Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

Even during the recession cosmetic procedures are growing in popularity.  The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported that there were 36,482 surgical cosmetic procedures performed in 2009. This is nearly a seven percent increase over 2008, despite the recession. Non-surgical cosmetic treatments have seen a substantial increase in 2009 as well. Many people are happy to be able to make their body more beautiful without having to undergo surgery. One particular treatment that has become very popular is Latisse.

Latisse is a bimatoprost ophthalmic solution sold by the pharmaceutical company, Allergen. Bimatoprost is used to treat glaucoma and patients using it, noticed that their eyelashes got thicker and more full. Allergen perfected the new drug for use as a cosmetic treatment. Latisse has proved to be very effective at lengthening and increasing the prominence of eyelashes. It is a cream that is applied to the base of the upper eyelash, which works by prolonging the growth phase of the eyelash hair follicles. Within a few weeks the results will be noticed and within four months the lashes will reach full maturity.

Dr. Alexis Parker, founder of Lasair Aesthetic Health, said in a press release, “Even though there is an economic crunch, women are still willing to spend for longer, fuller eye lashes. Especially when the product works as well as Latisse®. In my practice I have seen dramatic results in almost all of my patients, including myself and my staff. I am seeing more and more women with lashes touching their eyebrows. And, as women, we know that eyes are definitely seductive.”

The medical condition hypotrichosis can also be treated with Latisse. Hypotrichosis of the eyelashes is a condition in which the eyelashes are either inadequate or their are not enough hairs present. Latisse helps these people to grow more eyelash hairs and these new hairs are stronger and longer. Some patients have even reported that their eyebrows grow better, with the use of Latisse. Though Allergen reported
that discontinuing the use of Latisse will cause eyelashes to slowly return to their previous state.

“Our patient satisfaction rate is well above 99%. Nearly everyone who has tried Latisse® is astounded by the way their lashes grow,” Dr. Parker said. “My patients…are concerned about maintaining and improving their appearance on every level. They always want to look like themselves only better.” Having long thick lashes used to mean sticking artificial eyelashes to the eyelids. Now women can grow beautiful lashes that are natural. Accenting the beauty of the face is simple with Latisse.

Cosmetic surgeons and patients alike worry about the cost of corrective procedures. Beautysure, the world’s first cosmic surgery insurer for patients, created a policy that would cover a patient for up to ,4,000 for any common complication. The complications included things such as capsular contracture, infections, scarring requiring surgery, and MRSA. The policy would not cover aesthetic dissatisfaction.

This insurance option was available through members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS). Juliet Bentley, founding director of Beautysure Insurance Products Ltd., commented in June of 2009, “Whether the patients take out the insurance themselves as individuals, or the surgeons choose the option
of insuring them all via one policy covering their entire practice, Beautysure can finally eliminate the worry all round of financial burdens, should complications occur.” She had high expectations for this insurance company.

Beautysure Insurance Products Ltd. was launched in March of 2009 and only eight months later it was shut down. Its parent company Lorega integrated and restructured the company. Lorega chairman Malcolm Harvey said in a press release, “It’s disappointing when a product that initially showed much promise falters. However as the demand is now proven we have spoken to our key introducers and taken swift action to restructure in order to more accurately meet their needs.”

Lorega was established in 1933 as a claims service for businesses and has an outstanding record for making the claims process easier. They hope to use their expertise to provide a higher level of service to the surgeons of BAAPS and BAPRAS. Lorega’s City of London based team will now administer all of the policies, since Juliet Bentley has moved on to a different area of insurance.

The idea of an insurance that will cover patients and surgeons for complications surgery is very good. Juliet Bentley can be applauded as a visionary for bringing the UK such a helpful service. Now it is up to Lorega to keep it afloat. Cosmetic surgery is a ,1.1 bn industry and insurance policies were well over due. With these
insurance policies both surgeons and patients can be confident that if complications arise then the resulting care will be covered. This insurance policy should make more people comfortable with having a cosmetic procedure done because their fears of extra costs due to complications will be assuaged.

