COSMETIC SURGERY: OVERVIEW
An Overview of Cosmetic Surgery
The earliest evidence of cosmetic surgery dates back over 4,000 years but the cosmetic surgery we know today has its roots in the reconstructive surgery pioneered to treat wounded soldiers after both World Wars.In the 1970s surgeons began to adapt these reconstructive procedures for purely cosmetic purposes. Technological advances and a greater public awareness have led to the development of the modern, safe and socially acceptable cosmetic surgery we know today.
There are many reasons to have cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery to improve the appearance of birth defects or injuries such as burns, still represents a large proportion of all the treatments carried out. But increasingly, surgery is being carried out for purely cosmetic reasons.
Most people have at least one thing they don’t like about their appearance when they look in the mirror. This could be a more temporary feature such as your hair or a few extra ‘holiday pounds’, but these could be easily shed with a trip to the hairdressers or a few extra hours in the gym. But other people may dislike the shape of their nose, the sagging skin under their eyes or even the size of their bust. These are physical features that can only be altered permanently with cosmetic surgery or temporarily with non-surgical techniques.
Being unhappy about your physical appearance can have detrimental consequences to your self-confidence and self-esteem, especially in our modern, image-conscious world. Cosmetic surgery offers a safe and affordable solution to these problems.
Cosmetic Surgery for the Body
The possibilities of cosmetic surgery are constantly expanding. There is a wide range of treatments available to restore or enhance your appearance over the whole body, which can improve the way you look and help you to look younger and healthier.
Liposuction for the body and thighs
Fatty deposits around the stomach, back and thighs can be very difficult to burn off with just exercise. The reality for many people is that they might be genetically programmed to carry weight in these areas but there are ways of removing some of this fat for a more natural looking figure. You can find out more about liposuction for the body and thighs by clicking here.
Tummy Tuck
The alternative to liposuction is to have a tummy tuck. This treatment completely removes a strip of fatty tissue from your stomach before reattaching the remaining tissue. Leaving you with a beautiful flat stomach without having to spend your life in the gym. For more information click here.
Buttock Implants
The shape of your bottom is very important to your overall look. Flat or shapeless buttocks can spoil the lines of your figure but buttock implants could give you the curves you’ve been looking for. Read more about buttock implants by clicking here.
Calf Implants
Notoriously the hardest muscles on the body to develop, small, skinny calves could be the only things letting down the rest of your appearance. Calf implants are implanted into the backs of your lower legs to give them a more attractive contour and definition. Click here to find out more.
Cosmetic Surgery for the Face
The face is obviously the most visible aspect of your appearance and your practitioner will be able to offer a number of cosmetic facial enhancements.
Rhinoplasty (Nose) Surgery
Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that involves the reshaping and resizing of the nose. It is a very common procedure as the nose, being the most dominant facial feature, is often the one people would most like to change. Your practitioner will discuss with you what you would like to achieve from rhinoplasty surgery during an initial consultation. Find out more about rhinoplasty here.
Facelifts and Facial Surgery
Facelifts involve the surgical removal and tightening of the skin to remove wrinkles and sagging, producing very effective results. A facelift could make you look years younger as well as making the skin look firmer and healthier. You can find out more about facelifts on this page.
Brow lift
Brow lifts can treat lines or drooping skin above the eyes that can make you look tired and old. If you have noticed the signs of aging like wrinkles or a furrowed brow, you could benefit from a brow lift surgery. Find out more here.
Cheek Implants
As we age the fat from the check area disappears, giving a hollow, more aged look From the hollow or sunken appearance of their cheeks. Cheek implants can provide a more rounded and fuller-looking face with better-looking contours and definition. Implanting volume in the cheek also lifts the rest of the face. Read more about cheek implants by clicking here.
Eye Lift Surgery for bags under the eyes or heavy upper lids
The eyes maybe the window to the soul, but they can also give away a lot about your age. Your eyes might still sparkle but tired looking or sagging tissue (eye bags) around the eyes can make you look much older. You can have this excess tissue removed with eye bag surgery. Read more about eye lift surgery.
Cosmetic Breast Surgery
The size and shape of your breasts could be a source of anxiety but you are not alone. Many women are not happy with the way their breasts look and cosmetic surgery could provide the answer to many of these worries.
