Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

The heartstrings of the cosmetic surgery industry were plucked when one woman’s remarkable story became known. 

Lisa Connell was tragically diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour over a year ago and thus decided that, if there was anything that she’d ever wanted to do, she might as well spend the money on doing it now and enjoying herself. Ms. Connell decided to follow her life-long desire to look like her idol Demi Moore and spent around £40,000 on the surgery to achieve this.   The procedures will include a boob job, some Botox and liposuction; the money will come from a wedding fund Ms. Connell’s mum had set aside for her daughter.

Tragically, Ms. Connell is only 29, a terribly young age to be given such devastating news.  She acknowledges that plastic surgery might not be the most conventional of last wishes but she is determined to leave this world looking as fabulous as possible.  Some of the surgery she will be undertaking is to combat the negative effects of her condition- facial surgery will be used to correct drooping and make it less drastic as Ms. Connell’s condition worsens. She intends to go further though, having told the Daily Mirror:  “But I won’t leave it at that – I want the full works, top to toe, including my boobs as they are heading south,” One certainly has to admire her spirit and her desire to attain the perfect body despite very difficult personal circumstances. Some people might think that there must be better things to spend the money on but, if it’s going to make her happy, then why shouldn’t she pursue the Demi Moore model of physical perfection.

Demi Moore herself was not born with the physical perfection that many fans now ogle over in magazines and in films. She is a huge fan of cosmetic surgery and has reportedly spent as much as £250,000 on different procedures, including breast augmentation. Well, when you’re dating a much younger man like Aston Kutcher, there must be a lot of pressure to stay as young and gravity-defying as possible. Whether or not it’s natural, it is exciting that Demi Moore’s beauty, and that of other celebrities, is inspiring women to go after the body of their dreams. Let us hope that such a quest brings happiness to Ms. Connell and that she enjoys the sadly too-brief time she has left.

BAAPS (The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) has announced the results of a survey about breast enlargement procedures, which is considered to be the largest survey of this field in the UK to date.

The object of the research was just under 27,000 cases over a six year period.

The study reveals that the total number of breast enlargement operations increased by 275% between 2002 and 2007, with around 2,400 operations carried out in 2002 and 6,500 in 2007.

The figures of the survey show an average 0.53% chance of infection, which is five times lower than the European average of 2.5%.

“This survey of over 26,000 patients undergoing breast augmentation is the largest of its kind and demonstrates that reduced complication rates can be achieved by the application of careful surgical technique and a safe hospital environment. Patients should choose their surgeon carefully as this is not an operation where one size fits all and tailoring the procedure to each individual does produce better results,” concluded Rajiv Grover, plastic Surgeon, Secretary of BAAPS and the author of the research.

Plastic surgeon and member of BAAPS Mr Douglas McGeorge, commented: “These results confirm what we have always known – that risks associated with surgical procedures are dramatically lessened when patients choose properly trained and qualified practitioners knowledgeable in the latest techniques and advances. At the BAAPS our members undergo thorough screening and are audited yearly. It’s essential that people considering breast augmentation, or indeed any aesthetic procedure, do their research and check surgeon qualifications.”

Experts from Canada investigated the portrayal of cosmetic surgery and breast enhancement procedures in glamour magazines in a recent study.

The study reports that women’s magazines such as Cosmopolitan convey a positive image of plastic surgery as an option to improve natural looks.
 
Moreover, it has been suggested that glamour magazines thoroughly inform the readers about the physical dangers of undergoing plastic surgery, but often miss out the negative effects in may have on the patient’s mental and emotional health.
 
Andrea Polonijo, the author of the study which was carried out at the University of British Columbia, commented: “Alongside beauty, clothing and diet advice, women’s magazines present cosmetic surgery as a normal practice for enhancing or maintaining beauty, becoming more attractive to men and improving emotional health.”

The study also revealed that a very high proportion of articles in the researched magazines were about breast enhancement procedures and cosmetic surgery.

Celebrities who have gone under the knife to improve the appreance of their cleavage include glamour model Jordan, Celebrity Big Brother winner Chantelle Houghton and I’m a Celebrity jungle reality show participant Nicola McLean.

New Trend In The US Could Have Similar Effects In The UK

There is a rise of non-surgical breast enlargement procedures taking place in the United States, the questions are how safe are they, and how long before it becomes the norm in the United Kingdom?

The Independent reports that new procedures such as ‘Botox Boob Jobs’ and ‘Lunchtime Boob Jabs’ are proving very popular stateside with many women having the same solution used to smooth out wrinkles on people’s faces used on their breasts.

‘Botox Boob Jobs’ involves injecting botox into the muscles in the chest known as ‘pectoralis’. As a result, the rhomboid muscle in the chest rises up and lifts the breast.