2009 saw a substantial increase in a lot of cosmetic procedures. According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons there was a 6.7 percent increase of surgical procedures since 2008. There was an 80 percent increase in breast reductions for men and a 43 percent increase in brow lifts for both men and women. Many other procedures increased as well but a particular one has made the headlines.

The Harley Medical Group is UK’s biggest cosmetic surgery provider and has helped more than 450,000 patients to get the bodies that they have always dreamed of. In a press release, they reported a 17% increase in neck lift procedures during 2009 as compared to 2008. Excess skin hanging off of the neck, called ‘turkey neck’, is associated with getting old. The decrease of collagen in the skin causes it to lose it’s elasticity and makes it more susceptible to sag. 63 year-old Brenda Scott had a face and neck lift performed at The Harley Medical Group, and said “The loose flapping skin on my neck and under my chin bothered me for years so I would cover it by wearing scarves and high-neck jumpers. I always felt young for my age but where I could help disguise the lines on my face with good make-up, my neck was more
exposed.” During 2009 many women rushed to the surgeons office to get these turkey necks chopped off.

Lisa Littlehales, Regional Clinic Manager at The Harley Medical Group, said, “A neck lift procedure will give a long-lasting firm, and youthful looking appearance – liposuction is also often used in the same procedure to eliminate the fat pocket under the chin. The procedure does require an overnight stay in hospital and will require up to two weeks recovery time. Our patients are advised to keep the incision
out of direct sun light and wear sun block until colour and bruising has completely faded – so if you’re going to have this type of surgery winter is the perfect time of year to do it.” This does not bother most people because they would rather be in doors during the cold months. Why not spend that time recuperated from a beautifying procedure?

Neck lift procedures can make a person’s neck look years younger. The hanging skin under the neck usually indicates a person is old and getting rid of it really does magic to their appearance. The number of neck lift procedures increased substantially in 2009 and will probably continue to increase as people see the amazing results.

With cosmetic surgery becoming more and more important in our society, the popularity of the types of procedures that people are choosing is shifting. Breast augmentation was the most popular procedure in 2009, and a recent survey by MYA, a plastic surgery group, has found that it has also been the most popular surgery in 2010 so far. Liposuction is not very far behind in the popularity ratings. What is surprising, is that liposculpting is slowly overtaking full liposuction in popularity.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, nearly one in ten procedures performed in 2009 were liposuction procedures, with a total of 3,509 surgeries in the UK. Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery where fat cells are removed from the body in medium to large amounts. This reduces fat in areas below the chin, upper arms, lower stomach, hips and thighs. Liposculpting, on the other hand, is a
liposuction procedure where small to medium amounts of fat cells are removed. This procedure is designed to sharpen features and accentuate areas with a more sleek appearance. The areas normally associated with liposculpting are the neck, lower cheeks, upper stomach, outer buttocks, calves, and ankles.

The refined and more localized procedure of liposculpture has slowly become more popular than liposuction. Mario Russo, medical director at The Hospital Group, said, “The market and business demands of the patients are moving very much towards localised [liposuction] now and therefore the main requests are more for minor areas and more for sculpting one or a few areas at a time.”

Liposculpting is a less invasive and less extensive form of liposuction. Instead of a large incision, a small incision is made and the cannula is inserted there. It is usually an outpatient surgery due to its reduction in invasiveness, compared to liposuction. The procedure also requires less recovery time, and thus many people are rushing to the surgeons for some sculpting.

Liposculpting is not a weight loss procedure. It should be understood that having this procedure done will not create drastic changes like liposuction. Liposculpting is the sculpting and reshaping of small to medium problem areas on the body. Little pockets of fat are sometimes very frustrating. Some people have tried every exercise, weight loss pill, or diet, and still cannot get those pockets to go away. Liposculpting is a surefire way to remove those pockets for good. Many people have found that liposculpting has accentuated parts of their body and given them the look that they had only ever dreamed of.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reported over 36,000 procedures in 2009. This is nearly a seven percent increase over 2008. The organization is a not-for-profit group that was established for the advancement of education and practice of aesthetic plastic surgery for the patients benefit. They have a strict set of rules and regulations that members must follow. There are surgeons who perform cosmetic surgeries in the UK, who are not members of the BAAPS. Some of these surgeons are not regulated and BAAPS is calling on the government to change that.

