Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

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.

Valentine’s Day is the day where people are reminded that it is important to show others how much they are loved. It has been promoted as primarily a holiday for couples and their are many gifts that couples exchange on this wonderful day. Some people stick with traditional gifts such as flowers, chocolate, and jewelry. But some are unique and they opt for things like cosmetic treatment packages. So, it is really possible to buy a sweetheart a set of dimples to enhance their smile.

Giving cosmetic treatment packages is actually becoming popular, with more and more people giving these gifts each year. The improvement in societies attitude toward cosmetic procedures is directly responsible for this. Society no longer looks down on a person for getting a procedure done to look better. The word vain is no longer associated with cosmetic procedures because most people really would like to look prettier then they are. Instead of feeling guilty about plastic surgery people are excited about it. Gitika Chopa, 28, a Delhi-based banker, was practically glowing when she found out about the gift her boyfriend planned to give her for Valentine’s Day. She told the India Gazette, “My boyfriend is gifting me a package that includes Botox and other therapies to help me get rid of wrinkles and other marks on my face. This is the most exciting gift that I have ever got because it will give me a new lease on life.”

The rush that surgeons are seeing near Valentines Day is not surprising to Manoj Kumar J. Manwani, cosmetic surgeon at Criticare Hospital in Mumbai. He told the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) over the phone, “This is a common thing. Every year we see an increase in the number of people going in for cosmetic procedures around Valentine’s Day because everyone wants to look good….We see more than 20 percent increase in women going in for cosmetic procedures around Valentine’s Day.”

Dr. Manwani also said, “Most common procedures are nose jobs and chin augmentation but one treatment that is really getting prominence nowadays is dimple creation. Not only girls, even boys are increasingly going in for dimple creation.” Dimples are created by making a shallow cavity inside the mouth. This cavity will cause the cheek to sink in at that point creating a dimple. The procedure takes only 30 minutes and requires a local anesthetic. For most people regular activities can be resumed immediately after the procedure.

Dimples enhance a person’s smile making them look cuter and younger. People who have always admired dimples on others can now admire them on themselves. 

Anup Dhir is a senior cosmetic surgeon at New Delhi’s Apollo Hospital and his opinion is that fat grafting is becoming the ‘biggest thing in plastic surgery.’ He told the Times of India that the procedure is already popular but the first half of the 21st century should see this popularity sky-rocket.

The fat grafting process is a procedure in which fat cells are removed form one part of the body and placed in another part. Many people find that there is too much fat in some areas and not enough fat in others. Fat grafting will allow those people to transfer the fat and thus, have a body more suitable to their preferences. This procedure has been used successfully in facial modifications such as filling wrinkles, chin augmentation, and cheek implants. Recently, it has also been applied in buttock augmentation.

Use of this technique is growing in popularity in conjunction with breast augmentation. Women have reported that using fat grafting instead of silicon implants gives a different feel to the breasts. The are more smooth and natural to the touch and they look more streamlined. The genuine look of the breast is much enhanced with this alternative to silicon implants. These observations have been reported by a Mumbai-based cosmetic surgeon named Meenakshi Agarwal.

In fat grafting the fat is removed with a syringe that has a large bore needle or with a liposuction cannula. It is processed to remove impurities that may cause infection and then injected into the desired area of the body. The fat can also be cut from the area in strips and then placed in the desired area. Regardless of the
method used the effect is a natural look, and since the fat is not foreign to the body the possibility of rejection of the tissue does not exist.

If a person is looking for a shift in the fat distribution of their bodies then this procedure is the way to go. Many have already found this out and it is expected that many more will benefit from fat grafting in the near future.

There has always been a slight amount of snobbery about plastic surgery; jokes in the press and between friends about how obvious it is than a certain person has had a nose job, or how fake new breast implants look.

However, as more and more people in the U.K, and indeed around the world, decide to go under the knife, the demand for much more natural results is also growing.  Whereas speed and cost may have topped the lists of demands from patients in the past, subtlety is now one of the most important factors.

