I have never longed to look like one of those male models you see in adverts, with bulging biceps and washboard abdominals.
That kind of physique takes a rare set of genes and hours spent working out every single day. Life's too short.
But since my early 20s, I have been a regular at the gym. It's more damage limitation than anything else and I hoped exercise would offset my love of pints and the occasional pizza.
Yet, having always been pretty much in proportion - a healthy 5ft 10in and 11 stone - as my 30th birthday crept closer, I developed what some might unkindly call a paunch. My metabolism was naturally slowing down.
While women may acquire saddle bags, men accumulate fat round their middle. I exercised harder but the fat stayed where it was, wobbling insolently centre-stage.
Having a bit of a pot belly isn't the end of the world - I didn't lie awake at night worrying about it - but I wasn't that happy. And this was my state of mind when last year, on a journalistic commission, I investigated the boom in male cosmetic surgery. In particular liposuction, the surgical removal of fat.
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Monday, January 10, 2011
Why ARE so many men going under the knife?
There was a time when the only things that made Gordon Ramsay’s face puff out and his hair stand on end was the sight of a soggy soufflé.
But last week, as the celebrity chef went on a New Year’s walk with his friends the Beckhams, there was another reason for his unusual appearance.
Ramsay, the Rottweiler of the kitchen, has undergone a £30,000 hair transplant to thicken his thinning pate. Surprisingly, the supposed hard man, who peppers every sentence with at least four F words, actually seems to care what other people think about his appearance — and he’s not alone.
According to the latest statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), demand for surgery among men grew by 21 per cent last year, despite the economic downturn. The number of gynaecomastia — operations to deal with the dreaded man boobs, or ‘moobs’ as they’ve become known — soared by 80 per cent alone.
The procedure ranks alongside rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction, otoplasty (ear correction) and blepharoplasty (eye bag removal) as one of the five most popular surgeries for men.
Duncan Bannatyne of Dragons’ Den has been open about having his eye bags removed a few years ago, U.S. actor Mickey Rourke is unrecognisable thanks to his facelift, while actor Rupert Everett has clear signs of wind-tunnel effect.
Dr Daniel Sister, of BeautyWorksWest, a specialist in aesthetic medicine and non-surgical procedures, says: ‘Men now account for 30 per cent of my work. Because of the economic crisis, they are either seeking jobs or trying to keep them, so they want to look good — not too tired or worried.’
Giving themselves the edge at work seems to be the key for many men going under the knife.
read more
But last week, as the celebrity chef went on a New Year’s walk with his friends the Beckhams, there was another reason for his unusual appearance.
Ramsay, the Rottweiler of the kitchen, has undergone a £30,000 hair transplant to thicken his thinning pate. Surprisingly, the supposed hard man, who peppers every sentence with at least four F words, actually seems to care what other people think about his appearance — and he’s not alone.
According to the latest statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), demand for surgery among men grew by 21 per cent last year, despite the economic downturn. The number of gynaecomastia — operations to deal with the dreaded man boobs, or ‘moobs’ as they’ve become known — soared by 80 per cent alone.
The procedure ranks alongside rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction, otoplasty (ear correction) and blepharoplasty (eye bag removal) as one of the five most popular surgeries for men.
Duncan Bannatyne of Dragons’ Den has been open about having his eye bags removed a few years ago, U.S. actor Mickey Rourke is unrecognisable thanks to his facelift, while actor Rupert Everett has clear signs of wind-tunnel effect.
Dr Daniel Sister, of BeautyWorksWest, a specialist in aesthetic medicine and non-surgical procedures, says: ‘Men now account for 30 per cent of my work. Because of the economic crisis, they are either seeking jobs or trying to keep them, so they want to look good — not too tired or worried.’
Giving themselves the edge at work seems to be the key for many men going under the knife.
read more
Space age serum
Barley plant DNA is the key to a new 'miracle' serum - but can it REALLY turn back the clock?
Prepare yourself for the new must-have skincare ingredient. ‘Oh no,’ I hear you sigh. ‘Not another one?’ But bear with me. This one is so effective that using just one drop, twice a day, can make your skin look hugely better within just six weeks.
Since a serum containing this ingredient launched in Iceland six months ago, it has proved such a sensation that one in five women there have abandoned their normal skincare in favour of this miraculous stuff.
The product is called Bioeffect and its magic ingredient is EGF, or Epidermal Growth Factor, to give it its full name.
The substance was first identified in 1986 in a piece of scientific research considered so significant that the scientist behind it won the Nobel Prize for his work.
EGF is a molecule that occurs naturally in skin. We have more of it when we’re younger; less of it when we’re older.
It’s known for its healing effects on burned skin, and for its ability to rejuvenate healthy skin by speeding up the rate at which the skin cells renew themselves.
This is what makes EGF possibly the most potent anti-ageing ingredient available. Put simply: when you apply it to ageing skin cells, it can make them behave like young ones.
