Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

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.

Stereotypically, it was always women who went under the knife and had surgeries to improve their looks. However, over the last 20 years, beginning that now legendary Levi’s laundrette advert, the rise of male image-consciousness and themetrosexual has led to a surge in men wanting to go under the knife. 

Whilst “moobs” have long been the scourge of the male population, there are now new complaints which are also creeping up the surgery-popularity list. Male jowels are one of the most common problems amongst men and, perhaps spurred on by modern advertisements and popular culture, male love handles are also one of the embarrassments which men are going under the knife to try and get rid of. 

According to the latest news though, it’s not simply bad diets which are forcing more men to go under the knife, its increased stress-levels and longer working days which mean they have less time to take care of themselves than they perhaps previously used to.  The four main career areas which see most men going under the knife are the banking and city professions, the civil service, the political arena and the professional services such as legal and accountancy jobs. These are all demanding, stressful jobs to be doing and thus perhaps that is the reason why more of them turn to surgery than do their male counterparts who are in other professions. Of course, there is also the point to be made that, in all those professions, youthful vigour and good looks are a key part of rising to the top and thus this is undoubtedly another reason behind so many of the men undergoing surgery. 

Mr. Fratti, a surgeon with the Harvey Medical Group who carried out the new research, has said that: The bad diets, punishing hours and stress that often go hand in hand with these types of professions make men prime candidates for premature aging.  We’re not surprised to a trend emerge for professions most likely to opt for surgery as the side-effects of a punishing job can cause the loss of skin elasticity and encourage build up of stubborn fat in key areas.”

Clearly some of these men should switch to a much more relaxing occupation such as copy-writing!  It’s not just sculpting bodies which men seem to be obsessed with, so called boytox, Botox for men, has increased as well. Surgery is no longer just a woman’s place!

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.

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.

Patients have seemingly turned a newly-crafted, perfectly shaped nose up at all the talk of recession as the number of women investing in plastic surgery has actually increased despite the worldwide economic downturn.  The U.S saw a 29% increase in the number of females approaching surgeons for possible procedures, and similar increases have been seen around the developed world. 

It had been thought that the so-called credit crunch may well curtail expenditure within the beauty market but it would seem as though, when everything else is getting us down, we are still turning towards aesthetic enhancements to make us feel better and give us more confidence. Of course, many women, as well as men, are turning towards cosmetic surgery in a bid to secure a much needed promotion or secure their job.

However, the industry has not been left completely unscathed by the recession; evidence for this can be found in the types of treatments which women are opting to undertake.  Less-invasive and thus lower cost procedures such as Botox and laser treatments are the ones which are currently on the up; expensive treatments such as liposuction are no longer as popular as they once were. 

Whereas women are still spending on cosmetic surgery it would seem that the credit crunch may well have killed off the era of metrosexuality, with  men choosing to spend less on their appearance as they find they have to curb their outgoings. Dr. Patrick McMenamin has spoken out saying that: “For the time being, males and females are beginning to separate themselves in regards to cosmetic surgery”.

The yearly percentage increase in those seeking plastic surgery has always been roughly the same between men and women but now it is women who are breaking away from their male counterparts by continuing to invest in treatments and surgeries. Such support from the female community will be welcomed in the industry but there will no doubt be increased drives to encourage more men to invest in physical improvements. Perhaps men’s investment in their appearance was simply a luxury which many of them can’t afford anymore.

Despite the new trend for cheaper treatments, major surgeries are still being carried out as well, with eye surgery, breast augmentation and fat removal being among the most popular treatments.  Credit may be crunched, but this shouldn’t mean your self-confidence should be crushed.

It may not be setting the catwalks of Paris and Milan alight, but a new range of post-op underwear for women who have undergone breast operations is being welcomed by industry professionals and patients alike. Amoena is the company behind the new garments which it claims are infused with Vitamin E and Aloe in order to give a greater degree of comfort in the days following your procedure; you wouldn’t get that from Michael Kors!

They have already drawn approval from surgeons working within the industry, with one commenting that: “The zip-front closure allows professionals to easily fit the garment immediately following surgery and also allows for ease of wear while the patient recovers her range-of-motion” Whilst this idea does sound relatively simple, it is the first time a company has attempted to tackle the problems facing post-op women. It is indeed testament to the rising popularity of plastic surgery that a company has been able to expand out into such a specific market area.  Breast Augmentation remains the most popular plastic surgery both in the U.K and the U.S so there is certainly not a shortage of potential customers for this new line of underwear.

Advances in the procedures and technology surrounding breast augmentations and breast lifts, as well as a fall in prices and more credit options than were previously available, mean that more and more women have been choosing to undergo breast surgery. This move to heighten the comfort of the often long recovery from such operations will be applauded.  The first few weeks after any operation are vital as this is when the wounds heal and when one sees if the operation has been a success or not; the easy accessibility of these garments, the zip features etc, as well as the comfort they promise to bring can surely only help recovery.

Quick recovery is also now more essential than ever as more and more people want to hurry back to work so that they do not jeopardise their employability in these tight economic times. The new range of underwear looks to be giving a boost to those undergoing breast surgery and will certainly go down well within the industry. We will have to wait and see whether Ann Summers and La Senza take up rival bids to corner the plastic surgery market and whether rumours of a collaboration with Victoria Beckham turn out to be false.