Previewing Your Plastic Surgery Results

The idea of having plastic surgery is often a scary one for a patient. Besides the prospect of going under the knife, there is also the fear of the unknown as the final results will not be known until after the surgery. Even after consulting with a surgeon before the procedure, many patients are still anxious about how their final results will look like in person. The fear of the results not being what they wanted, or looking worse than before the surgery, is a concern of many prospective patients.

The fear of the unknown might soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new 3D printer called “Mirror Me 3D”. Doctors are now able to give patients a preview of the results of their surgery before they actually undergo the procedure. The detailed 3D models are created using a state of the art 3D printer. The doctor can show the printed preview to the patient and give the person a side-by-side “before and after” view of what the results will look like after the surgery. The 3D preview also allows doctors to give patients a more realistic example of the final results while helping surgeons manage the expectations of their patients.

The 3D printing process begins with a photograph that will be changed into a hologram. In turn, the hologram will help create a 3D model that is made out of gypsum which is a material much like plastic. The model is also a help to doctors because the patients can give more concrete feedback about their expectations after seeing the model.

The benefits of the 3D technology go beyond simply creating a preview for patients to examine before the surgery. The hologram that is used to create the 3D model shown during the consultation appointment can also be used during the surgery. The hologram is projected onto the body of the patient during the surgery. The hologram is highlighted with different colors to help the surgeon create more precise results by consulting the various sections filled-in with the colors. It’s the equivalent of a topographical map seen in textbooks and it helps the surgeon focus on the results they are trying to achieve in certain sections of the body.

The 3D models have been used for a variety of procedures that include not only cosmetic surgery but also a number of reconstructive surgeries. The 3D prints are not cheap and, depending on how detailed they are, run anywhere from $60 to $300. The prints also prove the old saying that “there is a buyer for everything”. The 3D model prints are gaining in popularity among people who haven’t even undergone a surgery and aren’t planning on having plastic surgery anytime in the near future. They are just fans of all forms of art and are buying the prints to collect and display as pieces of art in their homes. It’s still too early to tell if the 3D prints will increase in value or even grow in popularity enough to be displayed as museum quality art pieces in the future.

- MA