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Well over 43,000 breast reductions were done last year, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. While that number is small in comparison to the nearly 314,000 women who underwent breast augmentation surgery last year, it still represents a significant number of women who improved their quality of life.

Cosmetic breast surgery, an umbrella term that includes augmentation, lifts, and reductions, has long suffered from an image problem. The women who underwent the procedures were often held up as examples of everything that was wrong with plastic surgery during an era when it was stigmatized for its glorification of artificiality and excess.

As the stigma was shed, the perception softened. But it hasn’t completely gone away. Casting judgment ignores the deeply personal and nuanced stories that inspire tens of thousands of women to undergo cosmetic breast surgery each year, many of whom have suffered in silence for much of their lives.

For a moment, envision yourself as a fifth-grade girl who, from the first day of school this year has stopped being called by her name. Instead, you’re known now to classmates and strangers alike as “The Girl with the Big Boobs.” It’s a burden you’ll carry with you through your formative years.

As you enter your mid-twenties and your friends begin to settle down and talk about starting families, your thoughts center on breast reduction surgery. Exhausted by the countless inconveniences, like buying a two-piece bathing suit or doing any kind of cardiovascular exercise, not to mention the crippling lower back pain that’s intensifying by the week, you begin to consult with plastic surgeons.

In time you discover an especially compassionate surgeon who meets your qualifications and understands what you’re looking for and how you’re feeling.  In preparation, you’ll explain that you exercise three to four times a week in spite of waking every morning with back pain. Your posture is terrible, you know that, but sitting up straight is too taxing.

A few months after your surgery, your recovery behind you, you’ll catch yourself in a mirror and realize you love being naked. And almost immediately, it’ll occur to you that you can’t remember ever having felt that. In fact, for as far back as your memory will take you, the only sensation you can remember is that your body doesn’t feel like it belongs to you. But now you know it does.

This story about a ‘mommy makeover’ is likely familiar to you on some level.

Even when she takes into consideration all the ground she’s covered (and respect she’s come to command) through the first 15 years of her career, a woman—let’s name her Grace—considers herself an athlete foremost. She rises at 5 a.m. most mornings to get 10 miles in, and she’s meticulous about her diet.

At 35, she has her first child and gains 40 pounds during the pregnancy, but they come off in mere months postpartum with the help of a jogging stroller. A couple years later, Grace becomes pregnant again. This time, her recovery is far more challenging. A prolonged postnatal hospital stay, which included recovery from a C-section and a series of life-threatening complications, left her depleted.

Even once Grace made it home, caring for her second infant, who nurses constantly, absorbs much more of her time, to the extent that she abandons running.

She still manages to drop 25 pounds in fairly short order, but with her abdominal muscles forced apart, she still appears second-trimester pregnant. With 40 staring back from the horizon, Grace’s previously elastic body wasn’t snapping back into place the way it once had.

The “mommy makeover” is often perceived as an act of vanity, even by many of the women who pursue it.

But for Grace, it was an attempt at empowerment. As she was, Grace was struggling to be the mother she expected to be. Before children, the woman she saw in the mirror was fearless. But Grace, the mother, couldn’t even take her toddlers to the park without persistent anxiety over concealing her body.

To her young kids, everything was new and thrilling. But Grace was too distracted by her fellow moms to indulge in that joy. She felt like a failure because her body had morphed into something completely foreign to her, and she couldn’t seem to get out of her own way as a result.

The mommy makeover isn’t a single surgery that reconstructs the body. Rather, with the help of a board-certified plastic surgeon, a woman can customize a series of operations specific to her needs. Nearly always it includes a breast augmentation and a lift, as well as a tummy tuck, a surgical procedure designed to eliminate the loose skin and excess fat apparent after childbirth.

The mommy makeover is a big undertaking for a woman and, really, her entire family. Recovery from abdominal surgery can’t be rushed, which means finding help with childcare and asking a partner to absorb more than their fair share of domestic duties.

The reward that makes enduring that worth it? Reclaiming yourself, and becoming a fearless, fun mom in the process.

In case you missed it, back in August, Chrissy Teigen had Botox injected into her underarms.

It was notable not because of the procedure—Botox injections are a relatively new treatment for hyperhidrosis, also known as excessive sweating, though it’s becoming fairly commonplace—but because of how the model and entrepreneur very openly broadcast the procedure—literally.

Teigen gave her 26 million Instagram followers a front-row seat to an appointment with her plastic surgeon by posting a live feed of the procedure. “Botoxed my armpits,” she captioned the post. “Truly the best move I have ever made.”