There was a One Show episode that focused on cosmetic surgery. It revealed that there were a lot of false PR claims and corrupt practices performed by plastic surgeons, and that there is no regulation preventing it. In the article ‘Minimizing Risk in Aesthetic Surgery’ Foad Nahai, of the International Society of Aesthetic
Plastic Surgeons, said, “Regulations governing the training of all cosmetic surgeons are sorely needed. Governments are reluctant to become involved, as they see this issue as a dispute between various physician groups and not a public safety issue.”

BAAPS’s Nigel Mercer could not disagree more with this reluctance. He believes that regulation of the cosmetic surgery field is a matter of public safety and thus should be taken on by the government. In a paper titled ‘Clinical Risk in Aesthetic Surgery’ he said , “There has been a massive increase in ‘marketing’, including discount vouchers, 2-for-one offers and holidays with surgery. In no other area of medicine is there such an un-regulated mess. What is worse is that the national governments would not allow it to happen in other areas of medicine. Imagine a ’2-for-1′ advert for general surgery? That way lies madness.”

France has instituted regulations and guidelines that must be followed by their plastic surgeons. In ‘France Sets Standards for Practice of Aesthetic Surgery’ a French surgeon lists some of these regulations as: -surgical procedures can only be undertaken by surgeons who are registered specialists and deemed competent -neither possession of a general medical degree nor that the practitioner is experienced are sufficient qualifications -a ban on all forms and methods of publicity and advertising, direct or indirect, in
whatever form, including the internet.

Many people believe that regulations similar to these should be implemented in the UK. The law in the UK presently says that , as long as the patients gives permission for the procedure than that surgeon can perform it, whether they are qualified or not. The BAAPS believes that this is unacceptable. Mr. Mercer said, “We have seen what a lack of regulation has done for banks and for the British parliament. There is a British Potato Council so why not an OFFCos [official cosmetic surgery regulator]? Surgeons can do more harm than potatoes….!”

There are many different types of cosmetic procedures and they are divided into two categories: surgical and non surgical. Surgical procedures include breast augmentation, liposuction, and tummy tucks. Non-surgical procedures include accent laser treatment, Botox, and collagen injections. A non-surgical procedure that is becoming more and more popular is chemical peels.

The Press Association reports that chemical peels have actually become more popular than face lifts. The number of chemical peels performed in 2009 was three times the procedures performed the previous year. The Harley Medical Group’s Obagi Blue Peel is a treatment which gets rid of blemishes, acne scars, uneven pigmentation, sun damage, and wrinkles. It has been called by some the ‘recessions facelift’ due to
the increased popularity of the treatments. Liz Dale, director of the Harley Medical Group, said, “Non-surgical procedures, which saw big growth last year, have continued to be a strong area for us and now account for 32 percent of all our business.”

Chemical peels are a skin resurfacing procedure, in which the top layer of skin is removed so that the body can replace it with new skin. The new skin will grow back without whatever problem had been on the old skin. There are three different classifications for chemical peels. There are light peels which are basically
exfoliants. Intermediate peels are good for fine lines and superficial hyper pigmentation from sun damage. Deep peels can remove deep lines, medium sized wrinkles, and darker pigmentation. Many people find that they do not need to get a face-lift and are happy to settle for a chemical peel which makes their facial skin
look fresh and young.

In the plastic surgery field chemical peels are indeed increasing in popularity but the most popular cosmetic procedure is still, by far, breast augmentation. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported that in 2009 there were a total of 8,565 breast augmentation procedures, in the UK. Studies done in January of 2010 also show that breast augmentation should prove to be the most popular
procedure in 2010. The Press Association reported that 75 percent of breast up lift patients in 2009 were mothers.

