Created on 10th September 2009
Some people will stop at nothing in their pursuit for physical perfection. Amy Lindsay takes a look at the latest weird and wonderful procedures available at a clinic near you...
Most of us would like smoother skin or a flatter tum but the desire for fatter calves or a rounder belly button is taking things to a whole new level. We investigate the bizarre treatments now available for people on an extreme quest to be body beautiful.
No-Scar Titanium Bra
Time, age and gravity have combined to make breast lifts an increasingly popular surgical procedure amongst UK women. But now scientists in Germany have developed a new twist on the traditional breast lift. In the new procedure, a special mesh bra made from titanium is implanted under the skin, to make breasts more pert and perky. The Titanium Bra works just like a bra worn on the outside, but rather than using straps to hold everything up, the internal bra is suspended by fine threads tied to some of your major muscles, sternum and ribs.
Titanium mesh has long been used inside the body without rejection or reaction, so the risk of scarring or hardening is extremely small. The added bonus of titanium is that it is thin and flexible but extremely strong. While the operation can be done on anyone under 60, those with small, sagging breasts generally see the best results.
It's so brand spanking new that prices are yet to be confirmed, but while you may save a fortune in the lingerie department at M&S, being the first to sport a pair of robotic boobs could be quite a risk!
Toe Tuck
In a quest to be top-to-toe beautiful, many of Hollywood's nip-and-tuck brigade are opting for cosmetic foot surgery as the latest must-have procedure. In a bid to shorten toes that protrude over the lip of their Manolo Blahniks, women are having their feet surgically altered to look perfect in their designer heels.
The 45-minute operation involves cutting a section of bone out of your second toe to shorten it, so that the toes sit in a perfect diagonal line. Recovery can be quite painful, with swelling and bruising, and it will be around two weeks before you can comfortably walk on your new flip-flop-ready feet. An optional extra is an injection of collagen into the footpad to make wearing high heels more comfortable.
At present, very few orthopaedic surgeons in the UK offer the treatment, so you may have to go stateside where a toe shortening procedure will cost from £300 to £1,000 - an additional collagen injection into the footpad will cost an extra £250. Or you could save yourself a fortune and splurge on a gorgeous new pair of non-peep-toed Jimmy Choos instead...
Ear Lobe Lift
Like many other parts of the body, the ears succumb to the force of gravity and become stretched, saggy and wrinkly as we age - even more so in those with a penchant for heavy, dangly earrings.
There are several methods of ear lobe plastic surgery and most are relatively simple as the ear lobe is only comprised of skin and fat, meaning the surgeon does not have any hard cartilage to cut through - minimizing pain and recovery time. An ear lobe lift generally involves repairing any skin tears and reducing the size of the lobe by cutting out a small section of skin then seamlessly stitching the two sides of the lobe together. This is all done under local anesthetic, and over-the-counter painkillers should tackle any discomfort.
The average earlobe reconstruction costs less than £500, although there are additional extras available. An injectable filler such as Restylane can be used to replace lost volume on the ear lobe, or laser treatment on the ear can tighten wrinkling skin - both achieve longer-lasting results but will boost the bill. Once your earlobes have been restored to their youthful and plump best, remember to apply sunscreen to them daily to maintain results! And if you've got £500 to blow on transforming your ear lobes, why not invest in a new pair of diamond studs too?
Belly Button Surgery
Navel surgery, also known as umbilicoplasty, is a procedure to change the size, shape or position of the belly button to make it more 'aesthetically pleasing'. It is a relatively simple surgery that takes place under a general or local anaesthetic and usually lasts about an hour.
There are two options for treatment: to change the position of the belly button, the surgeon will remove skin around the navel, then pull the remaining skin tightly together and stitch it up so that the belly button appears higher or lower. Alternatively, if you only want to alter the shape of the belly button, such as transforming a protruding belly button to a non-protruding belly button, the surgeon will make incisions in or around the belly button, so that the scarring is less visible.
Prices for navel surgery can range from £800 to £1,500. Your belly will be quite swollen, bruised and painful after surgery, and be warned that navel surgery will not make your stomach appear thinner or firmer - so you'll have to get to the gym or start saving up for lipo if you're looking for a complete tum transformation. And does anyone really care if you've got an innie or an outie anyway..?
Calf Implants
If you think your legs are a little out of proportion, no need to cloak them in trousers, you can instead opt for implants to make your calves appear more shapely! Even considered extreme by LA standards, a calf implant procedure is an invasive surgical operation that requires substantial recovery time. After a dose of anaesthetic, the surgeon will make a small cut in the back of your leg before inserting the implant, usually made of silicone, into the calf. The implant is then held in place by the calf muscles or stitches.
The treatment can take up to two hours per implant and you will be at risk of the implant moving or hardening after the procedure. While you will not be able to move very much for a couple of weeks after the operation, on the plus side, the results are permanent and usually pleasing, with most people finding that the shape of their calves has changed as required.
On the other hand, if your calves are looking too small and you don't have £2,500 to spare, you could aim to alter the proportions of your legs through good old fashioned exercise. A few calf raises each day seems like a much cheaper and (relatively) pain-free option!
Coming soon...
The hand dryer: We all know of its skin-smoothing benefits, but now Botox is also being injected into the palms to reduce excessively sweaty hands.
Harmonic facelift: Instead of merely rejuvenating skin, facelifts of the future may actually focus on creating more symmetrical features, using the speed and ease of ultrasonic technology.
Voice lift: Currently available in the States, the voice lift procedure lifts the vocal cords to give a clearer, younger-sounding voice.
