Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

Cosmetic surgery is a huge decision. Jeyaram Srinivasan, a top consultant plastic, reconstructive and hand surgeon from the Beardwood Hospital in Blackburn said that this type of surgery is a ‘life changing decision not to be taken lightly’. While he says that complications are rare, things can still go wrong, and surgery may not always turn out as expected.

Even though complications are rare, just two years ago Denise Hendry, wife of famous footballer Colin Hendry, died due to complications related to liposuction. Her surgery, performed by Dr. Gustav Aniansson at Broughton Park Hospital, resulted in 9 punctures to her bowel. The surgery took place in 2002, and she died in 2009 after undergoing many surgeries to try to repair the mistakes.

Because surgery results in complications or unexpected results, it is best to do a lot of research, and to think about your surgery in detail before undergoing any procedures. He said: ‘Women and men should not let their eagerness for change overpower their ability to make a responsible choice about their surgeon, hospital and desired procedure’

The main reason for his concern is that cosmetic surgeries are on the rise. BMI Healthcare facility in Preston New Road has seen an over 100 percent increase in those asking about procedures this year. There has been an over 200 percent increase in inquiries about gynaecomastia, or man-boob surgeries. Also, there has been an almost 200 percent increase in inquiries related to breast augmentation.

With all of these increases, it is possible that many people are rushing into having cosmetic surgery. There are many considerations before electing to go under the knife. Credentials should be checked; the consultant surgeon should be on the General Medical Council specialist register and a member in good standing of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. They should also be experienced in whatever procedure chosen.

Dr. Srinivasan also advises that you talk to your friends and family, as well as your general practitioner for advice. Your GP probably has experience with others who have had similar procedures as yourself. Cosmetic surgery can be a good decision, but do not rush in to anything before having all the necessary facts.

Most people who have received an invite to the upcoming Royal Wedding are fretting over what they’re going to wear to the event and shopping for the perfect dress and perfect pair of shoes.

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson isn’t fretting over what dress she’s going to wear to the event however, she’s fretting over what nose she’ll be wearing to the wedding. Supposedly the UK socialite is wanting to have a new nose in place before she watches the royal nuptials.

Although this may seem like a bizarre way to prepare for such a special event, Tara is defending her desire for the new nose by saying she wants a nose with a “straighter profile”, something that apparently wasn’t achieved by her last nose job, done due to damage from her previous cocaine habit.

Amazingly, she isn’t the only one planning surgery for big events. Whether it’s the Royal Wedding or tea time with the Beckhams, cosmetic procedures, whether surgical or non-surgical, are being seen more frequently, which is oddly timed when the conditions of the current economic climate are considered. Market analysts have estimated that in Britian almost 20 million adults want to have plastic surgery and although the number of procedures went down when the economy began suffering, plastic surgeons saw an increase of over 15 percent between the years of 2008 and 2010. The most popular cosmetic procedures currently being done are non-surgical.

“While we feel young on the inside, our outside may not look like we feel,” says plastic surgeon Douglas McGeorge. He says treatments increased in popularity because people live longer. Currently the number of treatments performed stands at 1.3 million, which means the number has risen 30 per cent over the previous two years.

Plastic surgery techniques and treatments continue to become more advanced and the results are becoming more satisfactory, also allowing patients to better predict the treatment’s results. Having plastic surgery for cosmetic purposes is believed by many to just be a lifestyle choice, and the the increasing numbers are proof of that.

The 2.3 billion market apparently sees face lifts and breast augmentations as the biggest trends, as reported in recent figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. There’s also been an increase in gynaecomastia treatments, proving men are having more procedures also.

McGeorge says that more than anything, plastic surgery is more “…about the patient’s wellbeing, not just the surgery.”

British citizens travel abroad in hoards of thousands every year for medical treatment. They are prone to cosmetic surgery and dental work.

