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Actress and TV personality Amanda Holden is not only a fan of cosmetic surgery, she promotes it.

A self confessed botox addict she has recently come out saying that she won’t say no to future procedures designed to keep her youthful appearance. Though she has yet to go “under the knife” she believes she may some day and looks forward to holding back the years as best as she can.

The only female judge on the hit show “Britains Got Talent” Holden is aware of the importance of good looks in her profession, but also wary of the effects too much surgery can have on a face. When commenting on the virtues of botox she said, “It’s like cleaning your teeth, maintenance…it’s like getting your roots done. I think as long as you don’t go stupidly over the top… I can still move my face.” Though she has had a lot of botox in the past, and been criticized by media personalities who say she was losing all expression in her face, Holden now proclaims a desire to swear of the stuff.

Her trips to Los Anegles have helped her to see how the injections make everyone look the same and rob a woman of her individuality. In a recent interview she expressed her desire to keep her youthful appearance when she said, “I intend to have everything done when the time is right, nipped, tucked, you name it.” The only procedure Holden says she won’t have is under the knife.

Amanda Holden joins a long line of celebrities who have decided to come out in the open about their cosmetic procedures. Long a secretive affair, cosmetic surgery fans are losing the shame and stigma attached to the procedures and declaring to the world what they have had done and what they plan to have done. By bringing this industry out nto the open, celebrities are demystifying plastic surgery and showing every day people that it is something that can be available to everyone, not just those who stand in front of television cameras.

We’ve told you about twins, about older people and about young women all going under the knife of this site but never have we relayed a story to you that showed an entire family who were obsessed with plastic surgery and the pursuit of physical perfection.  A mother and her four daughters have undergone a total of nine breast surgeries between them which gives them the highly dubious award of being the family who have undergone the most breast operations in Britain (it is not clear whether this honour comes with a medal or with some form of trophy)

The Mirror revealed not only the story, but also the family sporting matching bikinis, clearly proud to show off what they had bought with their hard-earned money.  With their matching blonde hair, the family resemblance is clear amongst the siblings; a resemblance only heightened by the fact that they all now have matching boob jobs as well! The 50 year old mother has had her breasts augmented to a staggering 34DD after a number of procedures which have steadily built her up from her original 34B size. She is the proud mother of eight children but, as any mother will know, childbirth and nursing took its toll on her breasts and she was left with what she deemed to be “milk bottles” and even after one surgery she was still not satisfied with the way she looked. It was her daughter who inspired her to get back on the table and under the knife.  Her daughter had a successful breast operation and was much happier with the result than her mother had been with hers and this convinced the mother of eight to try again and the second time around she was much happier. She told the Mirror:

“My daughters say I inspired them to have boob jobs but I’ve got them to thank for encouraging me to get mine done again. There’s no mistaking the family resemblance – but now we’ve got the boobs to match too,”

Going through surgery can be a very stressful and confusing time and having people, especially close family members, who have been there before can offer unrivalled guidance and support during the entire process from the first decision to the post-surgical recovery.  This is one family where such support and encouragement has clearly paid off and has meant that sisters, and the mother, are doing it for themselves.

We all remember our teenage days; crippling self-doubt, being upset about our bodies, thinking that everybody else had the perfect look and that it was only us who had been afflicted by such bodily disfigurements. Obviously, as we get older, we realise that all teenagers are insecure and that, really, we aren’t as bad looking or as fat as our teenage self thought that we were. However, there is now a rising trend of teenagers considering going under the knife in a bid to correct what they see as their physical flaws. At an age when insecurity and self-doubt are rife, is it really the right option to consider surgical solutions to body hang-ups which will likely disappear along with spots as people get older?

Perhaps it isn’t huge news that teenagers dream about changing the way they look via plastic surgery but the startling statistic that 26% of teenage girls are actively thinking about having cosmetic surgery is extremely disturbing and it is clearly connected to body insecurities which are sadly rife for young women; nine out of ten young women who responded to the BBC survey said that they were unhappy with their body. Obviously, being unhappy with your body is as normal a part of being a teenager as mood-swings and regrettable fashion choices, but when this insecurity drives people into the surgeon’s table then it is surely a trend which needs to be addressed, and quickly.

