Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Blog – Harley Medical Group

Cosmetic surgery divides people. There is no doubt that it is a controversial topic, but only because of the lack of understanding around the huge variety of reasons why people choose to undergo procedures to alter their appearance. Below we talk about five bad reasons to have cosmetic surgery:

1.    To please other people
Cosmetic surgery should never be undertaken as a direct result of other people’s views or comments on your appearance. Having surgery under these circumstances presents a degree of unnecessary risk to emotional stability and well-being and may lead to regrets in the long term.

2.    To speed up / pre-empt natural growth / changes in body shape
Girls and boys who have not fully grown or developed should avoid having plastic surgery to change the shape of their bodies. Having breast implants, chest reduction surgery or liposuction may prove completely unnecessary in the long run, and can pose its own health risks and lead to emotional instability.

3.    To lose weight quickly
Liposuction was never designed to offer a quick weight loss solution to overweight people, but is instead meant to be used by those who are of a healthy size and weight for their height and build but who have areas of fat that are impossible to shift using exercise and healthy eating alone.

4.    To iron out very fine lines and wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles can be treated with non-surgical treatments such as dermal fillers and Botox, and in a lot of cases this is a better and less drastic option than face lift or brow lift surgery. A reputable cosmetic surgery clinic will be able to advise on the best option for you.

5.    To reduce breast / chest size when you are overweight
Breast reduction and male chest reduction surgery should only be considered in cases where the patient is of a healthy size and weight for their height and build and not those who are overweight. Overweight patients should be advised to reach a healthy target weight before these types of surgery are considered.

Amy Childs is on course to be the next Katie Price, and in a bid to be better, and indeed bigger than her idol, she is looking to have more breast surgery.

The 20-year-old glamour model and star of ITV2’s The Only Way is Essex has admitted to wanting to be like Price, aka Jordan, and plans to have more breast enlargement surgery to achieve the look.

Childs first went under the knife aged 18 in surgery which took her from an A cup to a DD, and now she plans to go up to a GG. She has also had dermal lip fillers to give her a more pronounced pout.

A source close to the star told The Sun: “Amy’s made up her mind to have the operation after she’s finished filming the end of the second series of The Only Way Is Essex, despite concerns from her family and friends.

“She loves Jordan’s look and wants to take it up another notch herself”, the friend said.

New figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that the number of people having laser hair removal treatment and Botox injections has risen sharply.

Of the 13.1 million procedures performed in 2010, 11.6 million were non-surgical and 91 per cent of them were carried out on female patients. The number of Botox injections administered in 2010 was up 584 per cent on the same figures from 2000, a reflection of the incredible advances made in the last decade. Laser hair removal treatments were also up by 27 per cent on figures from ten years ago.

Other procedures that became more popular last year were breast implants, up two per cent, breast uplifts, up nine per cent, and breast reduction, up 6 per cent. Dermal fillers also gained popularity.

The popularity of a number of procedures fell when compared with the last decade, including liposuction, face lift surgery, nose jobs and eyelid surgery.

Authors

Lucinda Maxwell
Lucinda is passionate about the subject of cosmetic surgery and about promoting the different reasons why consumers choose to undergo procedures. She has made a name for herself in the industry, writing compelling copy for digital publications on various procedures, ensuring consumers have all the information they need to make informed decisions. Her news-writing style reflects this and is up to the minute, informative, and sensitively covered.

Olivia Dingley
Olivia writes breaking industry news stories to inform but also to ensure that ethical cosmetic surgery is promoted and the dangerous practices of back-street clinics are exposed. She has been involved in the cosmetic surgery industry for more than 10 years, ensuring that only registered clinics are marketed to potential patients. Her writing is fact-based, yet punchy, and always presents a balanced and coherent argument.

Peter Ramsay
Peter has a degree in English and Journalism and specialises in writing about medical issues and cosmetic surgery. He searches out the most interesting and relevant news to bring to consumers considering plastic surgery, or those who just want to know who the latest celebrities are to have had surgery.

Samantha from American television series Sex in the City, actress Kim Cattrall, has appeared in a television advertisement looking remarkably youthful.

The 54-year-old has never denied her reliance on Botox injections to keep lines and wrinkles at bay, but she denies rumours that she has gone a step further and had cosmetic surgery to reverse the ageing process.