Having said that, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons discovered that in 2009 there was a significant increase in the number of patients who have experienced complications after travelling overseas for cosmetic surgery.

When you think about the nature of cosmetic surgery, it’s not very hard to see why this happens. Cosmetic surgery involves complications and risks that may include bleeding, infection, thrombosis and vein clotting. Reputable surgeons are more likely to let patients know about these potential risks ahead of time and give them the opportunity to change their minds. Some of the longer operations such as the “tummy tuck” that require a general anaesthetic typically have higher rates of complication because patients lack mobility after the surgery.

Travelling overseas for treatment might be less expensive than undergoing surgery in the UK, but standards vary abroad. You might find an excellent surgeon for cheap but you might also find shady or poor quality doctors who charge outlandish prices. It may also be more difficult to research a surgeon’s record. The hospital might not even be up to your standards. Aftercare can also be a lengthy process and in many cases, complications won’t arise until patients have already returned home.

As of right now there are approximately 100,000 cosmetic operations conducted annually in the UK but the National Confidential Equiry into Patient Outcome and Death discovered that in 2010, many locations that were carrying out cosmetic surgery failed to both assess and care for their patients in a proper manner. It was found that more than half of the operating locations were equipped poorly. One fifth lacked any emergency readmission policy and monitoring throughout the procedure was insufficient.

Though previously considered to be an undertaking reserved for ageing women, the number of men turning to cosmetic surgery has significantly increased in recent years. For many men, including a number of celebrities, their acclimation towards plastic surgery occurs as an effort to further their professional careers. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported that the number of men who are going under the knife increased by 21 percent within the last year, in spite of the increasingly poor state of the economy.

When looking at specific surgeries, rhinoplasty (nose jobs), liposuction, otoplasty (ear correction), and blepharoplasty (removal of under eye bags), were noted as the most popular plastic surgeries undergone by men, in addition to gynaecomastia, a procedure that removes what many refer to as “man boobs,” which alone increased by 80 percent. Many physicians who specialize in aesthetic medicine are reporting a distinct increase in the percentage of their male patients.

One physician in particular associated this increase in male aesthetic procedures to the economic crisis. These male patients are most likely either looking for jobs, or trying to keep the job they have. As a result, they want to look their best, and turn to these procedures in order to assure that they do. For most men, the perceived edge that these procedures will give them in the workplace is the motivating factor in undertaking them.

Many men report a new self confidence following cosmetic surgery, which translates positively in the workplace. It removes any self consciousness that they may have, allowing them to perform at their best at all times. Scott Jowett, of Nottingham, had his ears pinned back at age 31, and reported feeling a self-assurance that he had never before experienced, following his surgery. He thought that his former self-consciousness had definitely held him back from progressing at work. Most of the men who are undergoing surgery for their careers positions in industries where their appearance is perceived to be extremely important. This includes industries such as sales, advertising, TV, and hospitality. In addition, older men feel that they are in a position where they need to compete with their younger peers, and believe a fresher appearance will help them achieve that. For both men and women, appearance has become increasingly important, and when it potentially affects their futures in their professions, they are prone to turning to surgical means to maintain them.

Dr. Paul Angelchik is a cosmetic surgeon in Phoenix Arizona. His goal for each of his patients is to find the right procedure for them and then use his skill and experience to give them the look that they desire. He does, however, understand that not all surgeons have these goals. And so, Dr. Angelchik wrote a press release to give people an outline to follow when choosing a plastic surgeon.

He says, “When choosing the right plastic surgeon, there are many things to consider. After all, you usually do not get more than one chance to improve your appearance with plastic surgery or minimally invasive cosmetic treatments.” He divides the choice into four specific things to look for when choosing a plastic
surgeon. These are education, associations, experience, and vision.

A plastic surgeon is required to do years of specialty training after medical school. When choosing a plastic surgeon, a person wants to be sure that they are well educated and trained for the procedure. A good surgeon will not only rely on what he learned in school. He will also keep abreast of new techniques and
technologies that are becoming available. Finding out about a doctor’s education is as simple as asking them about it or checking on it via the internet.