Undergoing a plastic surgery procedure can help to make a person look and feel young. Chemical peel are a way for some people to achieve this without a surgical procedure. The popularity of these effective yet non-invasive treatments has been increasing quickly and shows no sign of slowing.

The plastic surgery field has grown very quickly in the UK. In fact, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reported over 36,000 procedures in 2009. This is nearly a seven percent increase over 2008. But not all surgeons in the UK are a part of the BAAPS. A broadcast of the One Show uncovered some of these ‘none member surgeons’ performing bad practices.

The One Show episode focused on cosmetic surgery and found that there is no regulating body to keep bad practices from occurring. In the hospitals the General Medical Council and the Care Quality Commission regulate the doctors. The Independent Healthcare Advisory Service (IHAS) is talking with the government about starting a joint regulation but many people do not believe this is enough. The problem with the IHSA is that their code of practice is not mandatory and thus is not enforceable throughout the entire field of plastic surgery.

Members of BAAPS have a strict set of regulations that must be followed. The organization is pushing to have all surgeons that perform cosmetic procedures to be held to the same standards. Nigel Mercer, president of BAAPS, in a paper titled ‘Clinical Risk in Aesthetic Surgery’ said , “There has been a massive increase in ‘marketing’, including discount vouchers, 2-for-one offers and holidays with surgery. In no other area of medicine is there such an un-regulated mess. What is worse is that the national governments would not allow it to happen in other areas of medicine. Imagine a ’2-for-1′ advert for general surgery? That way lies madness.”

France has instituted strict laws which limit who is able to do procedures. These laws state that a general medical degree is not sufficient to perform surgeries and advertisement of plastic surgery is also tightly regulated.  These are regulations that many would like to see instituted in the UK. Dr. Harvey Marcovitch, editor of a UK-based journal called Clinical Risk, said, “We need proper regulation of the industry and we need both surgeons and GPs to manage patient expectation.”

Goodsurgeonguide.co.uk is a website designed to help people learn more about plastic surgery. The site encourages people to carefully consider their choice of surgeon and make sure that they are respected and trusted. In response to the episode of the One Show, the managing director of this website, Christina Clogg, said, “We are not surprised that the One Show unearthed such bad practice at leading surgery groups in last night’s expose, it is one of the reasons why we developed the site and has lead us now, more than ever, to believe that the whole industry needs regulating.” Choosing a plastic surgeon needs to be based on more than just saving money. Finding a good and respected surgeon is necessary, because, as Ms. Clogg says, “[you] cannot put a price on good health and a safe procedure.”

Liposuction is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures for both men and women. Pockets of fat around the body are troublesome and very hard to get rid of. Liposuction has proved to be a cure for this for a lot people. Humarira Ansai, in a recent article for DNA, said that many people are using their wedding day as an excuse to finally have a liposuction procedure.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure in which fat cells are removed from the body. Fat cells are designed to store unused energy in the body and removing them is simple and easy. Traditional liposuction is performed using a cannula (hollow tube) and an aspirator (suction device). The cannula is inserted into the body, then it is pushed and pulled to loosen the fat cells. The fat is then sucked through the tool and out of the body.

There have been amazing advances in liposuction, and traditional liposuction is not the only procedure available. There are procedures which now use ultrasound to liquefy the fat cells and suck them out through smaller incisions. This procedure has been touted as the next generation in liposuction. There is also a procedure which uses radiofrequency assisted technology to liquefy the fat. This procedure has
an added benefit of tightening the surrounding skin at the same time.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons nearly one in ten surgeries performed in 2009 were liposuction procedures. There were a total of 3,509 Liposuction surgeries performed and men actually make up more than ten percent of these procedures. Mr. Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS Secretary responsible for the UK national audit of cosmetic surgery, said, “This year 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.”