At just 13, one respondent told the survey that when she was 16 she was going to go to the U.S in order to have a boob job there. “The things I don’t like about my body are my breasts…I spend almost 100 per cent of my life thinking about it,” she told the BBC. Hopefully, in three years time she will have grown to like her looks a bit more. The pressure on young girls to look a certain way seems to now come from all ends of society, from magazines, T.V and the fashion industry; girls are taught that there is only one way to look and anything else is a dangerous deviation from the norm.

At any age, it is women who top the tables of plastic surgery. 9 out of 10 of all cosmetic surgery procedures performed by members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons were performed on women.

Plastic Surgery has rose in popularity exponentially over past decade; it’s now easier and cheaper than ever to go under the knife. However, this rise in popularity has led to many dangerous practises as well; so-called Botox parties and other new fads such as “lunchtime lifts” are leading people into getting surgery which may well not be safe. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has spoken out about the troubling trend as they fear that people will not only get poorer results than they had hoped for but will also risk damaging their health as well. The rise in ‘in-office’ and at-home procedures is partly fuelled by people’s desire for cheaper treatments but, the old adage is certainly true, you do get what you pay for.

Dr. J Peter Rubin has spoken out, saying that: “In the wrong clinical setting, the results may not come close to the promises made in the advertising. What is really indispensible for the best results, however, is not a specific procedure but the judgment of a board certified plastic surgeon who can match the right patient with the best procedure for them.”

Indeed it is certainly true that a procedure is only as good as the person who performs it and, whilst the best surgeons may cost a little extra money, you can’t really put a price on your health or on the perfect appearance which you are striving towards. So far, these branded treatments, such as Lifestyle Lift and Smart Lipo are a phenomenon which has stayed on the other side of the Atlantic but, as the cosmetic industry continues to rapidly expand here in the U.K, how long is it before we too will see this dangerous trend spreading through our offices and other places of work?

It is easy to see why treatments such as these are popular, we all have less time than we used to and are scared to take time out from our jobs in case there isn’t a position open for us when we come back. So, we find surgeries that fit around our schedules and seem like they will take the least amount of time to perform and recover from. This could end up being a literal false economy however if we have to pay a more qualified surgeon to correct mistakes or if we find we have wasted our hard-earned money.

Twins generally like to assert their independence. After spending childhood being dressed the same by parents and having to share birthdays and having to live with always having to share attention, twins generally mark themselves out from each other as they get older. This is what makes this cosmetic surgery story all the more shocking; a pair of twin sisters have spoken out about how they have jointly spent over £60,000 on cosmetic surgery. Amazingly, they both wished to defy the ageing process (as so many of us do) but they also didn’t want the plastic surgery to harm their identity- they have undergone the same procedures at the same time since they were 21 in order that they continue to look identical!

It all started when the twins, Jo and Kerry, went under the knife when they were younger to have nose jobs.  They told the Daily Mail that, because they were so used to doing everything together since they were children that checking into the same clinic for the same surgery just seemed like a natural progression and, at least to them, didn’t seem as strange as some people might first believe it to be.  One of the siblings, Kerry, said:

“It might sound barmy to some to have cosmetic surgery just because your twin is having it, but we would hate to look different, so we had to have the cosmetic surgery together.”

Indeed everybody ages differently; even twins would not be guaranteed to keep their identical looks as they aged. This is because the ageing process can be drastically affected by lifestyle choices, such as smoking or heavy drinking, as well as genetics. By turning to cosmetic surgery as they age (both twins are now 34) the twins can ensure that they both keep their identity without losing their youthful looks.  The £60,000 the twins have so-far spent is only likely to increase as they continue to with their equal obsession in cosmetic surgery. So far they’ve had breast enlargements, Botox and eyelifts and keep their identical look flowing with matching hair extensions and clothes. It’s a look which is certainly going to get positive male attention from them and it highlights the huge advances in cosmetic surgery over the last few years. If two women can undergo the same procedure to look the same then it really shows the consistency doctors can now achieve.