There are many plastic surgery associations that a doctor can be a member of. In the UK two of the most prestigious associations are the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and The Harley Medical Group. In the US the major association is the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). A surgeon should be certified to practice plastic surgery, operate an accredited facility, attend continuing education programs and also follow a strict code of conduct. Many associations require at least these things of their surgeons and most require more. It can be important to know what certificates and awards a surgeon might have, as well as other associations or fellowships that the surgeons is a member of. A surgeon’s charitable contributions is also a good way to gauge his or her character.

The experience of a plastic surgeon is gauged by a few things. The number of years in practice is important but a decision cannot be made based solely on this. Research should be done to determine if any newsworthy problems ever occurred in association with the doctor. These negative news stories should not weigh too heavily on a decision however they should not be ignored. Talking to people who have actually been patients of a surgeon is usually a good way to gauge his or her experience.

The vision of a plastic surgeon is a true test of the surgeon. He or she should be able to give you specific goals concerning your procedure and be able to meet these goals. During the patient interview the surgeon should be able to outline the procedure and make the patient feel comfortable and at ease.

People undergo plastic surgery for a wide range of reasons. Some have a procedure to ake themselves look younger and be more marketable in the job market. Others have surgery to be more attractive in the eyes of the opposite sex, and some just want to possess that perfect beauty that they have always wanted. Many brides-to-be decide that getting plastic surgery, before their wedding, is necessary to give them the wedding that they always dreamed of.

New research performed by The Good Surgeon Guide showed that 58 percent of women engaged to be married, are considering having a cosmetic treatment before the wedding. The study asked 512 brides-to be a series of questions concerning their intentions concerning cosmetic surgery before their wedding day. The results were intriguing. Botox, teeth whitening, and liposuction were the three most appealing treatments according to this group of women. Botox, the wrinkle relaxing injection, is a very popular procedure. It is non-surgical, which appeals to many people and is a quick temporary treatment. Teeth whitening is of course high on many people’s list. A bright flashing smile is important, especially when a person’s picture is being taken. Liposuction is much more invasive, but the patients who have undergone
this procedure are amazed at the results.

Breast augmentation ranked in the fourth position with only 47 percent of the women, that would have surgery, considering this procedure. Breast augmentation is the most popular plastic surgery in the cosmetic surgery field. In fact during 2009 the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons performed 8,565 breast augmentations. This is over 23 percent of all procedures performed for both men and women. The Harley Medical Group has also reported that they have performed an increasing number of breast augmentations and expect 2010 to have record numbers.

The most common reason for these brides-to-be to consider cosmetic procedures was because of the wedding pictures. Every bride wants her wedding to be perfect, and wants to be able to look back at the wedding pictures with fondness. Every thing has to be just right and that includes how she looks. Christiana Clogg, co-founder of the Good Surgeon Guide, said, “A wedding is the single most important day in plenty of men and women lives and a large number want everything to be perfect, including their appearance. I can understand the appeal of a flawless image for weddings; there’s absolutely nothing wrong with people getting some work done before they get married, providing they do their homework.”

The survey also included 509 engaged men, of which around 33 percent said they were considering a cosmetic procedure. Their choices ranged from veneers to chest reduction and most men said that they considered a procedure in order to please their partner.

The number of plastic surgery procedures performed in 2009 hit record numbers. In fact the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reported nearly a seven percent increase in surgical procedures over 2008. Besides the overall numbers of procedures performed there has also been an increasing number of cosmetic surgeries performed on men. Mr. Rajiv Grover, BAAPS Secretary, said, “This year we have recorded a dramatic rise in the number of male surgical procedures, probably due to heightened media attention, which has allowed men to realise the positive outcomes that can be achieved.” The BAAPS actually reported a 23% increase in procedures performed on men in 2009.