The Plastic Surgery Channel, an online resource, said that those who are aware of the benefits of liposuction are not surprised that it is a very popular procedure. Liposuction has been shown to improve health which is a benefit that cannot be overlooked. Most doctors agree that weight loss is the best way to reduce the risk of heat disease, and diabetes. Of course, the most popular benefit is the improved appearance. Removing stubborn pockets of fat can slim and reshape the contours of a person’s body and give them a figure that they are proud of.

According to the Plastic Surgery Channel, people consider liposuction to be a ‘dream come true’. However, they went on to warn people that it is important to not enter into a decision to have a surgery with a ‘cavalier attitude’. The site advised people to research the procedure thoroughly and chose the right surgeon.

Many airlines offer perks for passengers through frequent flier points. Passengers can get free hotel rooms, free plane tickets, and even free food. Now an airline is actually allowing passengers to use their frequent flier points to pay for boob jobs.

Finnair has started offering the option to exchange frequent flier points for cosmetic procedures, as part of the Finnair Plus Loyalty Service. The Finnish airline is capitalizing on the ever increasing popularity of cosmetic procedures. A free breast augmentation can be earned with 3.18 million points, roughly 120 round trip business class flights between Helsinki and New York. Finnair is working in conjunction with the Nordstroem Hospital in Helsinki. Cosmeticsurgeon reported that, the director for loyalty programs for the airline, Mikko Tuomainen, said, “The idea was to incorporate partners and services from all walks of life.” The airline would also like to extend the program to other health care areas as well.

Of course the airline offers other procedures through this program. These include face lifts and hair replacement. Men and women alike can benefit from this program. It is another way to help people to pay for the bodies that they want. Plastic surgery is a very popular thing and many businesses are seeing that, by embracing cosmetic surgery they may be able to benefit from its popularity.

Some women have found that they can also earn their boob jobs through raising the funds on-line. Louis Aldridge form Swindon was able to do just that. She had been unable to get a loan for breast augmentation, so she turned to a website that would allow her to get donations from people all around the world. She was able to raise ,4,000 and underwent a procedure to get her breasts augmented from a 32B to a 32E.

Breast augmentation was the most popular procedure during 2009 for women. In fact the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported that 8,537 breast augmentations were performed on women in the UK, during that year. This is nearly 26 percent of all procedures received by women. Women wanting a boob job in 2010 will have many options available to them to raise the money for it. There are now loans, frequent flier plans from an airline, and even fundraisers for plastic surgeries.

A study performed by GoodSurgeonGuide showed that 51 percent of the women surveyed wanted a surgical procedure in 2010. Many women would have a procedure done if only they had the money to do it. Now there are institutions willing to give loans to women who want plastic surgery.

The most popular procedure in the UK is breast augmentation, and according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, there were 8,537 procedures performed in 2009. This is a little less than twice the number of the second most popular procedure. The media is constantly promoting bigger breasts and this can make women feel self conscious about their breast size. If they had the money to have a breast augmentation many would do it.

An article from Big News gives women hope for getting their dream breasts. It reported that there are groups of loan borrowers, of the sponsors of plastic surgeries. These institutions will offer money for cosmetic surgery. With the increased emphasis on looking good, many institutions can see the benefits of
offering loans to help people pay for their cosmetic procedures. Loan products have also been set up to help women who believe that they have a bad credit history and can’t get a loan. Women who want breast augmentation can find a lot of borrowers willing to help them.

Make Yourself Amazing is one of these groups that will help women to finance their breast augmentations. Their interest free loans are typically 12 month payment plans. These plans allow women to pay whatever they can, up front, and then pay the rest over a 12 month period, without any interest. They also offer flexible plans with regards to length of the loan, so that payments can be spread over a longer period of time. The plans are affordable. For example, repaying a treatment of ,2,995 can cost as little as ,20 a week, if it is spread over four years.

Having great breasts is something that most women want and would consider having plastic surgery to get. Some don’t do it because they don’t have all of the money set aside for it. Now that is no longer an issue. Loans are being offered to help women get the breast augmentations that they want. Women can have those awesome breasts in an affordable payment schedule that will fit their budget.