Dr. Andre Aboolian, a cosmetic surgeon based in Beverly Hills, has spoken out about the trend.  “Patients and women in particular are seeking a more natural look, especially for breast augmentation and revision surgeries,” he commented.  He went on to say that a natural look was becoming more and more important because of the vast differences between the varied types of women who were now seeking plastic surgery: “Each woman has a different shape – height, weight, type of curves, etc. In addition to the technique, it is also important to determine what type of implant will better fit her body type, based on volume, projection and width.” Other news stories have pointed out that nose-jobs can now be manipulated in order to suit a patient’s ethnicity and the fact that boob jobs can now also look much more natural will come as welcome news and may well encourage more women to undergo the procedure.

There are now two different types of implants which can be used in breast augmentation procedures, silicone and saline, which means that the chances of getting a near natural look are greatly increased. Breast augmentation surgery is still the most popular procedure in the U.K, and across the pond in the U.S as well. Some patients are perturbed when the ‘older’ silicone implants are suggested to them, but it is simply that they can sometimes provide better results than the saline implant, which is often used for women with smaller busts.  If subtle changes can be made, and women, and even men, can return to their day to day lives feeling more confident but not with any drastic changes being made, then it is likely that an entirely new wave of patients can be attracted to the cosmetic surgery industry. This can only be good news.

It is harder to think of a bigger life-change than undergoing a major cosmetic surgery procedure. The stress of payment, the physical and mental strain of the actual change and, oftentimes, the fear of the surgery itself all add up to a very nervous and stressful time for even the most surgically-experienced patients. 

It has now been said that one of the ways to reduce levels of anxiety is to talk through any prospective surgery with a qualified, experienced and personable plastic surgeon. It has been shown that doing so can significantly reduce levels of stress leading up to making the decision on having a cosmetic treatment.

In these times of recession and necessary financial restraint, we have already told you stories about professionals undergoing Botox and face-lifts in an attempt to get a foothold in an ever more competitive jobs market. However, the flip-side to this coin is, according to research, that many of these professionals then feel guilty for spending the money on themselves, and on something which could be considered vain, in these thrifty times.  This feeling of guilt can often outweigh the anticipation of the confidence-boost which the surgery will inevitably bring.

Dr. Paul Parker, a cosmetic surgeon based in New Jersey, has spoken out about this trend which is not only prevalent in the United States; it can also be seen in the U.K as well.  “Elective cosmetic surgery can be nerve-wracking or even frightening for some patients. First, there is a financial cost associated with it and secondly, there is a ”fear of the unknown” regarding how they will look or feel following surgery.”

These are only natural feelings and ones which everyone will feel, even surgery-hardened celebrities, before going under the knife. Of course, with celebrities these fears might not necessarily manifest themselves physically due to an over-Botoxing of expression lines in their faces.  In order to combat these feelings of anxiety and worry, it is important that you choose a cosmetic surgery company and indeed a clinic in which you feel welcome, looked-after and, above all, comfortable.  Don’t feel that, by simply talking to a surgeon, you are committing yourself to having the procedure done. The best surgeons will be able to talk candidly about the pros and cons of any operation and won’t pressure your decision in any way.  Surgery is scary, but living your life with very low-confidence could be an even scarier prospect.

Many more people are now undergoing dramatic weight-loss programs, perhaps inspired by celebrities such as designer Karl Lagerfeld, in order to achieve their dream bodies.

Many people find that, even after they have exercises and starved their way into those size 0 jeans, they aren’t left with a body which they would proudly display in a bikini. This is because, as we lose weight, the skin loses its elasticity, having stretched around all the excess weight for years, and often hangs down in unsightly pouches once the weight has gone. This leads many dieters to turn to tummy-tucks to finish of the job which weight-loss started.

