Cosmeticsurgeon.co.uk - UK Cosmetic Surgeons

A wedding is the social event of the year for any family. 6 months is spent of trying to find an outfit, then a further two weeks spent dithering over whether a fascinator would be too garish or not and then, finally, the big day arrives.  Then when you get the photos back you notice that your bridesmaids might not look as glamorous as you may have first hoped. Never fear, there is a name for it within the cosmetic surgery profession, it’s called the ‘Bridesmaid’s Bulge’.

The rather vulgar term refers to excess body fat or ‘flab folds’ which can become visible when women are forced into strapless dresses for weddings (hence the name given to the problem).  Dr. Paul Cronin has spoken out, explaining that: “Technically, it’s the anterior ancillary fat pad… We have all seen those wedding photos when the older bridesmaids are forced to wear unflattering strapless dresses. That’s when you notice these folds of flab sticking out at the sides, below their armpits. These women are generally not overweight.” Of course, by the time you’ve got the wedding pictures back it’s somewhat too late to do something about the problem but it is hoped that, by drawing attention to the problem, more women will be able to take action before they fall victim to the dreaded bulge of the bridesmaid.

The problem is that these areas generally don’t respond to exercise. They are stubborn areas of fat that will likely stay even with the most rigorous exercise program, never mind with the tiny amount of workout most people find time to squeeze into their hectic schedules. Other areas notoriously hard to tone include the ‘muffin-top’ area; the part which infamously spills over every time we try pull off the Victoria Beckham look and squeeze into a pair of skinny jeans.  There is help at hand though and, because of recent advances in technology, the solution doesn’t have to lie in invasive and expensive surgery.  Non-invasive alternatives, such as Laser Liposuction, can help break down the stubborn areas of fat and simply dissolves it away into the body. Of course, proper liposuction, or a tummy-tuck would be a much more permanent solution to the problem. Don’t wait until some wedding photo’s make you cringe, get your bridesmaid bulge sorted now and you might be the next one walking down the aisle!

In times gone by it might have been the young and the vain who underwent plastic surgery, or perhaps the middle-aged desperately trying to regain their youth. Not anymore!

Now there’s a new group of cosmetic-surgery patients on the block and they’ve got free bus passes and a penchant for Alan Titchmarsh. A new survey carried out by MGM Advantage has shown that 1 in 30 women intend to have plastic surgery once they have retired from work; after about 50 years of working hard 5 days a week they clearly feel they deserve to treat themselves- and rightly so!

Whilst women want to make themselves look younger after retirement it would seem that men harbour no such ambitions; rather 1 in 50 of them say they want to travel into space when they retire! Having a face-lift or a tummy tuck certainly seems like a much more realistic option and will certainly be a lot less expensive.

However, day-dreaming is one thing, the financial realities of retirement are quite another. The website behind the survey has spoken out, saying that: “Our retirement dreams need to be paid for and that’s where many of us are simply not prepared”.  It is advised that people start planning early if they feel like they are going to want surgery as they get older. We all know that the ageing of our skin and our bodies in inevitable as death itself and thus, if you know you’re not going to be happy with this older you and want to do something about it when you have the free-time to do so, why not start saving for a post-retirement cosmetic procedure?

One woman who has done this recently spoke to the Daily Mail. Amelia, 62, decided that she didn’t like the way she looked around her early 50’s and thus had always planned to go under the knife once she was retired.  She decided to have a face-lift and, several years on, is now very pleased with the results.  She says she: “no longer had a droopy face but firmer younger-looking skin” and will now feel much more confident about enjoying her retirement whilst looking like a woman 20 years her junior! Retirement is for relaxing and, as long as you can afford it, why not make it about getting the body you’ve always dreamed of too!

It looks like in the winter months cosmetic surgery patients turn to certain treatments, such as laser hair removal, in order to be ready for upcoming spring.

Dr Timothy Jones, a plastic surgeon from the US, reported that women are already thinking about their spring wardrobe and are seeking to achieve smoother skin. An increasing number of female patients are looking for new modern ways of laser hair removal.

“Many women actually prefer to undergo laser hair removal treatments in the winter, because a typical treatment plan requires four to six treatments spaced at intervals of a few weeks,” he explained.

“With this time frame, you need to get a good head start in order to achieve maximum results by the time the weather starts to warm up and you pull the shorts and skirts out of your closet.”

Moreover, researchers claim that demand for liposuction procedures also rises during the cold season, since people want to improve their appearance before the New Year.

Cosmetic surgery experts are concerned that there might be an increase in patients looking for cheaper cosmetic treatment and consequently risking their health in relation to the difficult economic situation.

The British Association of Cosmetic Doctors (BACD) have made an announcement addressed to individuals who are considering plastic surgery in the near future not to trust clinics and practitioners that offer treatments at significantly reduced prices.
 
According to Dr John Curran, the president of BACD: “In times of economic uncertainly people turn to non-surgical cosmetic treatments as they are cheaper than cosmetic surgery and provide an immediate result.

“However we are concerned that people may be tempted to “shop around” for cheaper treatments which could lead to a surge in horror stories if administered by poorly trained practitioners.”

Dr Curran pointed out that dermal fillers and Botox injections can be especially risky, since the regulations for these particular procedures in the industry are not strict enough and patients can become victims of an underqualified treatment.

General Medical Council has introduced new guidelines that require all patients undergoing Botox, Vistabel and Dysport procedures to be examined by a professional doctor.

A new study has found that there are no bigger risks of complications for women who choose a package of plastic surgery treatments in order to tackle body problems after giving birth than people who undergo individual procedures.

Common procedures among young mums who want to recover the bodies they had before having a baby are tummy tuck, breast lift and liposuction.
 
