Why Men are becoming Women (and vice versa)…

All over the world, the number of men undergoing plastic surgery to improve their image is growing on an unprecedented scale.  In the UK and US especially, men are quickly closing the gap on females, who until recently received over 90% of cosmetic surgery procedures each year.

The reason for this shift is simple: men are becoming women, whilst women are becoming men. In a gradual gender personality shift beginning with the advent of mass-media (television) influence, the line between male and female is blurring.

The change has been a long time coming, but now, across all industries, the products and services traditionally thought of as ‘for women’, or ‘for men’, in the most part, are now switching places..  Sales in make-up, cosmetics and styling products are booming from increased male custom.  Barber shops are dying whilst all-male hair salons are springing up in their place.  In contrast, women’s football is on the up and the number of women purchasing a tool belt and 35mm chisel is also increasing.

Is this a good or bad thing? Opinions are divided on this one, with two major schools of thought.  Lee May, the popular modern philosopher sees it as a good thing. 

“We are now becoming ourselves, with the male and female halves of our souls combining to create fuller, more real human beings.”

The second camp however,  is a little more sceptical, seeing men as slowly turning into sissies, and

 “women [are] becoming butch lesbian types with stubbly chins and a scale tattoo of a wheelying Harley Davidson complete with flaming exhaust hurtling over their shoulder blades.” 

 

says Graham Proud, the controversial Australian writer.  Rather than the lines between us blurring, he sees our roles as swapping over.

Whether there is any ground to these contrasting opinions is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain – the pharmaceutical and cosmetic surgery industries are getting richer by the day as the queue of men and women lining up outside the clinics as they wait for their liposuction is getting ever longer.

Cosmetic Surgery – the difficult decision

If you’re considering cosmetic surgery you must be able to make decisions on your own.  Only you can truly understand your own appearance, therefore you should not take any advice from anyone about whether breast enlargement, rhinoplasty, liposuction etc. is the right type of plastic surgery for you.

The first step on the path to a stress-free cosmetic surgery procedure is to read about the procedures, what’s involved and what, if any, the risks are.  Consult quality, trustworthy cosmetic surgery resources such as the BAAPS who offer a wealth of impartial information.

When getting in touch with a surgery, ensure they are associated with trustworthy healthcare institutions such as the Royal College of Surgeons.  Another important consideration is the location of the surgeon.  Landauer, for instance, have UK surgeries in almost all areas of
Britain.  This is critical if you want the whole procedure to remain as stress-free as possible.

The most important advice is to simply take your time, read, learn, ask questions and make sure it is the right thing for you.  Cosmetic surgery can be the best or worst thing that ever happens to you and it is crucial that you do it for the right reasons.

Breast Enlargement Lottery

With cosmetic surgery becoming ever more popular, and practices ever more competitive, surgeries are pursuing increasingly aggressive marketing tactics to win customers. One surgery in
Prague is holding a prize draw, with plastic surgery procedures as the prizes. This kind of marketing strategy has raised eyebrows at the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), who have condemned such behaviour.The BAAPS president Douglas McGeorge said he was ‘appalled at this new scheme but unfortunately not surprised’. The assimilation of sales and marketing into the medical industry business model has been a long-standing success looking at, for example, the pharmaceuticals industry. When similar methods of increasing custom are employed in the cosmetic surgery industry, however, there has been a backlash from ethics watchdogs that see it as a serious conflict with the traditional doctor – patient relationship.

Cosmetic Christmas

At the end of 2006, the UK’s cosmetic surgery practices had a massive increase in gift voucher sales that would be given as Christmas gifts to family and friends. Some surgeries saw a 50% rise on 2005. Cosmetic surgery is becoming an accepted part of daily life in the UK, with breast enlargement, cosmetic dentisry and liposuction being some of the most popular treatments.

For more information on cosmetic surgery visit these resources:

Cosmetic Surgery UK
Cosmetic Surgery
Breast Enlargement

Breast Enlargement

If you are considering breast enlargement or any other type of cosmetic surgery, you should always seek professional advice before making a firm decision. There are number of factors, both physical and psychological which could affect both the short- and long-term success of the operation. Only a surgeon at an accredited practice can give the kind of advice you need and you should choose carefully the surgery you seek advice from.

Cosmetic Surgery in the UK

The UK is world reknowned as being the forefront of cosmetic / plastic surgery research.  Many of the world’s top surgeons and academics are based here and this is why people are travelling from all over the globe to have their treatment carried out here.