Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Blog – Harley Medical Group

Actress Claire Danes has championed the increased choices that women have these days, in everything from hair colour and make-up to cosmetic surgery.

The 32-year-old, who has recently become the face of Latisse, an eyelash growth product, talked frankly to online fashion magazine Stylelist in an interview published yesterday.

Speaking to the magazine about cosmetic surgery, Danes said: “I’m really fortunate in that I’m still quite young, and can get away with a lot, and my body is very forgiving. We’ll see how things progress. I think it’s great that women have so much choice now and choice in products that are backed by science. As long as people are aware of potential risks, and they’re working closely with a doctor, I say go for it.”

Danes has recently filmed a pilot for a television show named Homeland, and she is waiting to see if it is picked up by the American networks. In the meantime, she says she is taking a breather from acting, having been on stage and screen since the tender age of 15.

Our beloved celebrities have an opinion on just about everything, and this week we bring you their thoughts on cosmetic surgery.

“I’ve tried a lot of things, but apart from working out and a good diet, most things don’t help. I even tried Botox.” – Nicole Kidman finally admits to trying Botox, in an interview with a German magazine.

“A lot of women go too far and end up looking a hell of a lot older than they actually are and it sort of has a reverse effect. So talk to me in 10 years.” – Jennifer Aniston isn’t ready for surgery just yet, but won’t rule it out when she’s a bit older.

“If I can get my nose fixed for the wedding that would be ideal. I’m not sure it’s going to be possible but hopefully something can be done in time.”  – Tara Palmer-Tomkinson on essential preparations for the royal wedding.

“When it’s time to pull and tuck, I’m sure I will consider it.” – Britney Spears talking bluntly to American magazine Out, about cosmetic surgery in the future.

“When things start to sag in ten or 15 years, I wouldn’t say no.” – Mel B talks about life after the gym.

“I’m going to have a tummy tuck, my boobs lifted and implants put in because my boobs are now like a couple of golf balls in socks.” – Tina Malone, actress, leaves us all with a delightful image when summarising her plans for plastic surgery.

And it’s not just actresses, pop stars, models and socialites that have cosmetic surgery on their mind -  royals and country leaders do too…

“Princess Anne has asked me if I’d have the surgery. She’s a bit worried about how the wedding photos might turn out!” – Mike Tindall paraphrasing his future mother-in-law, Princess Anne.

“I do not want to look like an old man in front of Libyans.” – Colonel Gaddafi is unusually brief and coherent in his reason for having a face lift in the 1990s.

Socialite and friend to the royals Tara Palmer-Tomkinson has told reporters that she would like a new nose in time for the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton in six weeks.

While most women search for a new hat or the perfect dress, Tomkinson is set on having further nose reshaping surgery. The 39-year-old is one of 600 people invited to the royal wedding and she told the Daily Mail: “If I can get my nose fixed for the wedding that would be ideal. I’m not sure it’s going to be possible but hopefully something can be done in time.”

The former model has already had surgery to rebuild her nose after the damage caused by her one-time drug habit. Palmer-Tomkinson is not alone in wanting plastic surgery to look and feel their best for a special event – the demand for face lifts, breast implants and liposuction rose sharply last year, according to the latest figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).

Two influential names in the plastic surgery industry have spoken out in support of a campaign to stamp out rogue plastic surgeons operating out of backstreet clinics.

Former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) Dr Douglas McGeorge, and specialist plastic surgeon and honorary lecturer at Imperial College Dr Charles Nduka, told online newspaper The Voice that they want to see tougher regulations introduced.

Nduka said: “Less people are well informed and my main concern is about lack of regulation.”

McGeorge agreed: “The problem we have in the UK is that it is a voluntary code of practice. There is still a need for legislation to make the guidelines compulsory rather that voluntary.”

The campaign, launched on March 2 by Baroness Shireen Ritchie, will investigate complaints made by patients about plastic surgeons, and dish out punishments for clinics that don’t adhere to strict health and safety regulations.

Plastic surgeons at a clinic in Michigan, America, have attributed a boom in a wide range of procedures to a change in attitude towards cosmetic surgery.

Dr M. Azhar Ali, consultant plastic surgeon at the Amae Plastic Surgery Center in Michigan, believes that breast augmentation, face lifts and many other procedures have risen in popularity simply because people want to take control of the way they look.