Many natural dieters, as well as those fitted with gastric bands, are turning to abdominoplasty to take that final step towards physical perfection.  “Weight fluctuations affect the distribution of fat and the elasticity of the skin, especially in areas like the hips, flanks, and buttocks.” commented Dr. Grant Stevens, a Los Angeles-based cosmetic surgeon.  This means that tummy tucks are now being added to a healthy diet and regular exercise as the integral parts of achieving a celebrity-beating body.  It’s not just tummy tucks which are available either; liposuction and body-lift procedures can also help eradicate the disfiguring scars of an overweight or obese past.  We lose weight to make a fresh start, to begin afresh and take on life; we don’t want to be shackled down with constant, unsightly reminders of the past!

This is clearly a feeling which is prevalent amongst many cosmetic surgery patients, and in particular amongst men, with the latter investing in tummy tucks 30% more than women did in 2008. This is an astonishing figure and one which proves that the country has well and truly been overrun by the notion of metrosexuality. It is no longer just women who are pressured to look a certain way, now men are going under the knife in an attempt to live up to the billboards and models which surround us every day. Some companies even offer pec and six-pac implants for the lazier man to get fit in a hurry. Joking aside, tummy tucks do offer a major boost in confidence, not just for dieters, but also for those who have gone through the joyous process of pregnancy but who have come out the other side with depleted confidence. Such negativity can now be cut away!

Due to the busy pace at which we are now forced to live our lives, many of us take alternative medicines, such as herbal supplements, to help boost our bodies or maybe just to get us through the day. However, a new study has warned that the taking of alternative medicines could seriously hinder the recovery-time of patients who have undergone cosmetic or plastic surgery. 

The latest issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal (Don’t pretend you don’t have a subscription!)  has published the research findings of Dr. David Rowe and his team. These findings suggest that herbal supplements available over the counter can have harmful effects if patients continue to take them directly before and after undergoing surgical procedures.  If you’re wondering whether what you’re taking is safe, then the study has listed such remedies as ginkgo biloba, ginseng and Echinacea as the types of tablets you should stop taking. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are taking something safe or not then consult your GP or your surgeon at your initial consultation.  Alternative medicines may make us feel rather much better about ourselves but, if they risk hindering recovery times, then they are certainly not a viable nor wise solution in the long run.  Indeed, it may seem like surgeons are being over protective, but as Rowe points out: In considering the dizzying array of supplements available, the main concerns of the plastic surgeon are interaction with other medications, cardiovascular effects, alteration of coagulation [bleeding] and sedative effects,”

It is not just alternative medicines which patients should be aware of and try to avoid; aspirin or ibuprofen are also banned for patients going under the knife.  Despite these warnings, more than 40% of patients do use herbal medication in the two weeks prior to them going under the knife. The message coming out of the industry now is that this is simply not a safe nor healthy thing to do.  Even if you are only undergoing a light, non-invasive procedure, you should not think yourself exempt from these rules. If there were complications in your surgery and surgeons needed to put you under General Anaesthetic, then this could become dangerous if you had been taking advised-against medication. In short, if you are concerned or confused, talk to your surgeon or to your GP they will be able to tell you whether you are allowed to keep taking the medication in question.

Summer is approaching and many of us will be nervous about flashing the flesh as we head towards the beaches and resorts to get our yearly tans. 

Women who might have been scared about packing the rather revealing bikini they splashed out on can breathe a sigh of relief as help is on hand for those who want to tone up thanks to another advance in cosmetic surgery.  ZERINA laser treatment is the newest kid on the aesthetic surgery block.

The procedure was launched in the cosmetic-surgery capital Los Angeles and is fast becoming a hit.  Whilst it hasn’t come across the Atlantic just yet, its popularity over the pond means that it must surely only be a matter of time before British women are also able to take advantage of this latest technological advancement. Of course, if you’ve always needed an excuse to go to America, then medical tourism could now provide the answer!

