You are in: About us » Cosmetic Surgery » Are you a candidate?
All nature is but art unknown
– Alexander Pope
WhoPeople of all ages and backgrounds are increasingly choosing cosmetic surgery. As women pop down the chemist to browse for make-up or men buy a trim at the barber’s, they are now as likely to browse the Internet for a brow-lift or a breast implants. For cosmetic surgery is far from superficial. As Dr van Tonder, Cosmetic Surgeon for BodyContours, says: “Cosmetic surgery is as much about what happens on the inside as on the out. Beauty is not skin deep. Patients walk away with a new inner happiness.”
In the Past
Women have sought ways to make themselves more beautiful since the dawn of time. Cleopatra bathed in donkey’s milk, Chinese women bound their feet, medieval bestiaries suggested crocodile faeces to rejuvenate old faces, 18th century European ladies whitened their skin with poisonous powder, 19th century women tightened their waists with whalebone corsets to the point of fainting and up until 1920 had paraffin wax injected into their lips, cheeks and breasts for a fuller, firmer look! Nowadays the risks we take for beauty are minimal. Ever improving techniques are increasing the longevity of the results and speeding up the recovery period.
WomenBreast augmentations are still the most popular type of cosmetic surgery for women. 5646 women in the UK had their breasts enlarged in 2005 with 2868 eyelid lifts and 2,593 breast reductions, being the next most numerous operations. At BodyContours we offer the full range of beauty enhancing procedures and we make sure they are tailored to your individual needs.
Men
Cosmetic surgery is no longer just a female preserve. 2005 saw an increase of 80% for male operations in the UK according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). Society increasingly favours youth over age in men as well as in women. Life loves youth. A 1993 survey published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that “plain people earn less than people of average looks, who earn less than the good-looking. The penalty for plainness is 5 to 10 percent.”
The most popular intervention for men is rhinoplasty – simply a nose job. The first nose jobs were carried out in the 6th century BC, so it’s a well practised procedure. Other sought after operations for men in 2006 include Blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), Otoplasty (ear pinning), liposuction, brow lift, penis extensions, male breast reduction and face or neck lifts.
As Dr Claasens, Cosmetic Dentist, says: “The way you look can send out the wrong message to a prospective employer or partner. People are often so quick to judge on a first impression. After successful cosmetic surgery many patients find they are able to compete on a much more level playing field.”