as dermatology and plastic surgery are also misunderstood because many people use them for beauty purposes, even though they should be used to address medical concerns.

Banobagi Plastic Surgery's Dr. Oh Chang Hyun shares the top 3 most misunderstood plastic surgeries that people often assume are for beauty purposes, but actually can be used to solve multiple health issues.

Misconception 1. Double jaw surgery is for beauty only. 

 

According to Dr. Oh, double jaw surgery is not just for beauty but it corrects abnormal jawbone and malocclusion.

As a number of cases of celebrities who became pretty or overcame their complex after performing double jaw surgery on TV were introduced, the cosmetic aspect of double jaw surgery was emphasized, and it was known as one of the 'dramatic cosmetic surgeries'.

Double jaw surgery began with a case in which an American doctor, Simon P. Hullihen, operated on a patient whose lower jaw bone protruded forward after being burned in 1949. As described above, double jaw surgery is a surgery to correct abnormally developed jawbone or tooth irregularities. In particular, it is a method of correcting the 'malignant bite' that the teeth are not properly engaged or when the upper and lower jaws are closed. If malocclusion is severe, it is easy to suffer from indigestion because you cannot chew food well, and you may have difficulty in communication due to inaccurate pronunciation. Because your mouth opens naturally, you breathe in the mouth, which can dry out your mouth and cause bad breath. In addition to the two-jaw surgery, the spatula jaw, the jaw, facial asymmetry, protruding mouth, and long face are corrected.

Dr. Oh explains, "In the case of facial asymmetry, it is a disease that can affect the distortion of the spine or pelvis. In addition to the psychological aspects such as having a complex, it also affects health, so severe facial asymmetry is a case for considering two-jaw surgery."

Misconception 2. Botox is harmful 

“Botox,” known as the synonym for wrinkle treatment, is a highly debatable subject. Some people swear by it while others have concerns about it. This is because Botox is known be to a 'toxin'. In fact, Botox is a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of neurological disorders. It refers to a drug that uses 'botulinum toxin' as its main ingredient, and 'Botox' is the product name of an American pharmaceutical company.

Botox was created in the 1970s by Alan B. Scott, an American eye doctor, to treat strabismus (a disease in which the eyes are looking at different points). Initially, it was used for the purpose of treating musculoskeletal spasms, but in 1987, Canadian ophthalmologist Jean Carruders discovered that wrinkles disappeared in the course of treating patients with blepharoscopic spasms (eye tremors). Today, it is widely used for cosmetic purposes, but what many are unaware of is that in the medical field, it is also used for the purpose of treating diseases caused by muscle hyperactivity, various muscle spasms, such as swelling of the face and eyes.

Misconception 3. Cholesterol is bad for you. 

The common belief that 'all cholesterol is bad', which can be often seen among dieters, also stems from misunderstanding. It is because of the perception that cholesterol blocks blood vessels. However, cholesterol itself is a substance produced in the body through cellular action, and an appropriate amount is needed to keep healthy.

Cholesterol can be divided into 'HDL (high-density lipoproteins) cholesterol', sometimes called the 'good cholesterol', and 'LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol,' also known as the 'bad cholesterol'. HDL cholesterol plays a role in removing excess cholesterol by moving it to the liver, and LDL cholesterol levels are too low to reduce cognitive ability and immunity, so it is important to balance the two cholesterols.

According to Dr. Oh, “There are cases where different results have been derived through the latest research on commonly known medical common sense, or are supplemented through cutting-edge technologies such as pre-examinations and 3D CT scans.” However, it is important to obtain accurate understanding of medical knowledge through medical institutions and specialists rather than relying on information that's floating around on the Internet.

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