The Harley Medical Group also reported an impressive increase in procedures performed on men in 2009, seeing a 5 percent increase over 2008. Men actually accounted for 18 percent of all procedures performed by The Harley Medical Group. Most of the increase can be attributed to men opting for non surgical procedures such as ‘Boytox’ (male Botox and Sweatox).

Men’s busy lifestyles are indeed causing their skin to be at risk for premature wrinkles. Dr. Nick Milojevic is a Botox doctor, voted as the best for Botox in the Daily Express. Concerning men receiving Boytox he revealed, “Young men in the City have been spending a lot of time frowning over the last year and we’re seeing the fallout .. Men coming into the clinics are telling us that they want to stay looking wrinkle-free despite their demanding lifestyles.”

A report by the Dailey Mail reported that much of the increase in cosmetic procedures performed on men is attributed to City bankers spending their bonuses on Boytox. The City clinic saw huge growth once the banker bonuses returned to the agenda with a ’24 percent month by month sales increase in September alone’. Other non-surgical procedures that grew in 2009 were dermal fillers with a 26 percent increase and chemical peels with a 306 percent increase.

Jeremy Baker, Consumer Analyst at ESCP Europe Business School said, “There’s a huge emphasis on grooming in popular culture and the job market is tough – people need to be younger, fitter, and better and this is reflected in the maintenance of personal appearance. Men have now caught up with the times and don’t want to be left behind so I’m sure we’ll see big increases in this sector in particular.” Men have surely
become comfortable with beautifying themselves with cosmetic surgery.

The recession has not seen a decrease in cosmetic surgeries, on the contrary it has flourished. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reported nearly a seven percent increase in the cosmetic surgeries performed by them in 2009 in the UK. Mr. Nigel Mercer, President of BAAPS, said, “The public’s interest in aesthetic surgery appears to remain strong and indeed growing..”

Along with the increase in surgical procedures, the cosmetic procedures that are non surgical have increased substantially. These procedures include accent laser treatment, Botox, collagen injections, and others. Liz Dale, director of The Harley Medical Group, said, “Non-surgical procedures, which saw a big growth last year, have continued to be a strong area for us and now account for 32 percent of all our
business.” A non-surgical procedure that has become very popular is the skin peel, also known as a chemical peel. During the recession many people have tried to find less expensive ways to look beautiful and chemical peels are one of these recession-proof procedures. The Harley Medical Group’s Obagi Blue Peel, which gets rid of blemishes, acne scars, uneven pigmentation, sun damage, and wrinkles, has been in high demand. It has actually been dubbed ‘the recession facelift’ since chemical peels have outstripped facelifts in popularity.

Skin peels are a skin resurfacing technique which removes the top layer of skin. The body replaces this skin with a fresh layer of skin that is clearer and no longer has the problem that the old layer of skin had. There are three different levels of skin peels which include light, intermediate, and deep. The different levels of peel correspond to the severity of the problem that the patient wishes to erase. The deep peel is actual able to remove deep lines and medium sized wrinkles. Many people have found that a face-lift is not always necessary because a chemical peel can indeed make their face look fresh and young.

Mr. Dale also reported, “The surgical side of the business is also continuing to grow. While breast augmentations remain the most popular surgical procedure, rhinoplasties (nose operations) are closing the gap in second.” Breast augmentation is very popular for mothers who are trying to regain their figures after giving birth. They actually account for 75 percent of the breast up lift patients, and an astounding 90 percent of the tummy tuck procedures.

2009 also saw the number of men undergoing plastic surgery increase dramatically. In fact 18 percent of all procedures performed in 2009, were on men. The Harley Medical Group reports that Botox and Sweatox actually account for much of this growth in procedures performed on men.