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.

Avid readers of this blog, and I know there are lots of you, will no doubt remember a story we reported a little while ago about a new breakthrough which could drastically reduce the amount of post-op bruising which plastic and cosmetic surgery patients have to endure.  Well more news has reached us which we feel we have to share with you or, really, we just wouldn’t be doing our jobs right would we? 

Well the Vbeam laser has now undergone a second medical test and, excitingly, it has been declared that it could help to reduce bruising by an average of 63%. This news will be widely welcomed by the cosmetic surgery industry as it will mean that, if faced with shorter recovery times, more and more people may decide to go under the knife.

The new study, wonderfully titled ‘A Simple Solution to a Common Problem’, has concluded that if the treatment is done for 24 hours after a surgical procedure, then the prior-mentioned reduction of 62% is achievable.  Dr. Edwin F Williams, one of the leaders of the study, has spoken out saying that:
“[With] just one treatment with the VBeam, our patients experience dramatic clearance of the injured blood vessels. We are excited to finally be able to offer our patients a safe and easy treatment of bruising that works.” This is a huge breakthrough as, after a surgery, many of us want to get straight out there and start showing off our new look or, more importantly in this current climate, need to get back to work in order to ensure that our employment is safe and secure. Lots of bruising, whilst not being aesthetically pleasing, can also be incredibly painful and debilitating and thus it will be hoped that this Vbeam will hopefully be rolled out soon and become available to the wider public.

The company behind the innovation, the Candela Corporation, was founded in Boston (the American one) in the 1970’s and is a manufacturer of a lot of technology used by surgeons and physicians.  This latest innovation will no-doubt bring them in lots of money but, more important than this, it will also help out patients and this is clearly the most important thing for the cosmetic surgery industry. If more people can have quicker recovery times then more people may well decide to go under the knife and thus the cosmetic surgery industry will keep on growing.

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!

Despite the deepening recession, messages coming at us from all sides to tighten the purse-strings and bank statements getting us more and more depressed it seems that the latest figures out have confirmed that cosmetic surgery is actually defying the recession. 

Demand for surgeries rose, with both invasive and non-invasive treatments seeing increases in the number of people undertaking them.

The Cosmetic Surgery Market Report 2009 has shown that, whilst figures have been healthy (and properly sculpted of course) across the board, there were individual treatments which seem to be doing particularly well.  Hair-loss treatments, such as the ever-popular hair transplant and weight management surgeries are the ones which have been singled out as doing well in these difficult economic times. Interestingly one of the biggest increases which the report draws attention to is the huge rise in the number of people seeking advice about, and indeed undergoing, non-invasive cosmetic procedures.

Brand new advancements in technology, coupled with drastically reduced waiting times means that non-invasive beauty treatments are now much more appealing to a much broader range of people. These are hard economic times and thus people can’t really be taking ages of work, nor indeed do they want a treatment which has the potential to go seriously wrong.  The fact that people can go “under the knife” in their dinner break is certainly an incentive for today’s hard working population.  The statistics also reveal that more and more young men are choosing to go under the knife and change their appearance. Plastic and Cosmetic surgery, it would seem, is no longer the domain of women.

Different industry reports have attempted to get to the bottom of why it is that more and more men are going under the knife; the conclusions are that it’s not just the celebrity culture which is shaming men into making a change. More hectic work lives and a poor diet coupled with little or no exercise are leading more and more men to gain a figure which they are not happy with.  There was a 44% increase last year in men seeking breast reduction surgery. It would seem that surgery for men is not the only answer, the males in our population need to completely overhaul their entire lifestyle. Even if they achieve this though, surgery may still be needed to do extra sculpting and toning. Recession? What recession?

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.