Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Blog – Harley Medical Group

Here at The Harley Medical Group, I quite often see people who have some pretty bad confidence problems. One of my favourite parts of the job has to be seeing the way that some people come to us feeling really bad about themselves, then leave feeling a whole lot better after their surgery or non surgical treatments. However, it’s not often I see anyone so in need of a confidence boost as Gail Edwards.

I read about Gail in The Scottish Sun today. She’s a beautiful woman who married her ex-husband when she was only 22, only for him to try and kill her 20 years later. After suffering physical and mental abuse at his hands for so long, Gail understandably found it very hard to get over the experience – even when her ex-husband was jailed.

The brave mother of two found herself still struggling to readjust three years after the final attack, and finally decided she’d use the money left to her by her mother to have cosmetic surgery. Gail chose to have a tummy tuck and liposuction and now feels that she’s found a way to take control of her life and her future again – by boosting her self confidence.

She explained: “It might sound odd, but cosmetic surgery helped me get my life back together. It helped lay the demons to rest.”

Good luck to her is all I can say, that and congratulations for getting her life back on track despite being in such a destructive relationship for so long.

If you’re someone like me, who gets a little fed up at the thought of having to shave every time I want to wear a short skirt, you might have already had a think about laser hair removal. This is a treatment that takes a few sessions, but that can drastically reduce the amount of body hair you have.

For some people, body hair isn’t a problem at all, but for others it can be something that makes them feel very self-conscious – especially if their hair is particularly dark or heavy, or grows in unusual or prominent places. One of the great things about laser hair removal is that it’s not restricted to your legs or armpits, it’s sensitive enough to be carried out in a number of places – including your face, or even your nipples. (more…)

I was skipping through the news this morning when I saw an article in the Daily Mail all about two sisters with very different views on cosmetic surgery. Linda, the older sister, is all for it. She’s had a number of treatments, from botox and fillers to liposuction and a face lift and feels great for them.

However, her younger sister is totally against the idea! As you can imagine, it seems to cause a little bit of friction between the two of them, but nothing serious enough to stop them from being close – and I think they both look lovely.

It’s always nice to see families set aside their differences, no matter what the disagreement may be about, but it did make me wonder whether people find it more difficult to decide they want to have cosmetic surgery if their close family and friends don’t think they should.

I think that, when it comes down to it, while it would nice for your family or partner to support your choice 100 per cent, the decision to have cosmetic surgery has to be your own. The last thing you want to be is overly influenced by the people around you. Imagine how it would sound the other way round – ‘husband tells his wife to get a boob job’ – and you’ll see what I mean.

If I ever spoke to someone who said they were having treatment because someone else told them to, I’d ask them to have a long, hard look at themselves – and at the person who said it in the first place. Cosmetic surgery is a very personal experience, and that means you can’t do it for someone else – or promise not to for someone else either.

After all, it’s you that has to live in your skin, not your parents, your friends, your lover or even your sister!

Last night was another instalment of one of my new favourite shows, The Ugly Face of Beauty – and yet again it’s given me loads to think about. Hearing the sad stories of people who’ve suffered after their surgeries is of course the thing that upset me. Like the show suggested, it’s really important that anyone who has any type of surgery completely understands that there could be risks involved and that they know all about these before making their decision. After all, even very minor surgeries can cause complications, so it’s best to have all the facts and the help of a qualified and friendly surgeon.

But that wasn’t the only thing I wanted to blog about today, I also wanted to say a little bit about looking after your skin and how a little bit of care today can really pay off in years to come. (more…)

In some ways, I can see why people get tempted by the idea of having cosmetic surgery done abroad. The idea of sun and sand can certainly turn your head a bit, especially when you live in the decidedly grey UK most of the time.

Then there’s the price issue, you see plenty of adverts for cosmetic surgery abroad that promise cheap prices and all inclusive deals, people who have a tight budget might think they’ve stumbled onto the perfect solution – but I can’t stress often enough how much of a bad idea it can be!

So I’m really, really pleased to see The Ugly Face of Beauty on Channel 4, as Dr Christian has been highlighting some of the dangers of choosing to leave the country to have cosmetic surgery done. It was really upsetting to hear about the women who suffered at the hands of doctors overseas, and it’s the kind of thing I hate finding out about – but if we don’t hear about the dangers we don’t know how to protect ourselves from them, right?

In my opinion, the most important thing to think about if you get tempted by a cheap deal abroad is what kind of care you can really, honestly expect. After care is massively important, as are initial consultations, and if you’re likely to be back home by the time you start healing – how are you going to get back in touch with your doctor? And what if there are communication problems between you and your surgeon? All too quickly a dream solution can turn into a nightmare experience.

Whether you decide to stay in the UK or go abroad, there are a couple of things you really have to insist on whenever you’re considering surgery and choosing your cosmetic surgery provider. They are: meeting your surgeon beforehand, making sure you understand them – even if it means bringing in a translator, checking that all costs are inclusive and that you won’t be charged extra for unexpected things.

The other important thing to find out about is the after care. While there are some risks associated with surgeries, having a competent, capable and qualified team of surgeons and doctors can make all the difference. Don’t just hand over your credit card with a head full of dreams, think smart guys!

For some reason, I tend to think that celebrities will always just automatically choose the best of everything. They’ll shop in the best shops, stay in the best hotels, eat the best food – but every now and then I’m reminded that just because someone is famous, it doesn’t mean they necessarily make the right choices – even about the important things.

So what’s got me thinking about all this? Well, I have to admit that it may have something to do with Jordan – or Katie Price as she’s maybe better known now. Katie has had some cosmetic surgery that’s really been to her advantage in the past – just think of that initial boob job – but these days I can’t help worrying she’s going a little over the top with the Botox and fillers. (more…)

While the World Cup has been an interesting distraction for me and a bane for some of my female friends – just see my World Cup widows post from the other week – tennis is a whole different ball game. Firstly, I find it fascinating and quite hypnotic, as the athletes require strategy and strength. I also like the fact that I enjoy watching the ladies’ matches as much as the male ones, although for slightly different reasons! (more…)

It’s not that I hate the game or anything, but right now it seems as though the world has gone into football meltdown – and I’m getting a little tired of it! The actual games are one thing, I quite enjoy those, especially if I’m watching them with a big group of friends, but all the adverts and fuss are another. (more…)

While I was one of those people saying they’ve been getting fed up with Big Brother, I can’t help feeling a little sad about the fact this will be the last one. It’s become something of a summer tradition after all! Another thing BB has become is a showcase for some of the UK’s most interesting people, for better or for worse, and it looks as though this year will be no different. (more…)

Sex and the City 2 has arrived, and I can feel the excitement rising even as I write this! The show has been a firm favourite of mine, and of my colleagues, for more years than I want to admit to right now. And, when you think back to all of the amazing storylines – and outfits – the show has boasted, it’s not exactly surprising that so many of us are still huge fans. (more…)