Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

Society is slowly changing their attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. The continuous increase in the numbers of procedures performed each year is a testament to this fact. However, not everyone is comfortable admitting to having undergone a cosmetic procedure. United States politicians are rumored to have undergone plastic surgery, but they are not telling.

Dr. Ayman Hakki, of the Luxxery Cosmetic Medical Boutique in Waldorf, Maryland, is an accomplished cosmetic surgeon who has a keen eye for individuals who have undergone plastic surgery. He has performed procedures on Miss America and Washington Redskins Hall of Famers. He has been touted as a celebrity cosmetic surgeon and his opinions are respected throughout the US. He has compiled a list concerning which politicians he believes have undergone plastic surgery.

The Plastic Surgery Channel reported some of these results and many high profile politicians have made the list. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has denied having any plastic surgery when question about it, however Dr. Hakki sees strong signs that indicate that Mrs. Clinton had Botox injections in her forehead. Another high profile female politician is Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who he claims has had a face and neck lift.

Dr. Hakki is sure that political plastic surgery is not monopolized by women. He claimed that Vice president Joe Bidden and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger have both under gone procedures. He believes that Bidden had hair transplants and Botox, and Schwarzenegger had a partial face lift. Dr. Hakki admits that he has not performed any procedures on these individuals , but he is confident in his ability
to spot the signs.

Even with the change of attitude in society, concerning cosmetic procedures, many politicians are not willing to admit to them. They fear that people will consider them vain and some will have procedures done in small stages over a long period of time, to avoid arousing suspicion. On the website A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Cap Lesesne said, “Politicians want to come away looking younger, better, healthier, but with something that does not say they have had plastic surgery.”

Some Chinese officials who have also undergone plastic surgery are reluctant to admit to it. Whereas Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh all admit to using Botoz, the injectable wrinkle relaxer.

During a consultation, a plastic surgeon will help a person decide what procedure is right for them. They will be able to give the patient advice as to whether they should get liposuction or merely liposculption. They can encourage chemical peels or a face lift. One thing that they try to do is give the patient a visualization of what they will look like after the procedure. Most surgeons will rely on before and after pictures of other patients. Some may even have a computer program that can give them an idea of what the results of the procedure will be. One surgeon has gone much further than that. He has a 3-D simulator, that will give the patient a picture of what they will look like after the surgery.

Dr. Brett Kotlus, of the Allure Medical Spa in Michigan in the US, has an innovative 3-D simulation system. This system ‘sculpts’ a 3-D image of the patient’s features into the more desirable profile. He reported, “This 3-D system has a clever interface that constructs a realistic, modifiable image that can be sculpted in the same way that cosmetic surgery would sculpt a nose or a breast. Within minutes, we can see possible surgical results. In this scenario, a picture is truly worth a thousand words.” He likes that the system allows him to make modifications or changes based on the patients desires, before they go under the knife.

It is called the Vectra 3-D system, from Canfield Imaging Systems, and has become an integral tool in Dr. Kotlus’s consultations. It captures an image of the face or body with 12 different cameras at a resolution of 36 megapixles. This image is then placed on a computer screen. Dr. Kotlus is then able to make modifications to it and create, before and after images.

There is a Canadian website called Modiface that allows potential patients to see how they might look with a procedure also. This site allows a person to download their picture and then see what it will look like with a nose job or face lift. These images however are not as advanced as those made by the Vectra 3-D system.

Good cosmetic surgeons want to give their patients the best consultation possible. Dr. Kotlus has found that his new imaging system makes it easier for a patient to have realistic expectations, because it gives them a very good picture of what they will look like after the procedure. This has helped to increase patient satisfaction and makes them feel more comfortable about having the procedure done.

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.

Seventy-three percent of the females surveyed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said that they believe that looking younger will help a woman to be more successful. Though many powerful women believe that their positions are safe, in many fields keeping a young appearance is nearly as important as that power.

Eileen Bradbury is a consultant psychologist and told the Guardian that nearly every person that has been referred to her, says that their greatest motivator in seeking plastic surgery is getting older. Cosmetic procedures can leave an older woman looking much younger and feeling more confident. Some of these women get a face lift or lip lifts. Others get brow lifts or eyelid surgery. Wrinkles can be removed,
loose skin tightened, and sagging features lifted.

The Guardian reported that Miriam O’Rielly and her three colleagues were removed form their rural affairs broadcast on the BBC. The show was moved to a peak-time slot and the producers decided to remove the older women from the show to replace them. These four women are indeed not the only ones who have been shoved out of their positions to be replaced by younger looking women. In order to compete in the
work place women must look younger.

