How do they look so great?  The secrets of celebrity plastic surgery are revealed by Dr. Michelle Copeland.

“I don’t envy celebs, they’re scrutinized so much. Fortunately, there are a variety of nonsurgical ‘quick fixes’ that have no downtime that I can choose from to make them look good. Celebrities have always been at the forefront of using these kinds of treatments, because of the pressure to constantly look good for public appearances,” Copeland tells AOL Stylist.

Ideally, patients come in a few weeks before the day to assess their concerns, and put together an action plan of what is often a variety of touch-up procedures to tighten skin and give it a glow. Yet with busy filming and travel schedules, it’s not uncommon for many celebs to wait until the last minute for their fix.

“They’re so busy, it slips their mind — and then suddenly, they look in the mirror a week before, and say, ‘I need to do something, now!’” Copeland says of her patients, some of whom have booked appointments just days before the Oscars.

So what kind of fixes are celebs clamoring for? Read on as we list the top most requested pick-me-ups.

Fat Shrinkage

When you’ve got to slip into a sexy body-baring gown, Spanx can only work so many miracles. In addition to supportive undergarments, celebs turn to the Zerona laser to shave off a few more inches of fat.

“Zerona uses light energy to help shrink fat cells. It’s not surgical, and not painful. You sit in front of a light for 45 minutes every other day for six sessions. Most people lose between 3.5 to five inches,” explains Copeland.

Patients often combine the Zerona with their already aggressive pre-Oscars routine combination of a light diet and exercise for best results.

Copeland says the fat is truly burned off, as it would disappear if you had exercised or dieted it away. Naturally, if you overindulge again and gain weight, the fat cells can come back as they otherwise would.

Sessions vary in cost, but can run between $500 to $700 per visit, with six treatments within a two-week time frame suggested for the maximum return on your investment.

With cost being no restriction for the wealthy, Copeland reveals that she just had a patient who doubled up on sessions, for 12 altogether, and lost a staggering 14 inches of fat total — which is an uncommonly exceptional result, even for celebrities.

Skin Tightening

Strapless and low-cut gowns may look simply stunning on the red carpet, but they also put a laser focus on areas where many women feel self-conscious about the pull of gravity: their jowls, the back of the arms and décolleté.

“Thermage uses radio frequency waves to stimulate the tightening of the tissues. You’ll see immediate results, but the tightening effects will continue for three to six months,” says Copeland of the laser.

Another new laser that is “hot off the press” right now is Ulthera, which works in much the same way as Thermage. With no downtime and instant gratification from both lasers, they’re often used just days before the Oscars for tightening.

A common area that is zapped by both genders is the under-eye area, which can get puffy and loose with age – and of which high definition video is becoming increasingly unforgiving.

The widespread use of these lasers right before big events can also be attributed to a relaxed comfort level, since results look believable. The heat simply stimulates the natural collagen found in your skin.

This type of laser can vary dramatically in cost, as people may treat anything from a small area like the jowls to a more expansive area like the chest and back of arms. A typical cost can range from $2,000 to upward of $6,000 per individual treatment.

Brown Spots Begone

Pigmentation changes are one of the most common aging concerns, and celebs aren’t immune. Most say they’re especially self-conscious about spots on the face, cleavage and back of the hands while posing for their Oscar arrival photo.

Entirely eliminating brown spots takes multiple treatments or more invasive procedures like deep chemical peels that require downtime, and can’t be done merely days before a big event. Powerful lasers may zap problematic spots into oblivion, but they form a scab that must naturally flake off on its own, or else risk scarring.

However, a variety of noninvasive treatments like microdermabrasion and non-ablative lasers can be combined like a cocktail to significantly lighten spots in as little time as a week before the big day.

For maintenance, a regular patient may first go through the regimen of four to six sessions to undo sun damage on the skin, and then maintain with follow-up sessions once every season. Celebs, on the other hand, often book standing appointments every four to six weeks on regular rotation, so that their skin is always glowing.

“Celebrities don’t want highs and lows. They want to consistently look their best,” says Copeland.

The kind of non-ablative skin rejuvenations described above typically cost between $800 to $1,200 per individual treatment, with celebs stacking a few together for the fastest, most beautiful results right before an awards show.

Fillers and Botox

A mainstay on the red carpet for years now, Copeland says that fillers and Botox have unfairly been given a bad rap due to unskilled application and overuse.

“You can do it without ending up looking like Renee Zellweger or  Meg Ryan. But not everyone is a Rembrandt! There are very different ways of applying Botox and fillers. Some ways give you natural animation, others make you appear frozen. It all has to do with the amount you use and the placement of it,” says Copeland.

Botox is a cosmetic must-have for most celebs. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

“Some people actually prefer that artificial look and ask for it. People have different expectations for how tight and lifted they want their skin to look,” adds Copeland.

