Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Blog – Harley Medical Group

More men are opting for cosmetic surgery as the stigma fades and technological advances mean shorter recovery times.

“Men are figuring out what women have long known—that appearance really does matter,” says David Sarwer, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

For 59-year-old David Culpepper, one patient newly converted to the idea of cosmetic surgery, a facelift and chin implant spelt the end for his “big old saggy chin” – the words of his fiancée in the run-up to their big day.

While women still account for the majority of cosmetic surgery procedures, it seems more men are choosing to have fat removal surgery, ear reshaping surgery and anti-ageing procedures such as neck lifts. Male chest reduction surgery, which is used to correct the issue of gynaecomastia – or ‘man boobs’ – is also becoming increasingly popular among men of all ages.

According to Mr Sarwer, men choose surgical procedures and non-surgical treatments such as Botox as a way to retain their competitive edge in business. These treatments can be done quickly and require no down time, making them perfect for businesspeople.

Figures from last year, collated by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, showed that the most popular procedure among younger men and teens was male chest reduction surgery, with around 75 per cent of the 18,000 men who underwent the procedure aged between 13 and 19.

Jill Zarin, one of the stars of hit American television show Real Housewives of NYC, has spoken out against recent rumours that she has undergone cosmetic surgery in a bid to look younger.

The 47-year-old spoke to OK! Magazine after speculation began over her dramatically younger, wrinkle-free appearance. Despite looking as though she may have had facelift and nose reshaping surgery, Zarin put rumours to bed by speaking out honestly and openly about her new look.

In an interview published in latest issue of the magazine, Zarin said: “I am very surprised by the controversy that my new look created!

“Truthfully I had absolutely no plastic surgery to my face, no cutting, no nose job. I have done Botox and filler injections and have a new makeup artist, Jim Crawford. He gave me a new look and I feel beautiful and confident”, she added.

She also revealed that the decision to revamp her look was driven by her own desire to be more confident, and not by pressure from fans, directors and co-stars. The star also encouraged women to do whatever they needed to do to feel better about the ageing process.

“If there is something you want to do to feel better about yourself, whether it be plastic surgery, injections, makeup, a new dress, I encourage you to do whatever it is that will make you happy”, she said.

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.

Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is reported to have had a face lift and hair transplant, in a bid to look like a 28-year-old man.

Gaddafi, who is actually 68 years old, told Brazilian doctor Fabio Nakkash: “I do not want to look like an old man in front of Libyans.”

Nakkash, who is said to be one of the most famous plastic surgeons in South America, was asked by another surgeon, Eliasir Ribeiro, to visit Libya.

“Ribeiro told me that the Libyan health minister contacted him and told him that Gaddafi wants to be young again”, said Nakkash, in an interview with AlAraiya.net.

Ribeiro performed the face lift, and Nakkash then transplanted singular follicular units from Gaddafi’s face and neck into the skin at his temples and at the front of his scalp. The procedures were said to have taken around four hours to complete.

The focus of this year’s annual Baker Gordon Educational Symposium, held in Miami, America, was ‘The Transformational Effects of Volume Addition in Aesthetic Surgery’.

The conference, now in its 45th year, was attended by consultant plastic surgeon Dr Ralph Garramone, who runs a practice in Fort Myers, Florida.

In an interview conducted following the conference, Dr Garramone said: “The importance of providing volume restoration to patients seeking rejuvenation of the face and body by using injectable fillers or body fat was emphasised at this important three-day meeting.”

He added: “In the future there will be a greater understanding of the role of stem cells to enhance rejuvenation and restoration.”

As well as placing emphasis on the importance of dermal fillers to plump-up the skin on the face, Dr Garramone also advocated the increased use of short surgical incisions when performing face lifts and breast augmentation to achieve natural-looking results.

Research carried out in Finland has found that many people who have undergone cosmetic surgery procedures at clinics in the country are unhappy with the outcome.

According to results of a study published yesterday by the Väli-Suomi newspaper group, one third of cosmetic surgery operations carried out in Finland are done in order to fix errors made during previous operations. The most popular procedures include liposuction, face lift operations and breast surgery.

The Finnish Patient Insurance Centre, which deals with claims from patients who have suffered injuries, said it receives about 200 complaints every year which relate to errors made during cosmetic surgery procedures.

The findings stand as a reminder to anyone thinking of undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures or non-surgical solutions, how important it is to find a clinic that adheres to rigorous standards of care and is fully registered with the appropriate bodies.

Having a face lift is no longer a “one size fits all” process, according to online newspaper Nutrition and Diet News.

In a recent report, the newspaper said: “Advances in plastic surgery have improved the choices offered when having a face lift”.

For those people who have noticed the effects of the ageing process on their face, and are looking to rejuvenate their appearance, there is now more than one face lift procedure on offer. The so-called traditional face lift is still available, a surgical procedure which sees the skin lifted away from the face, the underlying fatty tissue repositioned, and the muscles tightened using permanent sutures, but now less invasive options are also available.

The Minimal Access Cranial Suspension (MACS) lift, also known as the short scar face lift, requires only tiny incisions in front of each ear, meaning the procedure can be carried out under local anaesthetic and recovery time is significantly shorter.

The MACS procedure now means that cosmetic surgeons are able to offer bespoke options to those patients who are looking to have a brow lift, cheek lift or upper face lift.

Dermal fillers, cheek plumping injections and buttock augmentation are set to become the most popular non-surgical solutions and cosmetic surgery procedures for 2011.

According to a report by The OC Register, The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and various cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists expect to see an increase in the number of people looking into cosmetic surgery and non-surgical procedures this year.

The forecast is reliant on the prediction that the consumer income economy recovers as it is expected to, which in turn should increase the amount of money people are prepared to spend on luxury goods and services.

The latest figures from ASAPS show that face lifts are down by 40 per cent and dermal fillers are up by 49 per cent in the past five years. Botox procedures totalled 2.6 million in 2009. Figures for last year are not yet available.

In an interview with The OC Register, American dermatologist Dr Lorrie Klein said: “I predict that cheeks will become the new lips”. Klein believes that actress Demi Moore and pop star Madonna have both had cheek plumping injections in a bid to look younger and more fresh-faced.

Actor Billy Bob Thornton, known for his silver, tufted hair and un-manicured look, is rumoured to have turned to non surgical treatments in a bid to look a little younger.

The Daily Mail speculates that the actor, best known for his role in the blockbuster Bad Santa, may have combined line- and wrinkle-erasing dermal fillers such as Botox, along with dying his trademark grey locks brown, in an attempt to win more coveted Hollywood roles. (more…)

Best known for her sharp tongue and fondness for self improvement through cosmetic surgery, comedian Joan Rivers is the star of a new film documenting her five decades in the business.

Joan’s career has been a fascinating ride and the film, which follows the star for a period of 14 months, details some of the ups and downs she’s had along the way. According to the Guardian, the film, directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, won an award at the Sundance film festival and has been critically praised. (more…)