Looking throughout the rest of society it is very clear that older looking women are nearly non-existent in the media. News broadcasters are expected to be young and attractive. Billboard models are almost never older women. Even women in important positions in large companies are expected to look good. Many women as young as 40 years old seek out cosmetic surgery to keep their youthful looks and stay competitive in the career field.

Older women who have turned to plastic surgery to adopt a younger look are impressed with the results. They find that they receive more attention at work and have an edge in the competition for positions. They have all the experience that age accumulates without all the wrinkles.

Plastic Surgery is a global obsession which cuts across all the age strata and yet, when you get down to the specifics of the different types of treatment, we all have stereotypical images in our heads of who we think has what sort of surgery. If you mention ‘facelift’ then one immediately thinks of an ageing Hollywood actress, perhaps in her 50’s or 60’s who is desperately trying to cling onto her career by fighting back against the ageing process. However, new advances and new techniques in the procedure mean that a younger and younger audience is now being attracted to the dramatic procedure.

New York-based plastic surgery practise Profiles and Contours have noted that a younger demographic are enquiring about updating their looks through one of the new variations on the face-lift.  Director of Profiles and Contours, Dr. Mark A Erlich has spoken out about the trend, saying that:
“What we’re seeing right now is a dramatic move away from the idea that a face lift is only effective for older or middle-aged patients. Younger women and men are finding out about newer, smaller-scale procedures, and they are taking advantage of these options to achieve results that look very natural and appropriate.”

Whereas it might have been the over 55’s who previously ventured into the world of facelifts, patients are now coming in who are in their 30’s or 40’s and who are searching for a more permanent way to turn back the clock.  One of the main reasons why such a younger audience is now being attracted to the facelift is that, with new procedures entering the market all the time, the recovery time needed is now nowhere near as grand as it once was. Younger people, who perhaps can’t spare the time which the retired older generation can, can now have facelifts and be back at work looking younger and more energised much quicker.

One of the new, speedier, procedures is called the ‘S-Lift’ and it uses small incisions to reduce the appearance of loose skin and muscle. Because it uses small incisions, recovery times are a lot shorter. As younger people flock towards facelifts perhaps some of the stigma and humour surrounding them will begin to evaporate and more and more people will see them as a more permanent alternative to Botox and collagen facial fillers; that will certainly put a smile on the cosmetic surgery industries face.

We have already reported that more and more men were going under the knife. The rise in metrosexuality and an increased pressure on men to attain physical perfection has meant that more and more males have been opting for surgery to give them the perfect abs, or pecs, or hairline. However, news has reached us that male plastic surgery has now begun to take over the realm of the face-lift. For so long, this procedure has been in the ownership of Hollywood women who want to keep getting the starring roles by turning back the clock on tired faces but now, according to one surgeon, men are getting in on the act as well.

Dr. Marco Faria Correa spoke out to the Jakarta Post, saying that:

“With changing standards of aesthetic surgery for men and more liberal attitudes, we see an increase in the number of men opting for cosmetic surgery.”

Men are already taking more care of their skin, having more expensive haircuts and, largely thanks to a new culture of male celebrity, are taking much more care over how they style themselves and what they wear; plastic surgery and facelifts seem to just be the next logical step on from this.   However, it isn’t simply vanity which is pushing men into more and more complicated, harsh and expensive procedures.

Men have always been competitive in the world of business and now this competitive streak has boiled over in the realm of cosmetic surgery.  Surgery is a way for men to carry on looking young and energetic and this can only be a good thing in the tiring and stressful world of business. Women have long known that, sadly, appearances count for a lot in this cynical world and it seems that now, for better or for worse, men are now catching on to this idea as well.  Whilst men are beginning to make their mark on the world of surgery, it is still women who dominate, with breast augmentation procedures constantly being the top of the surgery charts on both side of the Atlantic, liposuction is also a phenomenally popular surgery. However, as men continue to want to stay ahead and continue to chase ideals which they see on the billboards and in the magazines all around them, there is no doubt that they may well soon match women in terms of the number of them going under the knife.

The China Daily has printed a story which proves that attempting to beat the ageing process by going under the knife is not just a western phenomenon; it is something which is now happening all over the world. 

We’re so used to seeing stories about our home grown British celebs and Los Angeles socialites going under the knife that, often, we don’t realise that the plastic surgery business has grown exponentially in all parts of the globe.  A 50-year old dance teacher from the Chongqing municipality, made regular visits to her surgeon and ended up, quite amazingly, having more than 40 procedures in just four years in an attempt to become happier with how she looked.