So, how’s it work?

The FDA approved Botox for those, like Teigen, who sweat excessively from their armpits, but it can also be used “off-label” to reduce sweating from the hands, feet, and face.

Normally, when your body temperature rises, your nervous system activates your sweat glands. It’s the body’s natural cooling method. But for someone who suffers from hyperhidrosis, the nerves that send that signal are overactive.

Essentially, Botox works the same way for your armpits as it does for temporarily reducing the appearance of frown lines, forehead wrinkles, and crow’s feet. It paralyzes the muscle where you’re injecting.

The sweat glands in our armpits are surrounded by muscle fibers. When we sweat, the muscle fibers contract and milk the sweat glands. By paralyzing these muscle fibers, you stop the sweating process.

And, how effective is it?

It’s a pretty simple procedure that can be done during an office visit. To begin your journey against hyperhidrosis, you’ll receive several injections. This is done with a fine needle in each armpit that’ll form a sort of grid pattern.

The risk of a potential injury is minimal, but there are a few nerves and large blood vessels that travel from the armpit down to the hands, so it’s important to seek treatment from a board-certified plastic surgeon who has experience with the procedure.

You’ll be able to resume your day as soon as it’s done. There may be some swelling and sensitivity immediately after, but it shouldn’t be anything that would interfere with your normal activities.

Insurance providers usually cover the full cost, but they may ask that you try other options first, like prescription antiperspirant.

It takes between two and seven days to stop sweating in the treated area. And up to two weeks to achieve total dryness. But that dryness will last between four and 14 months (for the armpits).

Just how transformative does it feel to go from uncontrollable sweating to stopping it in its tracks? Just ask Teigen, who wrote, “I can wear silk again without soaking woohoo!”

As body contouring has grown from a buzzword among beauty insiders to big business*, CoolSculpting has emerged as the safest and most effective noninvasive treatment available.

(*One industry analyst projects that noninvasive and minimally-invasive fat reduction procedures will be a $1.1 billion industry by 2022, as patients, increasingly, are prioritizing in-office treatments with minimal downtime over surgical solutions.)

CoolSculpting targets pockets of stubborn fat, the sort resistant to dieting and exercising, and delivers permanent results. Board-certified plastic surgeons can now sculpt and re-contour most areas of the body, especially with the new CoolAdvantage heads that can treat even the smallest of areas.

The most commonly treated spots include the abdomen, “muffin top,” back fat, the bulges that can appear around a bra, and the double chin. (Yes, it’s safe for use around the face.)

Could body contouring work for you, too?

No doubt you’ve read about body contouring before, probably even admired some impressive before/after posts among your Instagram Stories. If you’ve started wondering, Is this something that could work for me? The answer, without getting all infomercial-y about it, is most likely a resounding yes.

CoolSculpting delivers the best results for those of us who eat a healthy diet and exercise on the regular, but who just can’t seem to shed a pinchable amount of subcutaneous fat. It’s also appropriate for curvier patients to reduce fat as part of a weight-loss program, though CoolSculpting itself is not considered a weight-loss procedure.

About the procedure

CoolSculpting is a noninvasive (meaning there are no incisions) and generally comfortable treatment. You may feel a pulling sensation as the applicator goes on. And the cold may be a little unpleasant initially, but the targeted area will become numb after a few minutes.

The treatment time lasts between 35 and 45 minutes per applicator. (You can have more than one area treated at once.) The applicator, which looks like a small box, is placed over the designated spot. It’ll apply a strong suction and freeze the fat cells underneath.

Usually, there’s no downtime at all. You may feel a bit tender and numb in the treated spot for a few days afterward, but it won’t be enough to interfere with your daily life. You can head right back to the office without missing a beat, and even hit the gym after work.

Why it’s so effective

The results won’t be immediately apparent. That will occur gradually. After about eight weeks, most of the improvement should become visible. Depending on the size of the treated area, most patients see the best results with two to three treatments over the course of a three-month period.

The process requires some patience because the affected fat cells are excreted naturally once they’re destroyed. The process, which is known as cryoliposis, cools the fatty tissue and destroys up to 25% of the fat cells in the treated area. And because the body only produces a certain number of fat cells, those particular fat cells are never coming back.

In other words, as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle, you can expect to never again be plagued by that pocket of stubborn fat.

Cheek fillers aren’t as commonplace as lip injections, tummy tucks, or breast augmentations, but that could be about to change.

Facial fillers make up the fastest-growing segment of minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures. More than 2.6 million treatments were performed last year, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgery. So they’re already widely accepted.