It’s a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment in which lasers are used to sculpt areas of the body. Women could tone their thighs, their hips and many other unsightly areas of their body and the fact that the treatments are non-invasive will come as good news to young professionals. With the recession meaning that people are trying to avoid taking any time off work for fear they could lose their jobs.  American-based cosmetic surgeon Dr. Troy Don has spoken out about the new treatment, saying that: “I used to joke with my patients. I’d ask them if there was anything else I could do to help them with their health”. His patients would hit back with: “ya, can you get rid of my extra fat without me exercising or changing my diet?” Normally Dr. Don would come back with some sarcastic comment about needing a “magic wand”. Well now such a magic wand is at hand, and it comes in the form of this revolutionary laser treatment.

Cellulite is not just a problem which affects us mere mortals; celebrities on both sides of the Atlantic constantly have to deny rumours that they are affected. Well, now we have two options: invest in a nice pair of lightweight jeans for the summer or, if we want to crack out that bathing suit, get on board with this brand new surgery which can banish our cellulite and help us have a happy summer; sadly sunny weather cannot be guaranteed.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has conducted a research in order to reveal top reasons why patients get turned down and what statistic figures this involves.

 BAAPS has raised concerns which are thought to be related to a recent case of a woman having a stroke following a facelift. It turned out that the woman was not eligible for surgery because of high blood pressure.

The figures of the survey reveal that patients having unrealistic expectations or seeing the procedure as a solution to their problems is the main reason for turning down patients for one third of the interviewed surgeons.

The second most common reason was the procedure being completely unnecessary, e. g. young women requiring facial lifts. The third top reason for rejecting patients was the patient having certain medical conditions that significantly increase the chance of complications during or after the operation.
 
Another reason for the patient’s unsuitiability for plastic operations was their obsession with celebrity appearance, cited by 5% of BAAPS surgeons. Last year, just under half of the interviewed surgeons have refused surgery to one in ten patients. One fifth of cosmetic surgeons have rejected around 30% of the patients they consulted.

Plastic surgeon and president of BAAPS Nigel Mercer claimed: “This unnecessary tragedy reiterates the importance of a thorough consultation with a qualified aesthetic plastic surgeon. In the current economic climate, some unscrupulous clinics might be tempted to boost their numbers by operating on unsuitable patients so it’s important the public not be seduced by marketing gimmicks and financial incentives. There is risk in any surgical procedure but this can be minimised by choosing the right practitioner who can evaluate an accurate history and educate the patient about the choices available.”

“As a surgeon, the patient’s health and well-being should always come first and sometimes that means turning that person down for cosmetic surgery – no matter how much they want it or for how long they’ve been saving up for it,” added the surgeon.

Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic surgeon and Honorary Secretary of BAAPS, commented: “I have seen quite a few patients in their 30s that ask for a facelift and refer to it as just ‘a little nip/tuck’ to ‘freshen up the face’. People in this age group are much too young for a facelift, which is far from being a minor surgical procedure. This is a perfect example of when, as a surgeon, it is my moral duty to say ‘No’, as the surgery is completely unnecessary.”

Some UK based surgeons have teamed up to perform a full face transplantation next year for the first time in history.

Recently the media highlighted a case where Dr Maria Siemionow, a surgeon from Ohio, successfully tranplanted 80 per cent of a dead woman‘s facial tissue to a patient who had suffered severe deformation. However, a London based expert from the Royal Free Hospital has announced plans to take cosmetic surgery achievements even further.

Dr Peter Butler recognised the importance of the recent operation and confirmed that the possibility of a full transplantation is just a few steps away.

“We hope to make an announcement about a full-face operation in the next 12 months,” he confirmed.

“This latest operation shows how facial transplantation can help a particular group of the most severely facially injured people.”

He explained that this kind of transplantation would last around ten hours or more and would be likely to cause serious threats to the patient‘s health. However, it is expected that there will be many individuals who would agree to take the risks for a chance to have a new face.
 
As to the ethical concerns in relation to such procedures, Dr Eric Kodish who works at the Cleveland hospital where the revolutionary operation was performed, claims that the moral side is “beyond reproach”.