2012 A Year in Cosmetic Trends

Surgery Today: More Plastic Than Ever?

When we think of cosmetic surgery, we immediately think of nose jobs, boob jobs and tummy tucks. However, in recent years, it seems media attention has been firmly placed on the more extreme procedures which has, of course, led to an increase in people undergoing such operations. So what are some of the stranger new cosmetic trends this year has seen so far?

Chinplants

American plastic surgeons have reported an increase of over 70% in patients requesting chin implants. Indeed, numbers undergoing this procedure have grown by more than Botox, liposuction and breast augmentation surgery combined. The so-called chinplants are said to be most popular among older teenagers. Interestingly, some surgeons believe video technology is to blame as teenagers are now able to better see their chin from different angles and decide they want it changed. Some patients are even known to ask for a George Clooney or Brad Pitt chin.

A lot of these more extreme cosmetic advancements need to be taken on the chin...

Mentoplasty - to give it its official name - reduces the overall size of a chin although other procedures are also available to alter the jaw line or correct unsymmetrical chins. It is believed that the media attention chinplants have received this year has led to even more people undergoing the surgery, many of whom may not even have realised the surgery existed before.

Cosmetic Surgery on the Feet

Another cosmetic trend of 2012 is foot surgery. Most of the surgery seems to be concentrated on altering toes or reducing their size. Indeed, the term 'toe-besity' has been coined to describe so-called fat toes. Toes can be shortened, lengthened or straightened and it appears many women are so concerned as to how their little tootsies look in sandals or flip flops, that they are quite prepared to take such drastic action. However, such procedures are controversial, with many surgeons refusing to carry them out. They claim such surgery can affect balance and cause long term pain.

Loub Jobs

Another cosmetic foot surgery trend relates to women's ability to wear high heels. Some cosmetic surgeons are prepared to inject collagen into the pads of the toes, heel and balls of the feet to create a cushion for the foot. This cushion aims to protect the foot from the pain of wearing high heels. The term 'Loub' refers to shoe designer, Christian Louboutin's high heels. These shoes are popular with A list celebrities and it seems ordinary women are prepared to undergo the knife simply to tolerate wearing these types of shoes for long periods of time. (Whatever happened to in-soles?)

Limb Lengthening

The idea of limb lengthening seems almost too preposterous to imagine - even in the sometimes crazy world of cosmetic surgery. However, there is a growing trend in both men and women undergoing the extreme surgery for purely cosmetic reasons. In the past, such techniques were used in an attempt to combat dwarfism or for people who had medical conditions which resulted in one leg being longer than the other. However, plastic surgeons are now offering the operations to healthy adults. The process involves inserting metal poles into the limb bones which, over time, gradually increase and stretch the bone. The poles remain in the body for around 3 months and the patient's height can increase by 2 or 3 inches. Patients will still have to undergo physiotherapy for several months after the rods have been removed.

There is no doubt that cosmetic surgery has become more widespread and less taboo in the last decade. Indeed, it seems that it has now become so commonplace that people are prepared to undergo weird and wonderful procedures to better improve their appearance. The above list may seem extreme but it is a fact that these procedures are on the increase. Here's to the plastic class of 2012!

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