Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Blog – Harley Medical Group

A cancer patient has told doctors at a cosmetic surgery clinic in Claremont, USA, that having dermal fillers has restored her self-confidence.

Having undergone the non-surgical treatment, the patient, referred to only as Vickie, told her cosmetic physician Dr Alana Rowick: “I feel back to my old self”.

Vickie described how the treatment for cancer had caused significant weight loss, which in turn had left her looking “old and haggard”.

When asked whether or not she would recommend such procedures to other cancer patients, the 46-year-old said: “Most definitely. After months of feeling like a social outcast, I went to a Melbourne Cup lunch with the girls…I had the best day I’d had for a long time – I felt like a million dollars. You cannot put a price on how you feel”.

Dr Rowick, who treats large numbers of cancer patients at her clinic, talked extensively of the positive emotional, as well as physical, changes that she sees in her clients, and of the strong links between the way you look and the way you feel.

According to recent research, carried out by independent communications consultancy The Aziz Corporation, more and more men are opting for cosmetic surgery and non-surgical procedures. This spike in the number of men choosing to undergo everything from face lifts and liposuction surgery, to male chest reduction and Botox, has been attributed to the following:
• To achieve good career progression;
• To compete on a level playing field with younger colleagues / jobseekers;
• Because cosmetic surgery for men is becoming increasingly socially acceptable.

Career progression
Of those senior executives surveyed by The Aziz Corporation, 96 per cent believe that looking good will give them a better chance of achieving good career progression, 50.6 per cent would think about having cosmetic surgery and non-surgical treatments, and 17 per cent have already had cosmetic surgery.

To compete with younger colleagues / jobseekers
Since the recession, the pool of jobs has got smaller, while the number of jobseekers has risen, and this has caused an increase in the number of older men seeking a more youthful look to present to prospective employers.

Dr David Ellis, who runs an anti-ageing clinic in Toronto, Canada, calls this new emphasis on looking good to get ahead, a person’s “facial resume”. He has seen a significant rise in the number of men requesting cosmetic treatments, revealing that having dermal fillers, such as Botox, to plump up cheeks and reduce the appearance of frown furrows and wrinkles, are the most popular age-reversing procedures.

Socially acceptable
Statistics from The American Society for Plastic Surgeons showed that in 2009, nose reshaping was the most commonly performed procedure on men, followed by eyelid surgery, liposuction, chest reduction, and hair transplantation. Reports of male celebrities such as Michael Douglas (face lift) and Gordon Ramsay (hair transplants and dermal fillers) undergoing plastic surgery undoubtedly paves the way for ordinary men to openly undergo these procedures to reverse the ageing process and look good, just as women have for many years.

Dancer and reality television star Louie Spence convinced five men to appear on ITV’s This Morning, as part of an experiment to test various hair removal techniques.

The men, each of whom was suitably hirsute, lay face down on a row of massage tables wearing nothing but thongs, as they waited for Spence to test the five hair removal treatments. The show’s presenters, Holly Willoughby and Ben Shepherd, giggled and grimaced as the flamboyant star carried out the treatments on the men’s bottoms.

Spence tested a razor, a hair removal cream, a set of clippers, wax strips, and an epilator, before checking the smoothness of the skin and writing his verdict, a score out of ten, in pink lipstick on each man’s back.

The Pineapple Studios dance instructor admitted: “I’m no beauty expert, but I know what to do because I do it!”

The star was limited to testing temporary treatments, and was not therefore able to test laser hair removal. This technique can be used to effectively and permanently reduce or remove unwanted hair on the face and body.

Experts have prescribed laser hair removal treatment as a cure for painful, red, and swollen ingrown hairs.

In a story published online by The Clinical Advisor, laser hair removal can rid men and women of the problem of ingrown hairs, wherever they may occur.

The online paper said: “Pseudofolliculitis is caused by shaved hair shafts inserting back into the skin, leading to inflammation and follicular papules. This occurs not only in the pubic area of young women, but also the beard area of men”.

Ingrown hairs can also occur in any area of the body that is subjected to shaving or plucking. While depilatory creams can temporarily reduce the instances of ingrown hairs, The Clinical Advisor suggests that where the permanent removal of hair is possible, laser hair removal is an effective, long term, and excellent option. 

The procedure of laser hair removal is simple and virtually pain-free; a qualified nurse or aesthetic practitioner passes a laser over the area being treated, which perishes the hair and leaves the skin smooth and hair free.

Laser hair removal has been hailed as the way to avoid celebrity mishaps such as visible underarm hair and excessive facial hair.

In recent years, Hollywood A-list celebrities such as Julia Roberts and Drew Barrymore have been photographed with unkempt underarms on the red carpet. The latest celebrity to make this mistake is star of hit films Boys Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby, Hilary Swank.

It is not only body hair that has been left unchecked by careless celebrities, but facial hair as well. Kelly Osbourne, television presenter and daughter of ex-Black Sabbath member Ozzy Osbourne, was recently photographed with a little too much facial hair on her top lip.

Madeleine Crisp, a reporter for The Mirror online, recommends IPL hair removal for those looking to “make facial hair a thing of the past”. This treatment can also be effective in permanently removing or reducing underarm hair and other unwanted body hair.

Specialist eyelid surgeon Dr Ioannis P. Glavas has commented on the recent plastic surgery predictions for 2011, saying that cosmetic surgery is no longer reserved for the rich and famous.

Last month, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) released its annual predictions for surgery trends in 2011, which predicted that non surgical, injectable treatments would continue to rise steadily.

In a statement released to Market Wire, Dr Glavas said: “Botox is one of the better known injectables, of course, but there are many safe, effective choices for people who want to reduce or eliminate puffy, wrinkled skin around the eyes, which often makes us look older.

“Cosmetic surgery is not just reserved for the rich and famous”.

Dr Glavas also talked in positive terms about the changing statistics of Botox patients, and the affordability of cosmetic surgery and non surgical procedures. He confirmed that the average Botox patient is ‘a single mother between the ages of 35 and 55 years old.’

Monica Troughton recalls with a potent mix of embarrassment and black humour the moment she knew she had to have work done on her face. She was in a shop in Primrose Hill – that wealthy enclave of North London known for its starry and ultra chic residents – when a saleswoman generously offered her a pensioner’s concession on her purchases. (more…)

TV star Trinny Woodall is currently under the spotlight for her slim frame, but the fashion guru claims that she’s naturally slim.

Trinny, along with co-host Susannah Constantine, rose to fame when the pair presented popular BBC show What Not To Wear and, more recently, Undress The Nation. The fashion duo routinely help woman find the right clothes to suit their shape. The pair have also published a number of motivational advice books for women concerning topics such as choosing the correct clothes for your body shape, as well as having designed a clothing range for Littlewoods. (more…)

New research has indicated that the cosmetic surgery market is defying the global economic downturn, as business booms thanks to Brits that want to invest in their looks through cosmetic surgery procedures.

The figures released by the Harley Medical Group have found that the cosmetic surgery industry saw a 26 per cent growth rate year-on-year. (more…)

Kerry Katona has opened up about her recent weight-loss and has admitted to losing six stone in less than nine months.

The former Atomic Kitten singer told OK! Magazine: “I’m eight stone now, but I want to be eight and a half. I’ll be happy then because I don’t like being this thin. I’m a bit lighter than I was in my Atomic Kitten days.”

The star has also opened up about her cosmetic surgeries. Despite undergoing liposuction and a breast augmentation about three months ago, Katona has attributed much of her weight loss to stopping medication for her bipolar disorder. (more…)