Holidaymakers Opt For Airbrushed Cosmetic Surgery

For British holidaymakers wanting to be picture picture this year, rather then resorting to actual cosmetic surgery they're opting for an altogether more Hollywood style solution. According to a report in The Times online, the high street photographic chain Snappy Snaps has experienced a 550% increase in people wanting airbrushing on the holiday photos.

Instead of having a breast enlargement, tummy tuck or lip implants people are requesting these phsyical changes be added onto their snaps post-vacation with high street stores charging around £15 for the privilege. Alternatively people can do the alterations at home on their on computers with software such as Adobe Photoshop, while Kodak has launched an airbrush plug-in specifically for touching up photos.

This craze is considered to be down to the increase in popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook where users are keen to project the right image of themselves. The problem of course comes when reality does not match up to the image.

To read The Times article in full click here

Twins Spend £60K On Cosmetic Surgery To Look The Same

Cosmetic surgery fans and identical twins, Jo and Kerry Burton, 34, have made sure everyone continues to see double by having exactly the same cosmetic procedures done simultaneously.

The story in The Daily Mail revealed that the twins have invested a staggering £60,000 to enhance their looks, which started when they were 21 years old. When Jo decided to have a rhinoplasty, Kerry joined her so they could stay looking the same. From there they have progressed to breast enlargement, eye lift surgery, Botox injections and permanent make-up tattoos.

Before being operated on they even had to have their names written on their stomachs so the surgeon could tell them apart. The twins say they do everything together and would hate to look different, so they will continue to have the same surgery done.

For the full story in The Daily Mail click here

Cosmetic Surgery & The Halo Effect

by Michelle Elkins

Having cosmetic surgery like breast enlargement and rhinoplasty not only improves external appearances but can help to give a confidence boost. Could this be down to more than just a personal change in attitude however?

According to decades of research a phenomenon known as the "halo effect" could be responsible. When we look at those who are phsycially blessed, unconsciously we bestow them with a whole gamut of internal positive qualities as well.

The effect means that good-looking people are considered to be healthier, nicer, smarter and more trustworthy, while others feel more disposed to help them. Employers are more likely to take them over another applicant, all other things being equal, while beautiful people tend to have greater success at work and are better financially rewarded.

The connection was first established by American psychologist Edward L. Thorndike who provided empirical research to back up the halo effect in a study he published in 1920. In it he asked a group of commanding officers to rate the soldiers in their charge. He established that there was an unconscious bias towards seeing the individuals as either entirely good or bad, whereby the perception of one particular trait can influence the perception of that person as a whole.

As a person's physical appearance is usually the first major trait people pick up on, this is often the most influential and is why celebrities and models are used to endorse products. This doesn't mean that negatives attributes will not be taken into account, it may just take a little longer for those traits to be acknowledged as people considered more attractive are given a greater benefit of the doubt.

Unfortunately though we are all guilty of doing this to some degree or another because the effect is unconscious so we are unaware of when it is happening. Even when it is pointed out, most people are unable to accept that their positive (or negative in the case of the reverse halo effect) perception coloured their whole view of someone.

This was discovered by social psychologist Richard Nisbett in a study in the 1970s. In it a group of students were split in two where one group was shown a video of a lecturer who was friendly and pro-student and the second group viewed a video of the same lecturer but using a cold, harsh manner. They were then asked to rate the lecturer on the way that he looked among other things and unsurprisingly the second group considered the lecturer to be far less attractive.

However when the students were told about the study, most refused to accept that their judgement of the lecturer's appearance was based purely on that and not on their perception of his other characteristics. On the plus side it does show that a winning personality can go a considerable way to raising your attractiveness stakes.

Click here if you would like to make an appointment to see a cosmetic surgeon.

Could Nipple Surgery Be The New Boob Job?

It appears attitudes to breast surgery may be changing and heading in an altogether perkier direction. Nipple surgery looks set to be the next big thing as stars like Victoria Beckham spark the trend for glass-cutting attributes.

