Sunday Times 2
Ear-tox, Brazilian butt sculpting and knee peels
It seems that a simple face lift or sprinkling of Botox just doesn’t cut it in the quest for perfection that’s gripping our society.
This year has been all about the bacial (that’s a bum facial), ear-tox (yes, Botox for your ears) and freckle removal.
And if you thought those were strange, it’s about to get a whole lot weirder. Cosmetic doctors believe that Brazilian bum sculpting, knee peels and ‘Cinderella surgery’ – Botox for your feet – will take our vain nation by storm next year.
Improving ourselves: It seems that a simple face lift or sprinkling of Botox just doesn't cut it in the quest for perfection that's gripping our society - and we are going to extreme lengths to achieve beauty (Reuters)
One treatment already making waves in the cosmetic world is ear-tox. The latest beauty craze may be music to your ears…or more specifically, your earlobes, if you’ve always loved dangly earrings.
Ear rejuvenation, also known as ‘ear-tox’, is a new cosmetic surgery procedure which uses dermal fillers injected into the earlobe to plump them back up where heavy earrings may have left them saggy and wrinkled.
The procedure is proving popular with women over 40, with many who have had the procedure claiming that it has ‘changed their lives’.
Dr. Carolyn Berry, Medical Director and Founder of Firvale Clinic, Southampton, said: ‘Women who haven’t had the confidence to wear their hair up for years suddenly have that option. I would never have believed that it was possible to make that much difference to their self-esteem until I saw the results myself.’
For the image-conscious men out there, the newest beauty trend is laser side burn removal, and according to clinics, it’s becoming increasingly popular.
Samantha Munoz, Aesthetic Practitioner at Juvea Aesthetics, Harley Street, said: ‘Laser hair removal uses light energy to destroy the hair follicle and ensure it doesn’t grow back. We recommend around six treatments for permanent hair reduction.
‘If you are worried about the pain, then don’t – the popularity of this treatment is a testament to the fact that it is effective and causes minimal discomfort. Many who have undergone this treatment say that it feels like the snap of a rubber band.’
‘Cinderella Surgery’ is another procedure that aims to cure the most common problem faced by heel-lovers – a condition known as ‘Stillettotarsal’, which occurs when pain hits the soft tissue on the ball of the foot.
The cure? Botox in the feet.
Some women are even going so far as to have fat inserted into the soles of their feet to allow them to walk more comfortably in heels.
It is also reported that some have requested (and been denied) liposuction on their toes.
Foot fillers have also become increasingly popular among women in a bid to make heels more comfy – adding an extra cushion to the ball of the foot along with so-called ‘Cinderella Surgery’, a procedure which alters women’s feet to improve their appearance.
If women aren’t fretting over their feet, they’re preoccupied with their bottoms.
Brazil suffered a humiliating defeat when Germany annihilated them 7-1 in the semi-finals of The World Cup, but the South American country is a sure winner of the battle of the behinds.
Brazilian bottoms have been the major cause of envy, and this has resulted in a new bottom enhancing surgery craze.
Renowned for their big, round bottoms, more and more women around the world are opting for cosmetic procedures in order to compete with Brazilian babes.
Dr. Raj Tanna has noticed a huge surge in popularity from British ladies at his Suffolk practice. He said: ‘Different people want different bums. Some want a flatter bum, some want a bigger bum, some want theirs lifted, some want theirs lowered.
‘More and more women all over the world are opting for cosmetic procedures to make their bums big and bouncy just like the Brazilians; also known as butt sculpting.
‘Butt sculpting can be achieved by a new machine called Lipofirm Plus, which permanently removes fat cells as well as tightening and firming the skin around your butt.
‘I use liposculpting with the Lipofirm Plus machine over the lateral parts of the bum, combined with radiofrequency to lift it. I also sculpt the saddlebag area and thighs to ensure the bum looks the best it possibly can. A lot of practices only sculpt the thigh area, with hopes that it will make the bum look better, but I prefer a more rounded approach – excuse the pun.’
Peels for the face used be all the rage, but now, women have taken to knee peeling.
Many Caucasian women have pink knees, while many women of colour have brown or even greyish areas on their knees, say Harley Street doctors.
Aneequa Bhatti, skin specialist at Juvea Aesthetics explains: ‘Many people with ethnic skin types may find that areas such as the knees or elbows are slightly darker than the rest of the body and wish to lighten them for a more even skin tone all over. This can be due to dryness as well as melanin in the skin.
‘Knee peels are also a great way to reduce mild scarring or blemishes on the knees too.’
© Daily Mail, London