So what is it actually going to do for your face?
read more
Since a serum containing this ingredient launched in Iceland six months ago, it has proved such a sensation that one in five women there have abandoned their normal skincare in favour of this miraculous stuff.
The product is called Bioeffect and its magic ingredient is EGF, or Epidermal Growth Factor, to give it its full name.
The substance was first identified in 1986 in a piece of scientific research considered so significant that the scientist behind it won the Nobel Prize for his work.
EGF is a molecule that occurs naturally in skin. We have more of it when we’re younger; less of it when we’re older.
It’s known for its healing effects on burned skin, and for its ability to rejuvenate healthy skin by speeding up the rate at which the skin cells renew themselves.
This is what makes EGF possibly the most potent anti-ageing ingredient available. Put simply: when you apply it to ageing skin cells, it can make them behave like young ones.
So what is it actually going to do for your face?
read more
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Hair cells in bald men could be reawakened
Researchers have discovered that the skin on the heads of bald men contains just as many potential hair cells as their hirsute counterparts.
But somewhere along the line, the ability of them to grow strands of hair has been lost.
Now the researchers hope they can reactivate them – allowing for men to turn back the clock to their youth.
A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania looked at the "bald skin" on the head of men having hair transplants and compared it with skin where hair continued to grow.
They found they had exactly the same amount of stem cells – master cells that can convert into any other cells in the body.
However the ability of these cells to develop into a more advanced state – known as progenitor cells – had been lost.
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But somewhere along the line, the ability of them to grow strands of hair has been lost.
Now the researchers hope they can reactivate them – allowing for men to turn back the clock to their youth.
A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania looked at the "bald skin" on the head of men having hair transplants and compared it with skin where hair continued to grow.
They found they had exactly the same amount of stem cells – master cells that can convert into any other cells in the body.
However the ability of these cells to develop into a more advanced state – known as progenitor cells – had been lost.
read more
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Baldness drug Propecia 'risking men's sexual health'
Young men could be risking their sexual health by taking a commonly used anti-baldness drug, claim some doctors.
They say finasteride, sold in the UK as Propecia, can cause serious side effects and isn't adequately labelled.
A quarter of men in their 20s show signs of male pattern baldness, with six and a half million males in the UK affected.
Propecia manufacturer Merck says it continually monitors the drug's safety and has updated the label.
James, 26, from Edinburgh suffered side effects after using the drug.
"I noticed hair loss, hair coming out in the shower and on the pillow, and I freaked out basically.
"I went onto the internet and researched it. I found out there was a drug called Propecia, and soon enough I started buying that and it worked a treat."
The prescription pill is extremely effective at stopping hair loss and in clinical trials nine out of 10 men didn't lose any more hair over a five year period.
Drugs' company Merck, which manufactures Propecia, claims on its website that less than 2% of men could suffer sexual side effects.
read more
They say finasteride, sold in the UK as Propecia, can cause serious side effects and isn't adequately labelled.
A quarter of men in their 20s show signs of male pattern baldness, with six and a half million males in the UK affected.
Propecia manufacturer Merck says it continually monitors the drug's safety and has updated the label.
James, 26, from Edinburgh suffered side effects after using the drug.
"I noticed hair loss, hair coming out in the shower and on the pillow, and I freaked out basically.
"I went onto the internet and researched it. I found out there was a drug called Propecia, and soon enough I started buying that and it worked a treat."
The prescription pill is extremely effective at stopping hair loss and in clinical trials nine out of 10 men didn't lose any more hair over a five year period.
Drugs' company Merck, which manufactures Propecia, claims on its website that less than 2% of men could suffer sexual side effects.
read more
Thursday, December 09, 2010
The facelift that made me fall in love with life again
Annabel Giles was one of Britain's top models, but nearing 50, illness and heartbreak had left her looking tired and old...The wonderful Joan Collins famously once said: ‘The problem with beauty is that it’s like being born rich, and getting poorer.’
One morning in the summer of 2007, I looked at myself in the mirror and suddenly knew with searing clarity what she meant.
I hated what I saw staring back at me. In my youth, I had been one of the most celebrated models of my generation — a supermodel before the term had been invented. To take up Joan’s analogy, I hadn’t just been born rich; I’d been born a millionaire.
Now here I was, peering at my 48-year-old self in the mirror, wondering where my lovely face had gone.
It seemed as if it was slowly sliding off my head. I looked cross, tired and worried, even when I was feeling chipper. Put simply, my inside wasn’t matching my outside — a feeling most women no longer in the first flush of youth will recognise only too well.
I realised in that moment that I didn’t want to stand idly by as my looks slipped away. I wanted to look as good as I could, no matter what my age.
So there was only one thing for it — to go under the surgeon’s knife.
