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Surge of Surgeries Tightens Flabby Skin

In this era of rampant obesity, after people become very heavy, they often turn to stomach stapling or liposuction, which causes them to lose a great deal of weight very quickly. This can leave unsightly folds of flesh hanging all over their bodies.

When this happens, many choose to undergo yet another operation that removes the flabby folds. In Britain, for example, 21 percent of men and 22 percent of women are clinically obese, which is expected to rise to a quarter of all adults in 2010. So it's perhaps not surprising that the number of tummy tucks in Britain has increased since 2003 by nearly a third, according to Harley Medical Group, the nation's largest cosmetic surgery firm.

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Women Looking to Sculpt Ankles and Toes

Women in Britain are joining those in America in a race for cosmetic surgery on the lowest part of their lower extremities.

As today's women's shoe fashions - even those for winter - gravitate inexorably toward exposing ever more of the feet and toes, women with pedal anatomy considered to be imperfect are becoming more and more embarrassed. Consequently, they are flocking to cosmetic surgeons for corrective work on "cankles," imperfect "toe cascades" and hammertoes.

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Dissolving Away Fat in the Doctor's Office

It seems like the cosmetic physician's magic wand.

Just inject one of a variety of chemical cocktails into fat deposits in the body and watch them evaporate! This technique is called mesotherapy or LipoDissolve.

Or the doctor can aim a radio wave at problem areas of, say, the face or arms to tighten skin without any incision at all. This process is called Thermage, Thermacool or Thermalift.

The physician can even target and destroy fat cells with high-intensity ultrasound, a strategy known as LipoSonix.

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Can Acupuncture Reverse Wrinkles and Sags?

For centuries, when China's rich and famous started to grow wrinkled and saggy with age, they fought back with a form of acupuncture known as mei zen, which means "beautiful person."

Not long ago, this technique arrived in the United States, giving Americans an alternative to Botox, fillers and plastic surgery. Mei zen is a course of 10 acupuncture treatments, in which very fine needles are inserted into the skin.

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Body Contouring a Good Follow-up to Liposuction

Obese patients who undergo the weight-reduction procedure known as liposuction are left with unsightly sags of skin that are uncomfortable and embarrassing. The excess tissue may even lead to irritation and infection as it rubs against the body.

Enter body contouring. This technique gets rid of the unattractive folds, making the patient sleek and "normal"-looking. But it's a complex, highly invasive procedure that involves considerable discomfort during recuperation.

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Large Numbers Support Interest in Cosmetic Surgery

A survey conducted by UCLA scientists and reported in the latest issue of the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery shows that most women and large numbers of men are intersted in having cosmetic surgery. Forty eight percent of women in the survey showed interest in cosmetic surgery, liposuction or both, and 23 percent said there might be a possibility of interest. For men, 23 percent said they would be interested in surgery, and another 17 percent expressed possible interest. Additionally, 21 percent of women and 11 percent of men described themselves as unattractive, and 31 percent of women and 16 percent of men reported feeling so uncomfortable in a swimsuit that they avoid wearing one in public.

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Plastic Surgery, the Who and What of It

Ever wonder who's getting plastic surgery? For the most part, it's women. Statistics compiled by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery show that of the 11.5 million cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures done in 2005, over 90% were preformed on women. In fact, surgical procedures for women showed a modest annual increase of 2%, while they were down 8% for men.

People ages 35-50 years are the most likely to have a cosmetic procedure done, accounting for nearly half of procedures, compared with just 4% of people 65 and older.

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Cosmetic Foot Surgery

Women's obsession with shoes are an enigma. And a foot is hardly an after thought--especially when it comes to high fashion.

And that's why women who aren't happy their pedal appearance, are doing anything to put their best foot forward. A big trend these days is cosmetic foot surgery

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Power Plate

Typically the exercise mantra is to get up and, well, move!

But can an exercise machine that appears to have no moving parts help you build muscle strength? Endurance? Even bone mass?

Appears is the operative term.

Because it might look like there’s nothing going on here. Now, whether or not it does something is another issue, but no question, the power plate gives a whole new meaning to shake your booty.

The power plate is a vibrating platform.

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Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery

Severe obesity is a chronic condition that is difficult to treat through diet and exercise alone. Bariatric surgery is one of the best options for people who are severely obese and cannot lose weight by traditional means or who suffer from serious obesity-related health problems. The surgery promotes weight loss by restricting food intake and, in some operations, interrupting the digestive process. As in other treatments for obesity, the best results are achieved with healthy eating behaviors and regular physical activity.

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