Botox and Plastic Surgery - Beauty is Skin Deep
Image Conscious Need More Cosmetic Surgery to Retain Youthful Look
Whilst everybody hopes to grow old gracefully, it is amazing how much effort is taken now to erase the appearance of ageing, not to mention, of course, the expense. Thirty years ago, many women, and indeed men, would make regular hair colouring their only concession to the onset of middle age.
Image Consciousness Leads to Early Botox and Plastic Surgery
Today's image conscious generation make many more concessions to ageing. The prevalence of Botox and arrival of cheaper plastic surgery have prompted many to consider cosmetic surgery as the only viable way of growing old gracefully. Certainly, the perfection of our Hollywood inspired plastic society requires as much attention to appearance as possible, to achieve an outward semblance of beauty for as long as possible.
Indeed, girls as young as 18 have either been recommended Botox or even been treated with Botox to minimize the effect of alleged ageing on their youthful faces.
Botox Parties and Botox Lunchbreaks
In the 1950s, groups of women would meet in each others homes for tupperware parties, in the 1990s it was Ann Summers parties and then the new millenium saw the arrival of the botox party. For many, the home is a less threatening and more relaxing environment in which to consider the benefits of this type of treatment. Although UK legislation was enacted to curtail the administration of botox by unqualified practitioners such as nurses, the parties do still exist.
However, as the procedure only takes five minutes or so It is easy to understand how regular botox injections have become a part of life for the city worker who can pop out for a botox treatment over lunch and return to the office with none the wiser.
Worryingly, animal studies in 2008 also suggested that the administration of botox can lead to botox travelling into the brain.
Cosmetic Surgery Tourism
As the price of cosmetic surgery overseas is often less than half that for surgery in the UK, it is unsurprising that many opt for plastic surgery overseas. Dubbed cosmetic surgery tourists, it is estimated that around 25,000 people from the UK visit surgeries abroad for cheaper plastic surgery annually. Indeed a recent survey suggested that 97% of people considering plastic surgery would be willing to go abroad for it.
The annual conference of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) held on 18 Septembe 2009 in Wales highlighted the fact that many cosmetic surgery tourists are returning to the UK with associated problems that the NHS are unwilling or unable to rectify. BAAPS warned of the dangers that can arise due to cosmetic surgery holidays overseas.
The BAAPS conference highlighted many horror stories of operations gone wrong, which could cause "horrific medical complications", and detailed the case of one woman who died after having a facelife abroad.
Celebrity Plastic Surgery Gone Wrong
There are many well publicised instances of celebritiy plastic surgery which has gone wrong, with the former celebrity television actress, Leslie Ash, epitomising what the tabloids term the "trout pout" which can often be a result of botox.
Of course, for celebrities who wish to remain in the public eye for as long as they are able, the option of botox and plastic surgery is really a necessity and there are many instances of successful interventions.
Consider before opting for Botox or Plastic Surgery
American estimates are that one in four plastic surgery interventions goes wrong in some way, from infections and bruising caused by the operation which can lead to serious side effects, to the desired surgical objective not being met and unfortunately, in some cases, to fatalities caused by plastic surgery.
Certainly, whilst botox or plastic surgery are viable methods for delaying the appearance of the onset of ageing, it is wise to consider every alternative and research what is available before committing to what could prove an expensive beauty treatment in more ways than one.
Source
- Sharon Begley, A New Reason to Frown, Newsweek. April 2008
Botox - has it been fully researched?
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Home & Style
Latest Articles