Rather than size, when it comes to breast enlargement women are becoming more concerned with appearance and shape then having enormous breasts, and to top it off they want the perfect nipples too. Over the last 12 months Harley Medical Group has reported an increase of 30 percent of procedures of this nature and sales of prosthetic nipples have risen.

But why is there this sudden upsurge for this kind of surgery?

In an article in The Daily Mail, cosmetic surgeon Riccardo Frati (who works with Rubicon Medical & Harley Medical Group) said: 'Until now celebrities didn't expose their nipples so they were no "nipple role models". In the past I've had patients coming to my surgery clutching pictures of celebrities like Katie Price and saying: "I'd like breasts like hers" but now there's a chance that Mrs Beckham's designer nipples could be the next big thing for 2009'.

While surgery can be used to lift and push out the nipple to make it more prominent giving a younger and perkier look, it can also be used to correct inverted nipples which affects approximately 1.5 million British women.

To read the full article click here or to speak to a surgeon about nipple surgery click here.

Breast Enlargement: The Pros & Cons

by Michelle Elkins

Last year around 8,000 women in the UK took the plunge and underwent breast enlargement surgery. Despite the credit crunch, that amounts to a 30 percent increase on the previous year for the amount of ladies prepared to pay out for breast augmentation, proving that when it comes to looking good, money is no obstacle. For those yet to take the plunge but seriously considering a breast increase, then here are some facts to help you make an informed choice about whether to proceed with a boob job.

How can a breast enlargement operation help?

There are several ways in which a plastic surgery boob job can help. The most obvious way is simply that it enables an increase in the natural size of the bust to one that can give greater self confidence. But this is just one way in which brest augmentation can help.

For women who have gone through child birth and breast feeding or who have undergone extreme, rapid weightless, it can leave previously perfect breasts looking like deflated balloons. This lack of volume combined with sagging can be distressing. With breast implants the fullness of the breasts can be restored and give an uplifting effect to the breasts so there is greater projection and shape.

In other occasions it can be used to give symmetry to an uneven breast line where one may have developed more than the other or act as replacement for women who have had to undergo a mastectomy due to breast cancer.

What are breast implants made of?

Breasts implants are primarily made of two substances: saline or silicone. Saline implants are constituted of a saline liquid in a silicone shell, while modern silicone implants are full of a viscous gel. This means that they can be quite literally cut in half without leakage.

How are the breast implants inserted?

Firstly the surgeon will decide where the breast implants should be placed; either behind or in front of the pectoralis muscle. For those who are small chested it is advisable to have sub muscular placement as it softens the outline of the implant. Secondly you and your surgeon will decide together where you would like the incision to be made. The three main areas are underneath the breast, through the armpit or around the areola.

The breast surgeon will cut along the chosen incision area and use a cautery device to separate breast tissue from the pectoralis muscle, before creating a pocket for the implant to go into using their fingers and a breast dissector.


What is the recovery time for a boob job?

Overall recovery time is between 4 and 6 weeks during which time no heavy lifting should be done or exercise undertaken which could jerk or move the implant placement. This includes driving and is necessary to ensure the best results. The change will be immediately obvious, however the final results may not be clearly visible for at least a year by which time all swelling should have gone done and they should have settled into position.

What should I expect to pay for breast implant surgery?

The cost of breast augmentation can vary greatly but as a rough guide breast enlargement prices start range from between £3,000 to £4,500.


Are there any risks involved?

As with any surgery, cosmetic or otherwise, there are always risks involved. Breast enlargement complications can include bleeding and infection, although antibiotics can often be enough to clear this up. If capsular contracture occurs, where fibrous scar tissue contracts around the implant and makes it hard causing discomfort, then surgery will be needed.

How do you choose a breast enlargement surgeon?

Selecting a breast surgeon is very much an individual decision as you need to find someone you feel comfortable with and who has your trust. Take a look at past work they have done to see if it matches your expectations and check that they are registered with a board such as the General Medical Council.