But, for the most part, the cheeks have been excluded from that movement—until recently. Plastic surgeons have long considered the cheekbones to be the most underappreciated feature on the face, and perhaps the entire body. When you realize just how much of the face’s surface area they comprise, not to mention the fact that they’re the heart of the face’s bone structure, a subtle tweak can completely change the face’s architecture.

That sentiment finally seems to be gaining traction as more and more get comfortable with facial fillers. So, how do they work? Read on.

It’s a highly customizable

A high-viscosity hyaluronic acid gel—Juvéderm Voluma is a popular choice— is used to temporarily plump and fill cheekbones that have lost volume due to age, or to create better symmetry. (The human face is naturally asymmetrical, though it’s hard to detect with the naked eye.)

With the right placement—because so much depends on the placement of the injections, it’s critical to seek out a plastic surgeon who’s not only board-certified but who also has an artist’s eye and skill—the filler will help lift and elevate the middle of the face, all while creating a softer, more youthful appearance for the upper portion of the face.

It’s a highly customizable procedure. The aim is really to accentuate the individual’s own facial beauty, not to create some version of universally ideal cheekbones. Someone with a thin face may want plumper cheeks. While someone with a round face may prefer a more angular look.

Immediate results

You’ll discuss your goals with your plastic surgeon. At which point, they’ll take careful measurements of your face to determine just how much filler you’ll need. It’ll take a few minutes for the topical numbing cream to take effect. And the injections themselves should take five to 10 minutes.

How long the filler will last varies from person to person because individual metabolic rates play a big part in it. But it generally takes between a year and a year-and-a-half for it to completely dissolve.

For those who prefer their new look over their natural appearance, you can add more filler after nine or 10 months, which will maintain the same level of structure.

There’s likely to be some mild swelling for a couple of days after the injections, but the recovery, otherwise, is virtually nonexistent. Even more, the results are immediate. Your features will look sharper, but the change will be subtle enough that no one could pinpoint the difference unless you point it out.

Until only recently, rhinoplasty was the only means to make a nose smaller, straighter, or smoother. The surgery’s effective and the results, permanent, but it requires anesthesia and considerable healing time because of the bruising and swelling.

With the rise of injectable fillers, a second option emerged a few years ago: the nonsurgical nose job. It’s an off-label use for fillers that’s capable of transforming your entire profile in under 15 minutes. Using the same hyaluronic acid gels used for lips and cheeks, a board-certified plastic surgeon can correct the nose’s contour and even make it appear smaller.

Sounds almost too good to be true, right? It’s not. But it’s still important to know exactly what you’re asking for. So, to help with that, here’s a primer that covers all the essential details about the procedure.

Who’s a good candidate?

It’s someone who has a pronounced bump on their nose. By filling the area around the bump, the plastic surgeon can create the illusion of a perfectly straight nose. Filler can also lift up a droopy tip and correct a slightly crooked nose.

A plastic surgeon can also make it appear smaller, even though they’re actually adding volume to the nose. And that’s because they’re creating symmetry. (The human face is naturally asymmetrical, or imbalanced, though it’s more noticeable in some.)

How long does it last?

It depends on the cosmetic filler that’s used. Often, plastic surgeons will start a patient off with a temporary filler, such as Voluma, which is natural-looking and lasts for up to a year-and-a-half. If they’re happy with the results, they’ll move on to a permanent filler, like Bellafill, once the temporary one dissolves.

The Voluma requires one 15-minute session, while the Bellafill, a collagen-based injectable that’s typically used to treat acne scars, takes three separate sessions, though the final result will last for years. Another important distinction: The temporary fillers, because they’re made from hyaluronic acid, can be dissolved if you don’t like the result. The Bellafill cannot.

Why is an experienced surgeon important?

All injections come with some amount of risk for swelling, bruising, and bleeding. But the nose is an especially delicate area of the face because its blood supply is quite weak. Put too much filler into the tip or a nostril and it can cut off the blood supply.

Important as it is to be aware of such complications, take it with a grain of salt because they’re rare—as long as the procedure is performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in facial fillers, and nonsurgical nose jobs in particular. This isn’t a procedure you want to shop around for the deepest discount.

In the right hands, the nonsurgical nose job is nearly painless. (Some topical cream to numb the area and ice afterward helps.) It’s a true “lunchtime procedure.” You may be a little red or bruised for a few days, but even that can be helped with a laser treatment.

