Professor Laurence Kirwan, MD, FRCS
Who better to give advice on the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery than Lawrence
Kirwan, one of the world's leading practitioners? In the first of a series, he discusses
the effort you need to put in before going ahead.
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Figure 1: Excess skin removed
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Nearly half the women in the UK - and a quarter of all men - are willing to consider
cosmetic surgery to make themselves look better.
This information comes from a study of over 2,000 people carried out by YouGov
for the organisers of Body Beautiful, the annual London show for anyone wanting
to check out the latest in cosmetic surgery and non-surgical aesthetic treatments.
The research confirmed that the desire to look more youthful, feel more confident,
to possibly find love, or to feel on a par with younger colleagues in the workplace,
is alive and well and thriving in the British Isles. For someone like myself - in
the business of providing anti-ageing solutions - this was no surprise.
Much of the growing demand for cosmetic surgery appears to have been driven by
TV shows such as Extreme Makeover and 10 Years Younger. But the truth is that British
people have simply woken up to the fact that they, too, can look and feel more youthful,
more dynamic and maybe more competitive, by going under the knife - or, more often,
by having a touch of Botox®, or a dermal filler like Restylane®
-- to prevent, or iron out, unwelcome lines and wrinkles.
Breast reduction, a facial nip-and-tuck or a touch of liposuction?
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Figure 2: A younger you emerges
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The problem, however, for anyone British who wants a breast reduction, a facial
nip-and-tuck or a touch of liposuction around the midriff, is how to find the best
surgeon for the job. And there's the rub. Growing up in an NHS culture, where the
decision to operate is made for us, few know how to go about researching the appropriate
procedure, finding out how it is done, how to prepare for surgery and - most crucially
- how to choose a surgeon.
Doing one's homework is therefore the key. Which is why I compiled the following
list of Do's and Don'ts for anyone considering cosmetic surgery:
THE DO'S
- Do read all you can before you book your consultations. Books, magazines, websites
offer a wealth of information.
- Do have a consultation with more than one surgeon. If you decide to seek a consultation
at a clinic with several, ask to meet the
 surgeon who will be doing your procedure.
- Do ensure that your chosen surgeon is a member of the British Association of
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons or the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
Specialist registration in the UK is not an indicator of the surgeon's cosmetic
surgery expertise.
- Do ask how many times the surgeon you see has done the procedure you are seeking.
Find out if he/she has been published in peer-review journals and/or is involved
in teaching the procedure to other surgeons.
- Go for someone who practises cosmetic plastic surgery full time, rather than
on his days off from the NHS.
- Ask to see 'before' and 'after' pictures of your surgeon's work - and remember
that they will only show their BEST! So if you don't like what you see, go elsewhere.
- Find out how many days your particular procedure will take to heal and when
you will be able to enjoy the full effect. Different ages and skin types need different
lengths of time to heal. And, if appropriate, check how long it will be before you
may need surgery again (a facelift, for instance, does not last for ever).
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Figure 3: Profiles can be enhanced
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- Check out the hospital where the surgeon operates. What back-up facilities does
it have, is it used by local consultants? Ask about the anaesthetist's fees and
hospital costs, as these are not usually included in an independent surgeon's fees.
- Be sure that you like the person whom you choose to do your surgery and that
you feel a rapport from his/her side, too.
- Be realistic about your results. Every result is different and depends on your
desires and your anatomy. Discuss your expectations openly. Your surgeon will guide
you, and warn you if you are hoping for a result that is not achievable. Take along
photos of how you looked 10 years ago. This will help - although it won't guarantee
a good result.
- Comply with your surgeon's instructions, such as stopping smoking, drinking
and avoiding aspirin and aspirin-type medications for three weeks before surgery.
THE DON'TS
- Don't choose a 'cosmetic surgery holiday package' in Central Europe, India,
The Philippines, and so forth, unless you can talk to your surgeon before you travel,
or are certain you can do so when you arrive. (Who would want to have surgery with
someone they have never seen, when they know nothing about their professional manner
and can't even converse with them?) However, if you feel comfortable about having
surgery abroad with a bona fide surgeon in Continental Europe, South Africa or the
USA, don't feel that you should stay in the UK. There are some excellent surgeons
in these countries.
- Don't expect miracles. What you should expect from a facelift is to look like
a younger, fresher version of your present self. The results of body surgery need
in-depth discussion with the surgeon. The outcome will depend on what is feasible
in your particular case.
- Don't be unrealistic about costs. A woman left with excess hanging skin following
extreme weight-loss, for example, can, certainly, have a successful outcome, but
she must be down-to-earth about the amount of surgery she can afford.
- Don't go ahead if you feel that the pain, inconvenience and strain on your bank
balance might not be worth it.
- Don't lie to your surgeon when he asks about your lifestyle and health issues.
A lie can be life-threatening.
Biography
Professor Laurence Kirwan, MD, FRCS, was born in Liverpool and trained in plastic
and reconstructive surgery, and hand surgery and microsurgery in the USA. For the
past 10 years he has limited his practice to cosmetic plastic surgery - apart from
charitable trips to Third World Countries to perform reconstruction surgery in cases
of birth defects and war injuries. He is now an international pioneering surgeon,
practising in London, and in New York and Connecticut in the USA. His London consulting
rooms are at 56 Harley Street, London W1G 9QA,Tel: 020 7637 4455 (after 2 p.m.).
He has websites at www.drkirwan.com
and www.surgicalbreastenhancement.com
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