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation surgery has improved dramatically in recent years with a greater variety of options now available to patients and far better post-surgical results. It is important to know exactly what results you want before opting for breast augmentation as this allows your practitioner to help you achieve the best results possible. Read more by clicking here
Breast Reduction
It is not just small breast that cause anxiety for many women. Breasts that are too large can also be problematic and put uncomfortable strain on the muscles of the back and neck. A breast reduction could give you more suitably sized breasts and restore the appearance of breasts that are sagging. Breast reduction surgery is increasingly popular with men who want to remove excess breast tissue and skin. Read more about breast reduction here.
Breast Lift
If you have breasts that you are comfortable with but think they could do with a bit of extra support, you could be a suitable candidate for a breast lift. This surgery raises the breast tissue and the height of the nipples to make them appear younger and firmer. Click here to read more about breast lift surgery.
Hair Replacements – Solutions for Hair Loss
Losing your hair can be a very traumatic experience as it symbolises a loss of youth. It can be even more troubling for women of any age because hair loss is usually associated with men.
Hair Replacement Therapy
This involves grafting small bundles of hair taken in strips from other areas of the head or implanting individual follicles into bald areas of the scalp to restore the appearance of natural hair. Individual follicle replace appears more natural than the older plug graft treatment. Read more.
Non-surgical Skin Treatments
As well as many surgical treatments for the face and body, there are also a number on non-surgical options to improve the way you look. Also called minimally invasive treatments, the following can improve the condition and feel of the skin, removing lines and wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Dermal Fillers
Removing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, dermal fillers could make your skin look and feel smoother and younger. Dermal fillers are injected into the skin to firm and revitalise for up to 9 months. Find out more by clicking here.
Botulinum toxin (commonly known as Botox®)
Injected with very fine needles to limit discomfort, botulinum toxin temporarily paralyses the muscles of the face that are responsible for the creation of some wrinkles. Read more.
Volumisers
Like dermal fillers, volumisers aim to give you a fuller, rounder face with fewer visible signs of aging. Find out more about volumisers by clicking here
Laser and IPL Skin Treatments
Light energy delivered to the skin fights the signs of aging and uneven pigmentation leaving your skin looking smooth and clear. Laser skin resurfacing can create big improvements in look, colour, elasticity and texture. Read more.
LED Therapy
Millions of people in the UK suffer from acne. This form of light therapy has been found to be effective in reducing the acne symptoms. Click here to read more.
Chemical Peels
If your skin is looking tired and old, a chemical peel will be able to remove the aging top layers, allowing the younger and healthier looking skin layers underneath to show through. Peels stimulate cell growth and increase the formation of natural collagen. Various strengths of chemical peel exist for different skin types and condition. Click here to read about chemical peels.
Thread Vein Removal Small unsightly thread veins caused by over-exposure to the sun or alcohol can show through your skin creating a blemished appearance. There are several effective treatments to eradicate thread veins with minimal discomfort. Find out how.
Hair Removal with Laser and IPL Even fine hair in the wrong place on your body can look unseemly. Waxing and plucking can remove this hair but there is a more permanent solution with laser and IPL removal. Read more about hair removal.
Tattoo Removal with Laser and IPL
If you have a tattoo but regret having it done there it may be possible to remove it with Laser or IPL treatment. With these techniques, light is used to break down tattoo pigmentation allowing the body’s immune system to naturally absorb the ink. Click here for more information about tattoo removal.
General information on Cosmetic Surgery
Your practitioner can outline further which cosmetic treatments are available and which might be most suitable for you. It is important to remember when planning any cosmetic surgery that treatments, especially if they are surgical, can only be carried out on fit and healthy patients.
Patients are advised to stop taking any medication two weeks before the procedure. Your practitioner may decide to take a blood and urine sample prior to surgery to ensure there are no underlying health problems that could interfere with the surgery. Smokers are also asked to stop smoking at least two weeks before surgery as this may slow down the healing process.
Whatever the reason for choosing cosmetic surgery, whether it be for restorative or purely cosmetic reasons, you can expect the very latest in safe and effective surgical practice. Our practitioners are experts in their field and experienced in all areas of cosmetic surgery. With their help you will finally be able to make the desired changes to your appearance and look the way you have always wanted.