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Profile Cosmetic Surgery's ethos is to provide a service where clients are treated as important individuals with the utmost sensitivity and care.
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BB&H - Plastic Surgery Article
Under the knife. Ateh Damachi talks to Nigerian born British plastic surgeon, Dr Lawry Iregbulem on why black people are taking the risks of undergoing cosmetic procedures.
Dr Lawry Iregbulem is a renowned plastic surgeon who trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. He is based in the UK and specialises in operating on black patients. Here we ask him some probing plastic surgery questions.
What are the most requested procedures by black men and women?
‘When it comes to men, I would have to say that rhinoplasty (nose job) is one of the most popular, followed by lip reduction. With rhinoplasty, many men come to me with broad, flat and flared noses (the socalled ‘Bantu nose’): they stress that they do not want a ‘white nose’, but would like the more extreme characteristics of their nose refined and eliminated.
With women, the most common problems relate to facial skin, which may show unacceptable pigmentary changes, also breast enlargement, uplift, reduction and liposuction. Black skin is prone to enhanced pigmentary changes following minor injuries acne, waxing of facial hair, or the inadvertent use of unsuitable cosmetic products. Skin problems can be treated with a programme of skin rejuvenation such as Obaji Skin Protocols, chemical peels or even CO2 Ultrapulse laser. Dealing with skin problems is a long process which requires patience, total commitment and compliance on the part of the patient. Sustained aftercare is paramount in maintaining a healthy skin.’
How do you deal with problems such as scarring and keloids on Black skin?
‘The risks of scarring and keloids are always present when operating on black skin, and patients need to be aware of this. The most important thing is to have a doctor who can treat hypertrophic scars and keloids should they occur. Patients can also help themselves by, for example, checking their family history of keloids.
‘Keloids occur more commonly at certain sites, such as the middle of the chest or the earlobes (from infection following the use of dirty needles during ear-piercing or allergy to metals) and the shoulders (from vaccinations).
‘To help prevent keloids and scarring, I always advise my patients to apply pressure to the area with various materials – special tapes, for example – and massage vigorously with vitamin E or other vegetable oils. I also inject troublesome keloids with special products, some of which I get from the US.’
What procedures do you think Michael Jackson has had?
‘It’s difficult to say what he used to make his skin pale, but he claims to be suffering from the skin condition called vitiligo (a pigmentation disorder where white
patches appear on the body). It’s unusual to have this condition so uniformly, but he claims to have bleached his skin to match the patches. He has had rhinoplasty to
refine his nose and it appears as if he has a skin graft on the tip of his nose, as he was burned in an accident in the 1980s.’
What new trends are there in plastic surgery?
‘Personally, I don’t jump on the bandwagon of trendy new surgeries. I don’t perform calf or chest implants or penis enlargements. Vulval refinements (designer vaginas) are very popular in America, but I have only performed this procedure for black patients occasionally.
‘Non-surgical rejuvenation treatments with Botox, various fillers (Restyle, Juvederm, Aquamid, Bio-alcamid) are very much in vogue. Since ‘black’ skin ages much less rapidly, the demand for these products in black women is very low.
‘Reduction of localised areas of fat using an injectable method (Lipostabil) remains controversial, so it’s not a method I use.’
What do you think about people requesting smaller more European-style noses?
‘In my experience, this is unusual. Nose refinements: yes. European-style noses: no. Most black patients stress that they do not want a ‘white’ nose, but prefer to have
the extreme aspects of their nose refined. I have a black female patient who is in the public eye. I have given her a chin implant, reduced her forehead, refined her nose and reduced the fullness of her cheeks and lips. As a result, the number of her professional engagements has doubled. I don’t see it as making her less African, but softening the extreme of her facial profile. It does not matter what colour you are or the ethnic background you have, everyone wants to be ‘in the middle’, as it were. I have European clients who come to me with long prominent noses who also want a little change. also, most Europeans prefer a tan to pale skin. So, there are
wonderful and bad qualities in both races and the average seems to be the norm.’
What are the risks involved with a Breast Reduction?
‘Both vertical and horizontal incisions are used in this procedure and the nipple is raised, so some scarring is inevitable. You can perform liposuction concurrently, but some tissue still needs to be removed, so it’s hard to avoid scarring. Nipple sensation may be diminished, but sometimes it is improved, and the nipple becomes more
sensitive. In all my years of practice, none of my patients have experienced a reduction in nipple sensation. The chances of being able to breast feed are reduced
as 20% of the tissue is removed. Some women are unable to breast-feed anyway, but this should definitely be considered for women who are yet to have children.’
To make an appointment at Dr Iregbulem’s surgery call 01706 379 599 or visit www.profilecosmeticsurgery.com. For more information on plastic surgery visit the British Association of Plastic Surgeons website at www.baps.co.uk
Going under the knife
In today's high price, results now culture, cosmetic surgery is growing in popularity and it is no longer the reserve of the rich and famous, many 'ordinary' women are going under the knife for a quick fix of beauty.
Whether its Rhinoplasty, Liposuction or Breast Augmentation, the nip and tuck is growing as an option for women who are unhappy with the way they look, but even in today's throwaway society, it's essential to do some research and have some clear ideas about the procedure you'd like to have done.
First of all, think carefully about the procedure you'd like to have done. For example, if you're looking at a breast enlargement, how big would you like to go? If you're going for a nose job, think about the size and shape you'd like. Information such as this is essential for a proper discussion with the surgeon.
Note down names of any surgeons that are mentioned or quoted and thoroughly research any company you are considering using. Remember that cosmetic surgery in the UK is worth as much as £200million per year, so it isn't surprising that clinics employ persuasive and aggressive advertising techniques.
Make sure you check plastic surgeon qualifications before committing to anything. Any doctor can claim to be a cosmetic surgeon.
Plastic surgery is a fairly new practice, so it is yet to be uniformly regulated by any one governing body, but letters such as: MRCS or FRCS (indicating that he or she is a member or fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons) FRCS(plast) (indicating that the surgeon has passed an extra examination in reconstructive surgery) BACS (British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons) or BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons), whilst no guarantee in themselves, are a good indicator.
A proper consultation with the surgeon performing your procedure is essential and is also a legal requirement in the UK. Be suspicious if this consultation is free. The surgeons time is valuable, and free consultations will probably be with a counsellor, nurse, or salesperson. Make sure you take a list of questions to ask the surgeon, such as: whether you need to take any preparations, what kind of aftercare you can expect, whether there will be doctors in the building 24 hours a day, what the clinic does in the event of complications and whether they have resuscitation equipment are all important questions to ask during the consultation.
Less important, but equally able to put your mind at rest would be information such as the recovery period, the end results, e.g. scarring, how long it will last, when the stitches come out. It may also be good to see before and after pictures of procedures the surgeon has done before.
After the consultation, allow yourself a few weeks to cool off. It's likely that you will be excited about the procedure, after all, the surgeon, like anyone else, probably has a mortgage to pay, and selling a procedure at his clinic is probably going to pay a hefty chunk of it.
And finally shop around. Make a short list of clinics you'd like to see and have a consultation with more than one. This is going to cost you money, there's no way round that, but at the end of it, finding a good clinic is money well spent.
Source: www.femalefirst.co.uk
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