Just as women – and increasingly men – now pump cash into creams and make-up, the rise of plastic surgery is becoming so normalised and affordable that one day it could become an accepted way to fix unwanted wrinkles, fat and imperfections.

Plastic surgeons are constantly introducing new procedures to beautythirsty clients – much to the concern of body-image experts and psychologists. Body specialist Dr Benjamin Norris and face specialist Dr Warwick Nettle from Silkwood Medical say the future of plastic surgery sees a definite increase in its acceptability, accessibility
and affordability.

“I envisage that visiting your cosmetic plastic surgeon for either non-surgical or surgical treatment will become a common part of the arsenal women and men use to limit the aesthetic changes that occur with ageing, in much the same way
as make-up and moisturisers are a, natural part of many peoples lives now,” Norris says.

What’s new?

Norris says the buzz words on offer in Australia as well as overseas are: “form-stable breast implants“, “newer generation implants” and “lipolysis”

“This (lipolysis) is the use of injected solutions to literally “10 dissolve fat so that
the body can then naturally remove the fat from unwanted areas,” he says Norris says the technique avoids the need for surgery like liposuction, but is yet to be proved safe and effective Nettle, who has just returned from Hollywood where he met with Extreme Makeover plastic surgeons Dr Bill Dorfman and Dr Garth Fisher, says
there is a high demand in Australia for new procedures fresh from America.

“With an increased affluence internationally, people are generally becoming more aware of their appearance, so plastic surgery internationally is on the rise,” he says.
“People are having surgery for all different reasons; I see a range of patients wanting to improve on what they have -from business people, to stay-at-home mothers, to models and actresses.”

Download the view the remainder of this articleMXBeauty April 7 2008

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