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Aesthetics Journal
Cosmetic surgery on the rise The latest figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons’ annual audit indicated a significant rise in the number of Britons having cosmetic surgery. Aesthetics investigates why it appears that more people are prepared to opt for a surgical treatment The rise in the number of people having non-invasive procedures over the past few years has been well documented. Consumer media has been saturated with headlines on the rise of treatments such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin;1 news of Kylie Jenner having lip fillers caused a surge of enquiries in some clinics, with one London practice reporting a 70% rise in lip filler enquiries in the 24-hours following the news.2 But now, according to the 2015 BAAPS annual audit, cosmetic surgery is also accelerating, following a 9% dip in 2014.3 The data collected by the body of surgeons suggests 51,000 Britons underwent cosmetic procedures last year and the amount of women having surgery increased by 12.5%, whilst the amount of men going under the knife increased by 13.5%. So why are more people looking to cosmetic surgery as a viable option to enhance their body? And, does this spell the end to the stigma surrounding the specialty? The facts The most noteworthy increases in the published results include a 20% rise in both men and women having liposuction, a 15% increase in otoplasty and a 12% rise in breast augmentation – which remains the most popular procedure in women. In men, eyelid surgery is the most common treatment, which rose by 15% last year, while a previously less common procedure in men, brow lifts, also increased by 15.5%. Mr Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic surgeon and former president of BAAPS, said, “The double digit rise in surgical procedures suggests that the public are choosing to spend on treatments with a proven track record such as facelifts and liposuction, which remain the gold standard for facial rejuvenation and body contouring.
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The plethora of new non-invasive methods for skin tightening and cellulite that are here today and gone tomorrow, often appear too good to be true and fail to make the cut.” Consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Miss Katherine George, also believes that alternative nonsurgical options don’t always deliver, “By the time I see my patients for the first time, a lot of them have already tried non-surgical treatments. Although these types of treatments have minimal downsides, surgery is still the benchmark and will deliver natural-looking results.” Having non-surgical treatments can be a long-term commitment for many patients. The average duration of results for a treatment such as botulinum toxin on facial lines ranges between three to six months,4 meaning patients have to keep going back for more to keep up their new appearance. This isn’t an issue with a lot of surgical procedures. Consultant maxillofacial and facial plastic surgeon, Miss Caroline Mills, believes people are becoming more informed of the potential downsides of treatments such as dermal fillers, “Fillers aren’t the be all and end all and people are starting to see the possible negative side effects of having dermal filler. Surgery can be a nicer way of doing things and will actually cost less money in the long term. I also think people are finding surgery is more acceptable than it used to be.” On the other hand, aesthetic practitioner Dr Kuldeep Minocha believes that non-invasive procedures still very much have a place in antiageing treatments, “Timely intervention on appropriate patients by an experienced aesthetic practitioner can lead to excellent, natural-looking results. Advances in our understanding of the evidence-based use of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, collagen stimulators, toxins, suspension threads, medical devices and topical skincare over the last two decades has hugely benefited our increasing patient base.” The stigma According to author Deborah Mitchell in the book Botox: is it for you? People were more likely to make up an elaborate excuse as to why they were disappearing from work for a few weeks than admit to having a facelift or eyelid surgery.5 Nowadays,
“Having nonsurgical procedures can be a long-term commitment for many patients” Miss Katherine George, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon
Reproduced from Aesthetics | Volume 3/Issue 4 - March 2016