The woman is now said to look like a thirty-year old after starting her treatments in 2005 and, perhaps unsurprisingly, she says she is still not happy and has no intention of stopping now. This story, whilst amusing, does highlight one of the dangers of plastic surgery; it can, on very rare occasions, become addictive and leave patients having treatments which they don’t really need or, in extreme cases, even want.  Once in this cycle of getting surgeries and changing one’s appearance, it is often hard to break out of it and this is the problem which the subject of this article seemingly has.  The woman, Li Jia, has spoken out, incredibly poetically, about why she decided to undergo cosmetic treatment:

“I am a dance teacher and I hate when people tell me that I look like a flower from behind and nothing from the front.”

Well she is certainly blooming now, having reconstructed and enhanced almost every part of her body to the tune of around $72,000. No exact details could be found about exactly what procedures had been undergone nor which ones had been planned for future treatments.

For many people, one or two surgeries are all they need to feel happy with themselves. A face-lift to help them look younger, a hair transplant to cover up rapidly receding hair; it is very rare that such a plethora of treatments be undergone by one person. Li Jia’s husband has joked that she should take up residence in the hospital but, as recovery times continue to decrease for most surgeries, she could find herself coming out of hospital faster than she did in the past.

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.

Previously if we wanted to get rid of wrinkles, Botox was the only viable solution on the market.  However a new non-invasive treatment is on the block and scientists behind it are saying that is a more cost-effective way of fighting back against the wrinkles. 

The treatment is called Dysport and it is claimed that it can deliver longer-lasting results than its ever popular rival. The U.S Food and Drug administration, the FDA, has just approved the treatment and now the makers of Dysport are hoping that they can market it in a way which will bring it into direct competition with Botox. The latter has become hugely popular in recent years because of its widespread and well-documented usage by celebrities.

Dr. Leslie Baumann, one of the doctors from the University of Miami Cosmetic Medicine, has revealed that the new product could be a quids-in way to fight back against wrinkles and other blemishes of time which show up on our faces.  Dr. Baumann told the Miami Herald: “Results last about four months with Botox – that’s how long it usually takes for the SNAP 25 protein to rebuild itself. However, many Brazilian doctors report that Dysport can last up to six months. It also starts working sooner, taking just two days to kick in instead of the three to seven days you have to wait before seeing results from Botox. The longer-lasting effects could make Dysport more affordable” This is, of course, just industry speculation and it will take time for us to determine whether or not Dysport really is the new kid on the block of surgery or whether, like Botox itself, the effects on the market will be impermanent and only temporarily boosting.  Neither Dysport nor Botox offer permanent defence against ageing, this can only really be got from a facelift, but the former procedures do offer a good way to try-before-you –buy as it were; to try before undergoing the huge invasive surgery of a face-lift. 

This new treatment will likely take a while to gain the popularity of its rival Botox and indeed it may only gain the same notoriety through celebrity endorsements. If these start to come in then there is no doubt that Dysport will be a huge success. If it is more cost-effective then it should certainly do well in these troubling economic times which we are all facing.

The recession has left all of us pinching the pennies and people are turning away from expenditures which cannot be considered essential. This has left many in the cosmetic surgery industry worried that people may put off having treatments until the economy picks up again.

The industry will gladly welcome the news then, that customers can actually get better value during an economic downturn. It is hoped this message, if put out correctly, will bring in more customers and help the cosmetic industry continue to grow.

The recession has in fact created a “buyers market” according to image enhancement coach Wendy Lewis.  She has suggested that those who want to go under the knife should do some “comparison shopping” in order to ensure that they are getting the best possible deal on their treatment.  It has also been suggested that shoppers may wish to try being slightly frugal, simply having a neck lift instead of a full face lift could save lots of money for potential customers.  Wendy Lewis went on to say that it was “an ideal time for men and women seeking to improve or maintain their youthful image to look at less pricey options”.

Her research has led her to state that more and more top doctors are offering much better value for money in an attempt to get as many new patients through the doors of their practises as possible.  The industry has not been entirely unaffected by the recession however. Lewis did point out that people who were regular Botox enthusiasts were leaving longer between injections. Not only was this saving them money but it was giving them the time to hunt out the best deals and bargains as well. Such tightening of purse strings is something which we can all learn from as we aim to come out the other side of the recession in a much stronger position.

Botox is the procedure which is probably most likely to survive the recession; it offers a cheaper alternative to face-lifts and is also much more widely available than it ever was before. Even dentists are getting in on the action, with one based in Scotland saying he has seen the number of his dental-practise-patients wanting Botox go up and up each year.  As the numbers on the financial graphs continue to droop and drop, the cosmetic surgery industry is hoping it can remain perky and water-tight and avoid the worst effects of the economic tsunami.