A survey of 268 mums who have had cosmetic surgery after giving birth was carried out by Researchers at Marina Plastic Surgery Associates in Los Angeles. The researchers concluded that the amount of complications for undergoing several procedures at once was very close to that of individual treatments.

Dr W Grant Stevens, leading researcher of the study, cosmetic surgeon and founder of Marina Plastic Surgery, commented: “Mommy makeovers have a similar safety profile to individually-performed procedures while offering distinct advantages versus multiple surgical sessions.

“A tummy tuck, breast lift and liposuction are all common procedures for mothers looking to recreate their ‘pre-baby’ body. For a woman who wants to have plastic surgery after pregnancy, combining the procedures certainly makes a lot of sense.”

Moreover, based on the findings of the research, Dr Stevens concluded that combining cosmetic treatments procedures to be performed in one prcedure is unlikely to be any more risky for the patient and is usually cheaper and more convenient than having individual operations.

Experts claim that the number of mums who choose to have plastic surgery in order to improve the appearance of their body after giving birth has been growing.

According to the Aesthetic Centre for Plastic Surgery, these ‘mummy makeovers’ serve as a popular solution to getting rid of baby weight and flabby skin, both of which can be difficult to sort out just by excercising and eating healthily.

Surgeons offer a specifically designed cosmetic treatment package to the person, generally consisting of a breast uplift, breast enlargement, liposuction and a tummy tuck.

“This is a gift that more and more mothers are considering giving themselves for Mother’s Day;“ commented Dr German Newall, who works at the Aesthetic Centre for Plastic Surgery. “Motherhood is beautiful, but some mums have grown frustrated with saggy, stretched skin and post-pregnancy fat that they can’t exercise away, and they are excited about the mummy makeover.”

However, experts recommend refraining from undergoing the operation right after giving birth. “You need to wait until the tissue on the stomach and breasts shrinks and settles back down before you consider operating on it as you wouldn’t get the best results,“ president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Douglas McGeorge recently told the Daily Mail.

Leading Surgeon Says we Should be Keeping Fit Rather than Going Under the Knife.

The New York Times has reported that a top US surgeon, Dr Gerald Pitman has given a lecture in Manhattan recently recommending patients to get plenty of exercise instead of resorting to cosmetic surgery.

Dr Pitman is an Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon based in New York who surprised his Manhattan audience by seemingly discouraging them from undergoing cosmetic surgery. Instead he asked them what kind of lifestyle changes they could make to avoid it. According to the New York Times, it is a question he often asks his patients before they choose the surgical procedures.

According to Pitman, liposuction and tummy tucks are not alternatives to dieting and exercising, which is a misconception a lot of people hold.

As well as liposuction and tummy tucks, he also referred to other cosmetic procedures that could be replaced by opting for lifestyle changes instead, such as avoiding the sun to keep skin healthy and getting plenty of sleep to stop getting baggy eyes. He also pointed out that the exercise attributed to weight loss will also provide a healthier heart and treat osteoporosis.

Liposuction is often used to remove fat that cannot be removed be exercise though the popular belief is that people can use it to get rid of all of their fat, which is not necessarily true. Pitman even points out that overweight people should not undergo surgery as there are more risks of complications under such conditions. Liposuction gets rid of the fatty deposits in areas like the chin, the chest, the stomach, the back or your sides and thighs, usually when dieting and exercise has already been tried out. It is used as a procedure for ‘spot fat reduction’ according to its section on this site.

Tummy Tucks (abdominoplasty) involve removing excess cat and skin from the waist to try to achieve a flatter stomach. It is recommended for those already in good physical health to provide an improved body contour by tightening the abdominal muscles. The effects are dependent on following a balanced diet and exercising regularly even afterwards.

With both procedures, prospective patients are told to be realistic in their expectations.

Source: New York Times.

Rising obesity levels in the United Kingdom convincing people to seek cosmetic surgery

The Daily Telegraph is reporting that there is a correlation between rising obesity levels and the number of men and women undergoing cosmetic surgery.

They refer to a recent study that shows that an increasing number of men are turning to breast reduction surgery to remove the excess skin left over from obesity and speedy weight loss.

Comparing the study to their own report that three-quarters of Britons are overweight, the Telegraph reports that men are finding it more reasonable to undergo treatment.

Male breast reduction surgery involves the use of liposuction to remove excess fatty tissue that forms in the breast through a condition known as Gynaecomastia, which affects almost half of men in different forms. However, the surgery is also becoming increasingly common for men who have recently lost weight.

The Telegraph’s report of obesity warned of the health problems related with the condition, including diabetes and heart disease. Figures from BAAPS (the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) show that the rise in men undergoing surgery to flatten their stomachs is as high as 61% last year.

In the past doctors had been reluctant to refer men to cosmetic surgeons, but this trend is changing as the taboos surrounding the treatments are becoming less apparent. This comes in light of recent reports that more and more procedures are becoming increasingly popular, including liposuction, tummy tucks and rhinoplasty in men and labial reduction surgery in women. Studies have also recently shown that an increasing number of women are deciding to pursue breast uplift surgery, a process that involves reshaping the breast to reverse the effects of aging.

Amongst the treatments becoming popular, tummy tucks involve the removal of excess skin whilst the abdominal muscle are tightened (hence its name abdominoplasty). To do this, surgeons make an incision below the belly button from hip to hip.

Liposuction is usually only recommended after a patient has attempted to lose weight via exercising and dieting. Certain areas of the body can be left unaffected by such actions, with fatty deposits remaining on parts such as the chin, stomach, chest, back, sides and thighs.

Source: The Telegraph 13th Oct