Cosmetic surgery is no longer just seen as a tool that can be used to reverse the signs of ageing, according to Dr Ali’s clinic. People are increasingly looking to correct issues with specific areas of the body, with the help of liposuction surgery and tummy tucks, in the quest for increased self-confidence.

His views are supported by research published in the February issue of the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The survey said that 80 per cent of face lift patients reported improved self-esteem and 70 per cent noticed an improved quality of life.

Recent research has suggested that increasing numbers of American patients are seeking cheaper cosmetic surgery in Asia, due to the high cost of healthcare in their home country.

The findings, published in the Los Angeles Times, show that in some cases American-trained surgeons working in Asian countries are offering cosmetic surgery at prices of up to a third less than those of the same procedure in America.

According to the LA Times, Thailand attracted more than 140,000 patients from overseas in 2009, with a large percentage of those coming from America. These medical tourists are advised to be aware both of the risks of undergoing surgery in unlicensed clinics, but also of the potential complications once they have returned home.

Paul Keckley, Executive Director of The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, the company that carried out the research, said Americans go for: “short-stay surgical procedures where people don’t perceive much risk.”

One UK hospital has seen a huge rise of 210 per cent in the number of patients enquiring about male chest reduction surgery.

Reconstructive surgeon and consultant Alan Park told the Coventry Telegraph: “The number of men we see has been gradually increasing for some time.

“I think it is because there has been a lot on television about male appearance, so men are not so embarrassed by it anymore. They feel like they can talk about it with their friends and come to us.”

Men suffering from what are commonly known as ‘man boobs’ often choose to undergo the specialist fat removal surgery in order to achieve a flatter chest. This is because these deposits of fatty tissue are difficult, and in some cases impossible, to shift simply through a better diet and increased exercise regimes.

Plastic surgeons from across American and India have set up an organisation that will be committed to offering humanitarian aid to those in desperate need of surgery.

The American Society of Indian Plastic Surgeons will provide relief to those in need across the world, including those living in poverty in India. The plastic surgeons who pioneered the organisation made their first mission to India in 2009, operating on 48 patients with a range of medical problems, from cleft palates to birth defects. They now plan to undertake a week-long second mission, under the ASIPS name, at the beginning of next month.

Dr Chanjiv Singh, a plastic surgeon from Punjab, India, who is involved in the humanitarian outreach work, said: “At this time, plastic surgery is experiencing a challenge. The vast majority of plastic surgeons have devoted themselves to cosmetic surgery because it is more profitable. In fact, doctors with specialties in other fields are venturing out to practice this sub-specialty.”

Dr Singh is hoping that this organisation will encourage other plastic surgeons to devote some of their time each year to helping those with no access to life-saving reconstructive surgery, or no means with which to pay for it.

An increasing number of youngsters in the US are having cosmetic surgery procedures, according to industry figures.

New York-based plastic surgeon, Dr Frederick N Lukash, said almost 300,000 teenagers underwent cosmetic surgery procedures in 2008, and the practice is becoming more widespread. Dr Lukash said a decision on whether surgery is appropriate depends on factors such as the reasons involved and an understanding of the potential risks.

Speaking to Florida’s Sun Sentinel news website, psychotherapist Fran Sherman said she was concerned about the trend.

She said: “Plastic surgery for teens is becoming mainstream, and it’s scary. Do I believe plastic surgery is a bad thing? No. But 16-year-olds don’t need breast enhancement surgery.”

Research conducted by the Good Surgeon Guide at the end of last year found that one in 10 parents would be willing to pay for a child aged between 16 and 18 to undergo a cosmetic surgery procedure such as breast surgery, in a bid to boost their confidence and self-esteem.

Californian brides-to-be are spending up to £4,000 on plastic surgery ahead of their big day.

It’s only natural that a bride wants to look perfect on her wedding day and for an increasing number of women, plastic surgery is the answer, according to one cosmetic surgeon based in the Golden State.

Dr Jagdev Heir, medical director at the Sacramento Surgical Arts Centre, told the UPI news agency that more women are now looking at cosmetic surgery options ahead of their wedding in a bid to look their best. He said they will spend anywhere between $300 and $6,000 in order to achieve the desired results.

Dr Heir said: “Brides are choosing procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction, Botox, collagen, and other injectables and fillers.”

The recently-screened American reality television show Bridalplasty, has certainly helped push the idea of pre-wedding surgical and non-surgical treatments. The controversial series followed 12 brides-to-be as they competed to win free cosmetic surgery procedures and a cash prize to enable them to organise the wedding of their dreams.