Created on 10th September 2009
A lack of disposable income is no reason to submit to sagging skin and pesky wrinkles. We look at the affordable quick fixes to get your problem areas in check with no surgeon's fees in sight...
The treatment: Breast Augmentation
Instant fix alternative: Botox Boob Job
One of the latest trends to boost your bust without going under the knife is Botox. A-listers have apparently been opting for the treatment to improve their décolletage in designer dresses. Botox is used to paralyse the pectoralis minor muscles beneath the breasts. By weakening them, the stronger pectoralis major muscles will over-compensate, causing them to automatically rise and give your breasts a lift.
Results are said to be dramatic, however the procedure is so new that any side-effects are not yet known. The treatment can be done on breasts of every size and lasts 3–4 months but Botox boob jobs don’t come cheap, costing around £1,000 for both breasts. The perks are no scars, little discomfort, minimal recovery time and of course an enviable cleavage!
The treatment: Bum Implants
Instant fix alternative: Aristoc Toner Shorts
Using the very latest technology, these wonder-shorts from Aristoc instantly lift and slim your bum. The toner shorts promise to give you a sleek appearance under even the tightest skinny jeans, with nine out of ten testers seeing an improved effect on their bum curves when wearing them. With lycra for added comfort, a touch of silk for super-smoothness and a tummy panel for extra muffin-top control, these wonder pants are sure to give you a fabulous shape without breaking the bank. £8; 0844 770 1222
The treatment: Face Lift
Instant fix alternative: Oxyjet Facial
Specifically designed to target fine lines and wrinkles, the 90-minute Oxyjet Facial is a celeb favourite for breathing life into stressed skin. The intensive anti-ageing treatment uses lipids, oxygen and vitamins A & E to increase collagen production and repair sun damage.
The five phases of the treatment include cleansing, exfoliation, an application of anti-ageing serum that is absorbed deep into the skin using pressurised oxygen, then a plumping mask and a coating of moisturiser. A total of five treatments are recommended for best results. It’s intensive but worth it – your skin will be left feeling baby soft, plumped and gorgeous. £75 per session; depilexlondon.co.uk
The treatment: Liposuction
Instant fix alternative: The Raw Food Diet
If you’re trying to shift a few pounds in record time, and don’t fancy starving yourself on cabbage soup or Slimfast shakes, the Raw Food Diet could be just the quick fix you need. This diet plan involves a back-to-nature menu that involves consuming unprocessed, preferably organic, whole plant-based foods, at least 75% of which should be uncooked. So expect a shopping trolley full of fruit (fresh and dried), veg, nuts, seeds, beans, grains and juices.Eating raw foods ups your intake of essential food enzymes, helping to improve your digestion, increase your quota of vitamins and minerals, boost your energy levels, and leave you with glowing skin and a slimmer waist within two weeks. To kick-start, combine the diet program with Champneys Detox Patches (£19.99; champneys.com), which will help to draw toxins out of your body while you sleep.
The treatment: Breast Lift
Instant fix alternative: The Cleavage Facial
Hollywood’s A-List are apparently queuing up to get facials not on their face, but on their décolletage, and now the Stateside trend has arrived in the UK. The ARK Health and Beauty salon’s Cleavage Facial is a rose oil-based treatment that smoothes wrinkles, heals damaged skin and includes a gentle exfoliation to improve texture and tone. A soothing massage around your bosom also improves lymphatic drainage to smooth crepey skin, leaving you with perkier boobs and a killer cleavage. £75 for a 75-minute treatment; arkhealthandbeauty.com
The treatment: Calf Implants
Instant fix alternative: A good pair of heels
If your legs are less than shapely, a pair of high heels will not only give you amazing toned calves, they will also make you appear taller and thinner (not to mention feeling sexier). If you find killer heels leave you in agony within an hour, don’t reach for the ballet pumps, instead pop in a pair of Gel Doctor’s new Forfootsache liquid gel-filled insoles to cushion and support your feet. £9.95; geldoctor.com
The treatment: Lip Implants
Instant fix alternative: Too Faced Lip Injection
The Too Faced Lip Injection is a delicious-tasting gloss with energising lip plumping ingredients for the ultimate A-list pout. Lip Injection has a unique formula enriched with energising ingredients to boost the blood flow to your lips, stimulating them to subtly swell. The result? A pert pout with a subtle splash of colour without a needle in sight! £12; hqhair.com
The treatment: Cellulite-Zapping Lasers
Instant fix alternative: Universal Contour Wrap
The Universal Contour Wrap is a relaxing two-hour spa treatment that guarantees inch-loss after just one session. First the therapist will take your arm, stomach, waist, thigh, bottom and leg measurements, then they will slather mineral rich clays over your problem areas before wrapping you in elasticated bandages that are enriched with minerals to detox and rejuvenate the body.
The bandages are left on for an hour while the clay gets to work stimulating your sluggish lymphatic system to draw out trapped toxins, leaving you full of energy with a smoother, slimmer silhouette and more supple skin. Results last up to 30 days, so it’s a perfect pre-holiday pamper to get you bikini-ready for the beach. £55; 020 7723 6650
The treatment: Tummy Tuck
Instant fix alternative: Magic Pants
Whittle your waist with a pair of M&S Magic Knickers. These waist-cinching undies streamline the stomach by flattening pot bellies, slimming the hips and pinching the waist in to give you an instant hourglass silhouette. Pop an emergency pair in your underwear drawer for those special occasions when you need to smooth up to two inches off your figure. No little black dress wearer should be without them. £28; 0845 302 1234
The treatment: Thigh Lift
Instant fix alternative: Bliss Spa High Thighs Treatment
This radical anti-cellulite, toxin-tackling treatment is sure to get your thighs looking slim and smooth in record time. The one-hour treatment involves a dose of lymphatic drainage with a detoxing rub to boost circulation and break down fatty deposits. This is followed up with an application of Bliss’s super-strength High Thighs Seaweed Task Mask and Support Serum to leave skin tight and toned. Expect orange-peel-free perfect pins. £75; 020 7590 6146.