The stance on her anti-ageing regime hasn’t changed since an interview with the Sunday Times three years ago. Then, she told the newspaper that she was “too terrified to get any proper work” and instead relies on Botox to smooth the “big crease” between her eyebrows.

When comparing images taken from the television advert with those taken of the actress in November last year, the absence of smile lines and crow’s feet in the former is noticeable – but could this simply be down to clever make-up and soft lighting?

A recent report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has revealed that 1.1 million men underwent cosmetic procedures in the United States last year, a two per cent rise on the figures from 2009.

As well as surgical procedures, the figures also included non-surgical or minimally invasive procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers. The society’s president, Dr Phillip Haeck, said that the demand for male chest reduction surgery is driven by men younger than 30, and he attributes the rise in popularity of the face lift to men in their 50s and 60s.

“These are really fit people who have paid a lot of attention to keeping their bodies in shape. This generation has paid a lot of attention to how they look, and they don’t want to grow old gracefully,” he said.

According to other statistics from the society, Botox increased by nine per cent, chest reduction by six per cent, liposuction by seven per cent and ear reshaping surgery by 11 per cent among men.

As cosmetic surgery continues to rise in popularity among the masses, experts warn consumers that full consultations before procedures are absolutely essential.

Talking to online journal Private Healthcare UK, cosmetic surgeon Dr Renato Zacheddu said: “A full consultation is the essential starting point and this is a two-way process.

“The surgeon should assess the patient’s requirements fully in order to provide realistic advice on the likely outcome and benefits of surgery, together with the risks and recovery implications. This enables both parties to make an informed decision as to whether to move forward.”

Such advice is even more poignant in the wake of recent tragedies that have resulted from procedures carried out in backstreet clinics – in other words those that are unregistered and unregulated. As well as advice such as this from those working in the industry, experts are also backing a nationwide campaign that is aiming to stamp out illegal plastic surgery clinics in the UK.

The demand for so-called ‘designer vaginas’ is rising again, according to the latest NHS figures and the number of women admitting to having, or wanting to have, the surgery.

A real-life story published in the Daily Mirror today, proved that vaginoplasty – surgery to tighten and reshape the female genitalia, can boost self-esteem and save relationships.

In a no-holds-barred interview, Debra, 45, told the newspaper: “It’s absolutely the best thing I’ve ever done.

“I was ashamed and embarrassed of the way I looked downstairs after having a baby, but it wasn’t just about appearance. There are physical health implications if your vagina becomes stretched and misshapen. My sex life and marriage is great and I can exercise without discomfort and have lost almost four stone.”

The latest NHS figures, from 2009, show a 70 per cent increase in the number of women having labiaplasty (surgery to change the size or shape of the labia) compared with numbers from the previous year. They also show that just 404 operations were performed in 2006, which rose to 669 in 2007 and 1,118 in 2008.

American actress Amanda Seyfried has told Elle magazine that she understands why Botox has become such a big part of life on the silver screen.

The 25-year-old was recently told that she needed Botox and at first was affronted by the suggestion, but having reflected on the comment, she understands why.

Talking to Elle magazine, Seyfried said: “I was like, damn you! But we’re in Hollywood. I’m on a huge screen. With these new digital cameras, you can see the peach fuzz on my face.”

More and more actors and actresses are choosing to undergo non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as Botox, and as with many things, once celebrities start doing it, the general public will often follow suit. The demand for completely smooth, wrinkle-free skin has risen with the advent of high-definition television, and this has also caused a rise in the number of female film and television stars choosing to shave their faces, to get rid of what Seyfried calls “peach fuzz”.

Plastic surgeons in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar have confirmed that nose reshaping surgery is the most sought-after procedure among patients, followed by liposuction and breast implants.

There are no official figures for the number of surgical procedures performed, but plastic surgeons estimate that 30 to 40 nose jobs are carried out each month. They say that these are performed not only for cosmetic purposes but also to correct developmental disorders.

Cosmetic surgeon Dr A K Rout said: “The procedure lasts for about four to five hours and costs only Rs 20,000 (£275). During the surgery, silicone implants are made or grafting is done with body parts. Patients have to take post-operative precautions for at least a week.”

Dr Rout puts the rise in the number of patients enquiring about surgery down to an increased awareness of the latest technology and facilities that are available to help people look good.

Other popular procedures include eye lid surgery, brow lifts and cheek implants.