Fillers like Juvéderm and Restylane are most often shot into the lips for a fuller look, or to erase aging marionette lines. Radiesse is a firmer filler, and is often used in the cheeks for more support. While typical fillers last a few months, firmer versions like Radiesse can often stay in place for up to a year and a half.

Sold by the syringe, most patients require two syringes of filler for an area like deep laugh lines, or one syringe for the lips. Prices can vary dramatically depending on volume needed, and the part of the country the doctor practices. “It’s entirely possible to spend several thousand dollars on filler for the face,” says Copeland.

On the other hand, many surgeons sell Botox by the area of face treated — which is broken down into units — and can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars for a session.

But when it comes to Botox and fillers, celebrities have to be careful to treat themselves with at least a week to spare for healing, just in case they end up with surface bruising. Copeland says it’s difficult to anticipate whether or not a person will bruise.

“Sometimes people just bruise more than others. And they may be taking a blood thinner like Aspirin or Advil, and forget to stop them before coming in for an injection. That’ll make them bruise more. The good thing is, you can cover bruising with makeup,” says Copeland.

Ah, yes — that’s the magic of Hollywood.

Another quick fix for the holidays can also help year-round. Excessive perspiration can be particularly bothersome at this time of year when we are bundled up for the outdoors, yet often find ourselves in overheated spaces indoors. It is possible to treat excessive underarm perspiration, and the clammy hands that can also become problematic, with BOTOX® injections. I’ve treated patients this way when topical medicines have not been effective.  BOTOX® neurotoxin treatment helps control severe underarm sweating by temporarily blocking the chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands. When the sweat glands don’t receive chemical signals, the severe sweating stops. One successful patient said, “sweating is not something that’s controlling my daily routine anymore. Now I can do things like standing up in front of a group of people at work without having to look down to see if I’m sweating under my arms.”  After just one office visit, patients are able to go about their lives with less stress and more confidence.

The heat wave is on! Are you embarrassed by wet armpits, clammy hands and feet?  My patients often suffer from difficulty in social situations and tell me that excessive sweating significantly interferes with their daily activities. Hyperhidrosis,  a condition where you produce much more perspiration than you  need to keep your body cool, affects more than a million people in the US alone Yesterday Discovery Health spoke about ways to stop excessive underarm sweating.

We all sweat – but when heavy sweating causes embarrassment and changes the way you live your life, it may be time for action. A treatment made famous for fighting wrinkles can also provide relief for this uncomfortable condition – BOTOX®.  BOTOX® injections block the chemical signals sent from the nerves that control sweating, an essentially safe solution for excessive perspiration. The substance relaxes muscles associated with the sweat glands – a positive effect on a patient’s quality of life.

Are you embarrassed by wet armpits, clammy hands and feet?  Well you are not alone.  Hyperhidrosis,  a condition where you produce much more perspiration than you  need to keep your body cool, affects more than a million people in the US alone Yesterday Discovery Health spoke about ways to stop excessive underarm sweating. We all sweat – but when heavy sweating causes embarrassment and changes the way you live your life, it may be time for action. Fortunately, this is a situation we can now treat effectively with BOTOX®.

My patients often suffer from difficulty in social situations and tell me that excessive sweating significantly interferes with their daily activities. A treatment made famous for fighting wrinkles can also provide relief for this uncomfortable condition – BOTOX®.  BOTOX® injections block the chemical signals sent from the nerves that control sweating, an essentially safe solution for excessive perspiration. The substance relaxes muscles associated with the sweat glands – a positive effect on a patient’s quality of life.

I promised more quick fixes for the holidays and here are some that require a trip to my office, but can be done in time to welcome the New Year with a refreshed and rejuvenated appearance. Botox injections, fillers, microdermabrasion and a variety of safe, quick and effective non-ablative laser sessions help smooth and tighten areas that are wrinkled or sagged. Thermage® (the “non-surgical” facelift that requires no downtime) or Threadlift to rid your face of sagging skin, are feasible even for those with heavy schedules. I perform these treatments many times a week for people who are in the public eye and have no downtime. These treatments can even be done during lunchtime! Of course, starting with the basic steps I outlined last week: staying hydrated, moisturizing and taking care of the eyes and lips, will give you a head start to looking fabulous for this  holiday season.

Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder, and that means it may be in the eye of your potential boss. Today on Good Morning America, a story featured women who believe they need plastic surgery to improve their chances for a job. Age bias and the pressure to look good is often felt most intensely in the workplace, especially in our youth-obsessed culture. Studies show that traditionally good-looking people are perceived as smarter than others, make more money, and are even 5 times more likely to be hired. The continuing influx of women, recent recession, and corporate downsizing is making work environments more competitive than ever, increasing pressure to look polished and youthful. As the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “Beauty is better than all letters of recommendation.” Like it or not, looks matter.