Forehead wrinkles are a sensitive subject for many of us because they’re often at the top of our list of complaints about ourselves. But a range of treatments are available to help regain natural-looking, smooth, tight skin on our foreheads.

Botox injections are the most common and effective way to alleviate forehead wrinkles. More on that in a moment. First: How is it that our foreheads become billboards for our age?

There’s no simple answer because there are lots of factors that can cause forehead wrinkles, ranging from the repeated use of certain muscles in your face to a loss in skin elasticity that comes with aging. Perhaps the most common culprit is the frontalis muscle, which elevates the eyebrows and causes the forehead to wrinkle in the process.

But even if you’re someone who’s preferred subtle facial expressions, age inevitably catches up with all of us. As our skin laxity lessens, fine lines and wrinkles begin to form. And the forehead, if only because of its prominent placement, is usually the first place we notice them.

What does Botox do, exactly?

Botox burst onto the scene in 2002, when it was approved by the FDA as a safe and temporary solution for smoothing wrinkles. It continues to be the most popular nonsurgical wrinkle treatment, even as the injectables market has grown exponentially in recent years. Last year alone, nearly 7.5 million Botox procedures were performed in the United States, a 3% increase over 2017.

So, how does it work, exactly? Where forehead wrinkles are concerned, it stops the targeted muscles from working, which, in turn, gets rid of the creases. You’ll notice the muscles slowly freeze up within a day or two of the injections. The full, line-smoothing effects will appear after a week. And they typically last for three to four months before gradually wearing off.

There aren’t any other treatments thus far that have been shown to extend the effects of Botox, but there are things you can do to complement the treatment and enhance the results. Wearing sunscreen and taking care of yourself is a start. An ultrasound treatment will help further tighten the skin on the forehead for a greater duration, and a brow lift, which entails small incisions along the hairline, will help create a smoother look overall.

Start sooner rather than later

A couple of other things to keep in mind. First, the number of injections varies from person to person. And, side effects are rare, but when they do occur, they’re usually the result of the injection process. So, seek out a board-certified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience in cosmetic injectables.

Also, Botox is most effective as a preventative treatment. While the mid-twenties may sound premature for considering any kind of facial cosmetic treatment, that’s when traces of lines begin appearing on the forehead. If you wait to treat forehead wrinkles after they’re apparent, it becomes more difficult to achieve ideal results.

Concealer isn’t cutting it anymore. You’ve spent more on eye cream than you’re comfortable admitting. And you’re meticulous about drinking enough water and not skimping on sleep. Yet there they are, practically unfazed by all of it: those dark circles under your eyes.

Before we go any further, it’s time for a dose of reality: None of that was ever going to improve your dark circles. And that’s because the reason behind their presence is mostly genetic. The cosmetics industry will have you believe they have everything to do with your sleep habits and coffee consumption, but they really have more to do with the composition of your skin and the way light reflects off your orbital bone.

That doesn’t mean, however, that there’s nothing that can be done about them.

What the under-eye filler does

Dark circles become more prominent as we age. Doctors refer to them as tear troughs. The skin around our eyes is thinner and paler and lacks the proper fat restores, so the indentations grow a little deeper, giving the eyes a more tired appearance.

While that may sound like a fairly intricate (and irreversible) concern, it’s actually fairly easy to remedy—with the right know-how and technique. All it takes is a small layer of precisely placed hyaluronic acid gel to lift the delicate skin up and away from the blood vessels under your eyes.

Hyaluronic acid is a natural part of the skin’s dermis, but it diminishes as we age, which causes the undesired hollowing effect under the eyes. The hyaluronic acid in fillers helps pull water to the site of the injection, creating a plumper under-eye.

What to expect

The procedure can be a liberating experience if you find yourself increasingly reluctant to leave the house without cover-up. At a certain point, no amount of cover-up is going to disguise a hollow. But, within a day or two of having an under-eye filler, your eye area will appear noticeably brighter.

And the effect should last anywhere from six months to a year, depending on how quickly you metabolize the filler and the type that was used.

As I mentioned, the application of the injections is critical. The filler needs to be placed quite deep so it isn’t visible under the delicate under-eye skin. (A topical numbing agent can be applied beforehand to ease any discomfort, and it’s a very small needle, so the injections are virtually painless.) Which makes finding a board-certified plastic surgeon with lots of experience with the procedure all the more important.

If the idea of getting an injection around your eye is still too daunting, lasers can also help with dark circles, especially if they’re caused by visible blood vessels. Your plastic surgeon will help you determine the best course of treatment by pinpointing the root cause of your dark circles.