Cosmetic surgical procedures on men used to be nearly non-existent. Over the years, however, men have become more and more comfortable about going under the knife for aesthetic reasons. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported that there was a 21 percent increase in procedures performed on men in the UK in 2009 over 2008. In the United States the group of men that is ‘holding up cosmetic surgery’ are the gay men.

Despite the recession gay men in the US are choosing cosmetic surgery with increasing numbers. The gay lifestyle is much more accepted in today’s society and thus young gay men are more comfortable admitting their sexuality. Thus older gay men find it increasingly necessary to try to look young. They don’t want to be ‘charity cases.’ This fact pushes them toward plastic surgery, to fight back those ravages of time.

Dr. Paul Chasen of La Jolla says that his practice receives a lot of support from his San Diego based gay clients. He told GLT, “For men, they’re much more knowledgeable about plastic surgery. They’re into aesthetics, they want to look good.”

Young gay men also feel the allure of plastic surgery. Among gay men appearance is as important if not more so than for women. Lance, a gay man who spoke to the Gay & Lesbian Times (GLT) said, “I’ve thought about it, especially lipo[suction]. I’m always working out and I watch what I eat, but it’s almost impossible to get a six pack. It would be so much easier to just get it sucked out.” Nearly a quarter of a million Americans underwent liposuction in 2009, making it one of the top five most popular procedures.

Dakota Calloway, American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) spokesperson, told GLT that Botox injections are also popular among men and the popularity is increasing more rapidly than for women. Botox, being the number one non-surgical procedure in the US, is very popular among gay men who want to slow down the procession of wrinkles. She said that none of the consultation paperwork asks about sexual orientation, so specific numbers of gay men undergoing procedures is not possible. But she says, “…we’re an open minded profession, so patients usually don’t hesitate to share their personal stories with us.”

The trend observed in the UK of men receiving Botox injections has not been attributed to gay men. Many British men are having these injections for relaxing wrinkles, so that they can remain competitive at work. They are encouraged by celebrities having Botox such as Simon Cowell and Gordon Ramsay.

Cosmetic surgery has grown quickly in popularity. With society’s increasing acceptance, of people who have undergone plastic surgery, the number of procedures performed continues to multiply. Women can get breast augmentations, liposuction, and face-lifts. But what has been surprising, is the increasing number of procedures that men are undergoing. In fact according to The Hospital Group, one of UK’s leading providers of cosmetic surgery and obesity surgery, the number of tummy tuck procedures performed on men has increased by 60 percent in the last five years.

Many men, who have lost a substantial amount of weight, find that if they want to look good they will need to have a procedure done to remove the excess skin. A spokesperson for The Hospital Group, said: “Men often opt to have a tummy tuck if they have had substantial weight-loss and are left with sagging skin around the abdomen. We have seen an increase in men having obesity surgery which could have had a knock-on effect.” Tummy tucks, also know as abdominoplasty, can improve the look of the stomach drastically. The procedure is performed by tightening the abdominal muscles and removing excess skin. The remaining skin is then pulled tight and secured. This will create a tighter and firmer abdomen.

As reported in Surgery Lowdown-Cosmetic Surgery Advice, John Wright form Lincolnshire had a tummy tuck operation and breast reduction after loosing 22 stone. He said, :After the immense effort and hard work of losing so much weight it was utterly soul destroying to see vast folds of skin hanging from my body…….. I used almost ,10,000 of my savings but I think it was worth every penny.” Many testimonials from men who have had a tummy tuck are the same as Mr. Wright’s. The result of a tummy tuck make many men feel like they are a whole new person.

There has been a substantial increase in plastic surgeries performed on men in the last few years. According to Mr. Rajiv Grover, Secretary of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, “This year [2009] we have recorded a dramatic rise in a number of male surgical procedures, probably due to heightened media attention, which has allowed men to realise the positive outcomes that can be achieved.” Men have begun to put a greater emphasis on their own appearances and thus the increase in cosmetic procedures performed on men is merely a logical extension of this.