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Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Carey Mulligan: Hollywood doctor told me to have Botox
At just 25, Carey Mulligan is one of Hollywood's freshest-faced stars.
Yet the British actress was told to get Botox in order to look more youthful, she has disclosed.
Of her visit to a Los Angeles dermatologist, Mulligan recalled: "I said, 'I have some lines here under my eye and they're annoying, what can you do?' He looked at my face and said, 'We'll just drop some Botox in here and here...'.
"I said, 'What the ----? I'm only 25, are you joking?' So I can't move my face? Isn't that, well, the antithesis of what I'm trying to do as an actress? Only in LA would someone try and give you Botox when you're 25 years old."
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Yet the British actress was told to get Botox in order to look more youthful, she has disclosed.
Of her visit to a Los Angeles dermatologist, Mulligan recalled: "I said, 'I have some lines here under my eye and they're annoying, what can you do?' He looked at my face and said, 'We'll just drop some Botox in here and here...'.
"I said, 'What the ----? I'm only 25, are you joking?' So I can't move my face? Isn't that, well, the antithesis of what I'm trying to do as an actress? Only in LA would someone try and give you Botox when you're 25 years old."
read more
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Do-it-yourself Botox injections risky business
Do-it-yourself Botox injections are the latest wrinkle in the pursuit of beauty on a budget.
Catherine Maiorino, 54, started thinking about buying Botox over the Internet when the creases between her eyebrows began to needle her. "So I went and found a website where I could order it," recalls the vocational school teacher from Pennsauken, N.J.
She paid $200 to a spa in California for a vial of what was labeled as Dysport, which contains the same active ingredient as Botox. The price was about one-third of what she expected to pay at a physician's office. Maiorino figured her daughter, a phlebotomist, could do the injections. "She is the most excellent sticker in the whole world."
When the substance arrived in the mail, Maiorino was disappointed to find only a few freeze-dried crystals in the vial, to be reconstituted with saline solution.
"There were no actual instructions in the package, no way to determine what the proper consistency should be," she says.
Her daughter balked - "she said I was crazy" - and insisted Maiorino take the vial to a doctor.
read more
Catherine Maiorino, 54, started thinking about buying Botox over the Internet when the creases between her eyebrows began to needle her. "So I went and found a website where I could order it," recalls the vocational school teacher from Pennsauken, N.J.
She paid $200 to a spa in California for a vial of what was labeled as Dysport, which contains the same active ingredient as Botox. The price was about one-third of what she expected to pay at a physician's office. Maiorino figured her daughter, a phlebotomist, could do the injections. "She is the most excellent sticker in the whole world."
When the substance arrived in the mail, Maiorino was disappointed to find only a few freeze-dried crystals in the vial, to be reconstituted with saline solution.
"There were no actual instructions in the package, no way to determine what the proper consistency should be," she says.
Her daughter balked - "she said I was crazy" - and insisted Maiorino take the vial to a doctor.
read more
Botox Could Cause Muscle Wastage
Submitted by Ria Patel
According to a new study carried out by the researchers from the University of Calgary, the botox injections that are employed to get rid of wrinkles and plump-up lips could lead to wastage of muscles into fat.
The researchers claim that the cosmetic jab if used over long periods of time could harm any part of the body and not just the area where injection is given.
The findings of the study are based on the experiment of Botulinum toxin A, a substance used in the medical profession on a group of 18 rabbits for a period of up to six months. It was discovered that the limbs of the animals, where the shot was given had endured muscle wastage of up to 50%. The loss of muscle was not just confined to limbs where injection was given but also affected other limbs.
read more
The researchers claim that the cosmetic jab if used over long periods of time could harm any part of the body and not just the area where injection is given.
The findings of the study are based on the experiment of Botulinum toxin A, a substance used in the medical profession on a group of 18 rabbits for a period of up to six months. It was discovered that the limbs of the animals, where the shot was given had endured muscle wastage of up to 50%. The loss of muscle was not just confined to limbs where injection was given but also affected other limbs.
read more
Botox to be tested for Treating Herpes
Submitted by Ria Patel
A treatment used to get rid of wrinkles is being used for other purposes as well. Apparently, Botox is being used to treat the cold sores that occur in people suffering from the herpes simplex virus. The sores usually appear around the lips of people suffering from the condition.
Though, the infection does not appear in its nascent stages, yet once it's activated, people end up suffering from cold sores, which appear on a regular basis.
The cosmetic procedure is being currently scrutinized to check, whether it can help people suffering from herpes. The research is being conducted by a group of researchers from the Chicago Centre for Facial Plastic Surgery in the United States.
read more
Though, the infection does not appear in its nascent stages, yet once it's activated, people end up suffering from cold sores, which appear on a regular basis.
The cosmetic procedure is being currently scrutinized to check, whether it can help people suffering from herpes. The research is being conducted by a group of researchers from the Chicago Centre for Facial Plastic Surgery in the United States.
read more
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