And while going under the knife won’t guarantee employment, it can dramatically improve your looks and self-esteem. The effect your appearance has on your self-confidence is more than skin-deep; it has an enormous impact on your health, the quality of your life, and your future outlook. Of course none of us can control our age, but we can control our confidence, which is essential when searching for a job. Any way you look at it, appearing fresher, looking sharper, and feeling healthier will give you a better shot at keeping a job or getting one.  As one of my patients told me, “I feel that appearing well put together, energetic, and youthful earns people’s respect and attention, and ultimately gives me greater credibility. I am convinced that looks make you money, so I think of surgery as an investment. Plastic surgery isn’t about beauty. It’s about power.” By making subtle but important changes to your looks, cosmetic surgery is a valuable, low-risk investment in your future health, happiness, and well-being. (From my best-selling book Change Your Looks, Change Your Life, Quick Fixes and Cosmetic Surgery Solutions for Looking Younger, Feeling Healthier, and Living Better.)

Most of you know that Botox can help minimize the appearance of wrinkles but did you know that Botox can increase your odds of making a favorable impression! A recent study shows that people who have had Botox treatments were rated higher on attractiveness, dating success and even athletic success.

First impressions of a person are influenced by facial appearance and improved by cosmetic procedures, such as Botox. It can also radically improve your self-confidence, make you look younger and healthier, and even give your attitude a boost. As far as quick fixes go, Botox is one of the best procedures around – smooth, wrinkle-free skin is achieved almost immediately and the confident glow that others notice is priceless. Botox remains one of the most popular procedure I perform in the office – it’s quick and minimally invasive. A small investment in Botox can have a big pay off. Remember, there’s only once chance to make a first impression.

Patients undergoing dental implant surgery and placement of veneers are now looking beyond their smile to improve the overall appearance of their face. There has been a growing trend in patients having Botox and Fillers after dental procedures to renew facial volume and have a more pleasing contour around the mouth to further enhance that new smile.

Fillers can help fill in facial lines and creases, resulting in a temporarily more youthful appearance. When injected below the skin, these fillers plump up wrinkled or sunken areas of the face and add fullness to the cheeks and lips. Specifically adding filler to the lips can further improve the appearance of your new smile. As fillers and quick fixes go, Botox is one of the best things around. It can have a profound effect on the face, especially on fine wrinkles. The nice thing about these cosmetic enhancements is they can be done during lunchtime and are great quick fixes to provide a more youthful, natural contour to your face.

For those who suffer from migraines, relief may now be here for many of you. As we anticipated in August, Botox is now authorized to prevent migraine headaches. The FDA has now approved Botox (Botulinum toxin) to treat the prevention of chronic migraines. In the most recent study conducted by Allergan, the makers of Botox, patients injected with Botox had 2.3 fewer headaches than the placebo group. This is great news for people with chronic migraines who often can get as many as 15 headaches each month. It may also mean that some insurance companies will reimburse this type of treatment.

Botox is also FDA approved for treatment of uncontrolled blinking, crossed eyes, neck muscle spasms, underarm sweating, stiffness from muscle spasticity in the elbows and hands, and smoothing of lines.

An article published in the Wall Street Journal yesterday discussed the current trend towards patients opting for minimally invasive quick fixes.  As a plastic surgeon I have never been wed to one way of making people look better and have  been an advocate of options other than surgery that require no downtime. With more people continuing to work during this tough economy, looking younger has become a priority in order to compete. Change your Looks, Change your Life: Quick Fixes and Cosmetic Solutions for Looking Younger, Feeling Healthier, and Living Better details nonsurgical “lunchtime fixes” such as botox injections, light-laser treatments, and collagen injections, as well as creams to banish wrinkles and improve appearance without recovery time.  In office skin treatments, often done at lunch-time like  Thermage, a non invasive, no incision treatment that uses radiofrequency technology to tighten existing collagen and stimulates new collagen, fillers and injectables can  can give you that natural lift so people don’t say who are you, but that you look more rested.

The most popular quick fix? Botox. As fillers and quick fixes go, Botox (or botulinum toxin, a product of bacteria) is one of the best things around. It can have a profound effect on the face, especially on fine wrinkles. It can eliminate a young mother’s perpetually angry scowl, or a reformed sun-worshipper’s crow’s feet.

In The Beautiful Skin Workout I discuss a skin care routine  that can give you beautiful skin in 8 weeks.   Looking and feeling younger starts with a skin care regimen of topical anti-aging treatments designed to reverse the aging process and help your skin regain its elasticity and glow. My breakthrough Rewind Age Defying Formula, a powerful blend of anti-aging ingredients helps your skin become  firmer and more radiant.

The effect your appearance has on your self-confidence is more than skin deep; it has enormous impact on their emotional health, the quality of their lives, and their future outlook.

Before and after Rewind Advanced Wrinkle Defense