Big Brother Celebrity Sues Plastic Surgeon

Ex-Celebrity Big Brother contestant Pete Burns will get compensation for botched lip injections which left him feeling 'repulsive' and 'suicidal'.

The 1980s pop star sued Harley Street surgeon Dr Maurizio Viel after suffering swelling and blisters caused by the treatment.

Last week the doctor's legal team admitted to the High Court that Pete was not properly warned of potential side-effects of the product called Outline Original.

Dr Viel also failed to observe guidelines about its use in conjunction with other products, and gave an excessive number of follow-up injections.

Pete claims he was forced to sell his musical back-catalogue because he was unable to work, and will also be suing Dr Viel for financial losses.

Auriana Griffiths, from firm Irwin Mitchell, said: "The barrister representing Dr Viel confirmed last week in court that the allegations of negligence set out in the original documents filed at court have been admitted.

"At this stage, the investigation into the value of the case is ongoing and no figure has been agreed."

Botox Jabs May Cause Long Term Damage

The Telegraph has reported about the growing trend in applying botox injections to the bectoral region. The procedure, pioneered by American doctors, involves injecting the botulinum toxin into the pectoral muscles, causing the chest to rise up.

Trends in American cosmetic surgery tend to be transferred quickly to the UK, but British surgeons have expressed concern about the possibility of the "Botox boob job" being carried out by beauticians or nurses, due to less strict regulation than in the US on non-surgical treatments.

"These are the major muscles that you use to ski, turn over in bed, do everything. For me, the risks outweigh the benefits," Dr Nick Milojevic, a Botox specialist at the Harley Medical Group cosmetic surgeons, told the Independent. "You'd need a lot of Botox for this treatment to work, so it would cost around £1,000 per treatment, and it is something you'd need to repeat three times a year."

There are a range of similar treatments already available in the UK, the most popular being the "boob jab," in which a temporary filler is pumped into the breast. Milojevic described the most popular filler, Macrolane, as "one of the most exciting things to happen in aesthetic medicine in years."

Despite the high cost of Macrolane, at around £2,800 for the initial treatment and a £1,400 annual top-up, interest in the procedure has grown exponentially. Nationwide cosmetic surgery chain SurgiCare, which has recently introduced Macrolane, yesterday announced a 135% increase on last September in enquiries about breast augmentation.

However, Nigel Mercer, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps), warned that: "If put in the wrong place, filler can leak out through the ducts in breasts. You can also get granular formation – lumps". He added: "The thought of a nurse performing this is alarming. The Government are shy of regulating this industry, although professionals and consumers are pushing for it."

Obesity is Cause of 31% Rise in Surgery

Flabby skin caused by obesity or dramatic weight loss has led to the number of men having a £4,000 operation to reduce "moobs" – fat on their breasts – rise by a quarter in five years, while 18 per cent more women have undergone breast uplifts.

Since 2003, tummy tucks on both sexes have risen by almost one third, according to Harley Medical Group, Britain's biggest cosmetic surgery company.

It says the many of the procedures are for patients who have lost large amounts of weight from dieting and require post obesity surgery. The firm has carried out more than 10,000 such operations over the past five years.

Senior surgeon Waqar Malik said 21 per cent of men and 22 per cent of women in the UK are classed as clinically obese, a figure which is predicted to rise to a quarter of all adults in 2010, meaning that tummy tucks may overtake breast enlargement as the clinic's most popular treatment over the next 10 years.

Doctors say men are finding it more acceptable to pay to alter their appearance. Just a few years ago, most plastic surgeons would not have operated on men.

Last week The Daily Telegraph disclosed that three-quarters of Britons are too fat and that 10 per cent more adults are overweight or obese than previously believed, putting them at risk of suffering serious health problems such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

John Wright, from Lincolnshire, who had a tummy tuck operation and male breast reduction, called gynaecomastia after he lost 22 stone, said: "After the immense effort and hard work of losing so much weight it was utterly soul destroying to see vast folds of skin hanging from my body.

"My local GP would not refer me to have cosmetic surgery on the NHS and so I was forced to go private. I used almost £10,000 of my savings, but I think it was worth every penny."

Lisa Littlehales, head nurse at The Harley Medical Group, said: "It is heartbreaking to see patients who have achieved so much to lose dramatic amounts of weight so embarrassed by their post weight loss bodies.

"Surgery is able to transform both their bodies which have been so vastly overstretched and in the process restore their confidence."

A male breast reduction operation costs £4,050. The surgeon makes an incision near the nipple and removes excess fat by liposuction. The operation takes 1 to 2 hours and patients can return to work in a few days.

For a £6,090 tummy tuck an incision is made below the belly button across the stomach from hip to hip. During the procedure abdominal muscles are tightened and excess skin is removed.

Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) show a 61 per cent increase in the number of men having surgery to flatten their stomachs last year. Liposuction is now the second most common operation performed on men after nose alterations.

Australian Surgeon Issues Warning

BRISBANE: A leading local plastic surgeon is warning against the dangers of under-qualified doctors, claiming rogue operators are on the rise in the CBD.

Dr Andrew Broadhurst, 40, a fully accredited plastic surgeon with five years’ experience, runs Enhance Plastic Surgery in Fortitude Valley.

A member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), Dr Broadhurst believes up to 50 per cent of practising doctors are under-qualified to be performing serious cosmetic or plastic surgery.

“Yes, there are a lot of rogue operators out there,” he said.

“It (dangerous surgery) happens all day, every day it happens everywhere.

“The results of defective, ill-informed or falsely advertised surgery can be devastating and many patients feel cheated by the system because an under-qualified doctor or glamorous advertisement coerced them.”

Dr Broadhurst said the lucrative nature of plastic surgery procedures, such as breast implants, saw many rogue operators rush to perform them.

“There is a vast difference between an actual plastic surgeon and what can be termed cosmetic doctors,” he said.

“A plastic surgeon has more extensive education and training.

“While unfortunately anyone with a medical degree can perform cosmetic surgery in Australia, it actually takes seven years of specialisation on top of your degree to qualify as a full plastic surgeon.”

He said his average client was aged 20-50, many of whom were ill-informed.

“It’s not your Ascot-Hamilton set it’s your average Joe Blow off the street getting all these procedures,” Dr Broadhurst said.

An ASPS spokeswoman echoed Dr Broadhurst’s concerns about under-qualified doctors, but said Queensland was the only state in Australia where to use the term “plastic surgeon” you had to be qualified as one.

Twiggy Gives Opinion on Cosmetic Surgery

In an interview with the Daily Mail, supermodel Twiggy, nee Lesley Hornby, corrects past perceptions of her views on plastic surgery.

At almost 60 years of age, Twiggy still looks great. To date, Twiggy follows a sensible diet and exercise plan, one which does not involve plastic surgery, which she describes:

“I work hard, I try to eat healthily and I do plenty of exercise. I’m not fanatical, but I try to be sensible. I eat organic food, I avoid fried stuff and I don’t eat desserts that often.
God bless Jamie Oliver for getting everyone thinking and talking about healthy eating. I do Pilates and tap-dancing classes. The secret is to find a form of exercise that you enjoy.”

Although she is a fan of plastic surgery, she has not yet undergone any cosmetic surgery.

When posed the question, “You’ve said that you would never resort to plastic surgery. Do you think that the pressure to keep looking young for ever has become too great?” by the Daily Mail, the leggy blonde responded:

“Actually, what I said was that I haven’t had plastic surgery yet. I’m not totally against it. I’ve had friends who have had little things done and they look sensational. I think that if you’re going to have it done, research it properly and go to the best surgeon. I have, however, said that I’ll never have Botox.”

If Twiggy’s exhaustive career as a supermodel, Broadway star, actress, author, TV presenter and producer, and fashion designer continues, plastic surgery can’t be far off as stress takes a toll on the appearance.

So far, Twiggy’s anti-aging efforts have proven to be more than successful and it’s nice to know that she’s realistic in her views of plastic surgery and sees that it may become necessary in her future.

Twiggy OK with Cosmetic Surgery

In an interview with the Daily Mail, supermodel Twiggy, nee Lesley Hornby, corrects past perceptions of her views on plastic surgery.

At almost 60 years of age, Twiggy still looks great. To date, Twiggy follows a sensible diet and exercise plan, one which does not involve plastic surgery, which she describes:

“I work hard, I try to eat healthily and I do plenty of exercise. I’m not fanatical, but I try to be sensible. I eat organic food, I avoid fried stuff and I don’t eat desserts that often.
God bless Jamie Oliver for getting everyone thinking and talking about healthy eating. I do Pilates and tap-dancing classes. The secret is to find a form of exercise that you enjoy.”

Although she is a fan of plastic surgery, she has not yet undergone any cosmetic surgery.

When posed the question, “You’ve said that you would never resort to plastic surgery. Do you think that the pressure to keep looking young for ever has become too great?” by the Daily Mail, the leggy blonde responded:

“Actually, what I said was that I haven’t had plastic surgery yet. I’m not totally against it. I’ve had friends who have had little things done and they look sensational. I think that if you’re going to have it done, research it properly and go to the best surgeon. I have, however, said that I’ll never have Botox.”

If Twiggy’s exhaustive career as a supermodel, Broadway star, actress, author, TV presenter and producer, and fashion designer continues, plastic surgery can’t be far off as stress takes a toll on the appearance.

So far, Twiggy’s anti-aging efforts have proven to be more than successful and it’s nice to know that she’s realistic in her views of plastic surgery and sees that it may become necessary in her future.