However, there is concern about the safety of the procedure, firstly because non-surgical treatments are less tightly regulated than their surgical counterparts, and also because the process involves affecting a muscle in the chest that is useful in everyday activities.

The Independent refers to Botox specialist Dr Nick Milojevic who points out that the muscles in question are used in practices like skiing or more commonly in turning over in bed.

The concern of regulations being too relaxed with such procedures surrounds the fact that inexperienced assistants could carry out the process, which could result in disaster. In the UK the light regulations concerning the procedures mean that they could be carried out by nurses or beauticians.

Mr Nigel Mercer of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) is particularly concerned of such problems,

“The thought of a nurse performing this is alarming. The Government are shy of regulating this industry, although professionals and consumers are pushing for it,”
Another form of surgery that could prove popular is what the Independent calls the ‘Boob Jab’, where injectable fillers are inserted into the breast via a canula. However, this is a costly procedure in its own right and the cost rises each year as the injectable filler needs topping up regularly.
Currently, breast enlargement treatments are carried out surgically by inserting an implant known as prosthesis into the breast so that a larger shape is created. Breast uplift procedures (known as mastopexy) are also carried out surgically, whereby excess skin is removed from the breast area and the areola moved to a new position.
Source: The Independent

Why are shops now having to stock bigger bras sizes.

The Telegraph is reporting that the average bra size has increased in size in recent years, with the average bra sold now being an entire size larger than those five years in the past.

As a result, shops such as Debenhams are being forced to stock larger size bras to cope with the rise – some as large as a G cup.

The new statistics come from sales figures provided by Debenhams and do not take into account reasons for the rise, though some suspect that new ways of measuring customers’ figures could account for it.

Another factor is the increase in the number of women deciding to undergo cosmetic surgery. In recent years, the procedure has been gaining widespread acceptance.

Earlier this month it was reported that the number of breast enlargement surgeries has increased to around 6,500 in the last year. These findings were presented at the annual conference of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).
Delegates at that conference looked at the results of a wide UK study that looked at over 26,000 patients, which showed an increase of 275% since 2002, a rise of 4,136 operations per year.

The Telegraph refers to Sharon Webb, a specialist lingerie buyer for Debenhams, who said that Britiain is “now entering the age of the fuller bust”. This is due to a number of factors.

“Some of the increase has undoubtedly been due to poor bust measuring techniques in the past – our results show that many women are often between one and two cup sizes larger than they realize.” She refers to how women now have their bust size measured more regularly than in the past, with further checks as they get older. Changes could take place in size due to pregnancy, age and weight gain, as well as weight loss and of course surgery.

“There is no doubt that the popularity of surgical breast enhancements is also having a major impact on the average bust size. It is sometimes possible to tell who has had a helping hand from surgery, because the relationship between the women’s back measurement and cup size is altered dramatically.”

She said that she recommends all women be re-measured every six months.

Sources: The Telegraph and BAAPS figures from The Independent

Why are a Large Number of Women Dissatisfied With Their Breasts?

According to a recent survey by Cosmopolitan Magazine, 95% of women are dissatisfied with their breast size. But how much of this is due to the image of women most people see in magazines and posters with airbrushed features that could never be attained naturally?

In a Press Release from website 24/7, Patricia Woloch thinks this is the case. She also believes that many women need to look beyond size in looking for improved breasts.

“Women think breast enhancement is the same as breast enlargement, but if you are considering breast enhancement surgery, it’s important not to get too caught up in mere size. There are many factors in considering what makes breasts attractive, and bigger is not always better.”

Breast enhancement surgery is a procedure that can change the appearance of the breasts beyond mere size – they can also reshape and uplift them and do not have to be in conjunction with breast augmentation surgery.

The press release goes on to refer to preferences men have with large breasts. It points out that though a lot of men do prefer larger breasts, the majority do not want breasts to be above a C cup. It shows that past a certain point, larger breast are actually considered less attractive, with women with these breasts thinking of breast reduction surgery instead.

“These women not only feel uncomfortable with unwanted attention from some men, but also often suffer from self-esteem problems as they feel they have a “babushka” type body. For these women, breast reduction, not enlargement, is the real breast enhancement.”

Earlier this month the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) announced that patient satisfaction for breast related procedures were at a high. Speaking at the Plastic Surgery 2008 conference in Chicago they pointed out that breast lift and the combination surgery of lift and augmentation have higher levels of success than previously thought and in fact rival the popularity of breast reduction and augmentation procedures. Previous studies have tended to focus mainly on the latter two procedures.

In their study that found that 99% of the 325 patients they talked to have an improved self esteem following breast surgery.

Sources: 24/7 Press Release and Medical News Today