That line has been made famous by the hit TV show Nip/Tuck. Now, just what do women want? We talked to a top Brazilian surgeon based in Singapore in a bid to find out.
Thanks to TV shows such as Nip/Tuck and Extreme Makeover, people are more accepting of cosmetic surgery. With the emergence of new medical technology and less invasive surgical procedures, a visit to a plastic surgeon seems to be a less painful option than having to work out for two hours three times a week at the gym. What's more, the transformation is almost immediate!
The lure of this abracadabra effect is so powerful that there has been a rise in the number of women from all over the region traveling to Singapore to get their beauty fix. One man responsible for it is Dr. Marco Faria-Correa of East Shore Medical Centre. Since he started his practice in Singapore five years ago, the top Brazilian top surgeon has worked his magic on many socialites, both men and women, from Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Dubai. Sitting in his equally beautiful office, Dr. Marco, a witty and charming father of two, shared some interesting facts and trends on cosmetic surgery.
Which parts of the body do women want to change most?
With influence from Hollywood celebrities like J-Lo and Beyonce Knowles, more women are asking for buttock implants. They no longer want to have stick-thin bodies. Brazilian women especially are conscious about the shape of their butt and breasts.
The competition to look beautiful in Brazil is unbelievable! They want to look their best in their bikinis while walking by the beach - everyone wants to be the next girl from Ipanema! In Asia, women want sharp noses, double eyelids and bigger breasts.
Do they ask you to make them look like a certain celebrity?
Most patients want to look younger - not so much to look like someone else. They opt for it because they want to bring passion back into their marriage and sex life - which is an important factor in keeping the family together.
So, there are women who go for plastic surgery to save their marriage or relationship?
Of course. Women who remain overweight after childbirth find themselves less attractive and this affects their sex life. I have a Brazilian patient who told me that she went through depression because her husband did not get turned on by her anymore. I did some work on her and she came back, thanking me, saying, "Dr Marco, you saved my marriage. Now when I go to the beach in my bikini, my husband has to hold on tight to me because all the other men are looking!"
What's the age of your youngest patients?
In Brazil, my patients are as young as 15 years old. Parents in Brazil are happy to bring their 15-year-olds to a cosmetic surgeon to have some work done as a birthday gift. In Singapore, my youngest patients are around 17 years old, and they usually turn up with their parents. These patients come for some minor operations like double eyelids, rhinoplasty (nose job) and breast augmentation.
What about the older ones?
Patients in their 20s are more concerned about their love handles (lower belly) , while the 30-somethings go for fillers and botox, among other things. Women have different "needs" at different ages, and it's usually very personal.
Sometimes I see a woman with a crooked nose coming into my clinic and immediately, I would assume that she needs a rhinoplasty but nope, she wants to have bigger breasts!
Are there people who are addicted to plastic surgery?
I have patients who first visit me for simple procedures like double eyelids and rhinoplasty, and then they return for liposculpture, breast and butt enhancement. When everything is done, they ask me, "Dr Marco, what else can I do?" I will tell them, "You are beautiful and everything is perfect."
But they will say, "I'm sure you can fix something else!" I will advise these patients against doing it, but at the end of the day, it's their decision.
You've been known to leave your "mark" on your patients. And it has something to do with liposculpture.
I have been doing liposculpture for more than 20 years and on more than 300 patients a year. There is a huge market for new body contours. When you have performed so many of these operations, you become better at it, refining the procedure and perfecting the art as you go along. Whenever I have coffee with my friends and they see a woman with perfect curves, they'll say, "Must be Marco's patient".
How does one go about choosing a plastic surgeon?
The word "cheap" should not be in your vocabulary. Plastic surgeons do not offer discounts. Patients should spend some time doing research before deciding on a plastic surgeon. Check his credentials, how long he has been practicing, where he received his training and the type of procedures he has done before. Pay a visit to his clinic and see how it has been set up, so that you get a feel for what type of patients visit the clinic. As all surgeries carry some risks, it's important for you to assess them and be very sure that you get the best treatment.
But beauty is only skin deep, no? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but generally, people want to look beautiful. It's even more so for public personalities, who are constantly under media scrutiny. If they do not maintain their looks, their popularity will take a dive. Even politicians from some countries pay me a visit - to look fresh before an election. Call it superficial but to them, looking beautiful is important for their careers.
c FlyFreeForHealth2009
Articles in this column, which will appear every two weeks, are provided by a panel of doctors from www.flyfreeforhealth.com, a leading multimedia medical tourism platform dedicated to providing adopters of healthy lifestyle with travel and lifestyle incentives. The doctors include: Dr. Marco Faria-Correa, one of Brazil's most renowned plastic surgeons, a worldwide pioneer in using endoscopic methods in plastic surgery; Dr. Leslie Kuek, a plastic surgeon in private practice, ex-president of the Singapore Society of Cosmetic (aesthetics) Surgeons; Dr. Beh Suan Tiong, a pioneer in gynecological "key hole" surgery, president of the Obstetrics & Gynecologic Society of Singapore. Email us at info @flyfreeforhealth.com.
