Today’s youth are faced with a myriad of obstacles as they grow up. Not least are they inundated with social media posts promoting skinny teas and pills, but cyberbullying has become a growing problem over the past decade.
Meanwhile, our older generation is also targeted. The media’s dislike of ageing is sometimes too difficult to bear, and with Hollywood celebrities remaining seemingly young forever, it’s a minefield. So, it’s absolutely no wonder that cosmetic surgery rates in the UK aren’t slowing anytime soon.
Of course, some plastic surgery springs from cases of medical negligence or through medical necessity. That said, in most cases, it’s all down to peoples’ insecurities surrounding their bodies. Considering the dangers cosmetic surgery poses, the cost, and the permanence of it all, we’ll be discussing some alternatives, right here.
What is Cosmetic Surgery?
In some cases, though, cosmetic surgery will be used to alter a person’s appearance after suffering from a traumatic injury. Where plastic surgery is used to fix the body for medical reasons, cosmetic surgery is skin-deep. So, for someone who may have suffered from burns or scarring to their face, permanent surgery could make them feel more confident.
A List of Cosmetic Surgery Types
With the technology we have these days, plastic surgery procedures have become pretty wild. Now, you can have pretty much any area of your body altered, to fit societal standards. Just a few procedures can be found in this exhaustive list:
Breast augmentation, either increasing or reducing the size;
Buttock implants, to increase their size;
Rhinoplasty, or nose job;
Hair transplant, where the person has real hair follicles put in place;
Tummy tucks;
Facelifts;
Burn repairing;
Liposuction;
And a blepharoplasty, which is surgery to the eyelids.
10 Alternatives to Cosmetic Surgery
So, you want to change your appearance but think cosmetic surgery might be too invasive and dangerous. Or, perhaps you need to be persuaded that cosmetic surgery isn’t for you? Well, some pretty good alternatives could include…
Strategic Makeup Application
Okay, so you want to alter something on your face because you’re not entirely happy with it? We’ve all been there, but cosmetic surgery isn’t always the answer. In fact, makeup could be the easiest fix there is!
With makeup becoming a real trend, makeup artists and enthusiasts across the globe are posting videos online of their transformations. Not only do people alter their looks to fit societal expectations, some even do it for entertainment!
We’ve seen Captain Jack Sparrow lookalikes, and Disney Princesses too, amongst others. Some great ways you can use makeup to alter your features include:
Using a cat-eye eyeliner, or dark eyeshadow, to change the appearance of your eyes.
Using foundation and concealer to cover acne, scars, or pigmentation.
Creating shapely eyebrows through eyebrow pencils and pomades;
Using sculpting and contour techniques to change the appearance of your nose and jawline.
Even people who are burn victims, and have skin marks and scars, can completely transform through the use of makeup. So, if you’re feeling a little insecure about yourself, perhaps a dash of this stuff could do the trick.
Fillers
Fillers have become a really popular choice for anyone wishing to change up their face a little. Through injecting hyaluronic acid into the required area, the shape can be altered. These aren’t permanent and require top-ups every so often, but it’s crazy how they can completely alter your face!
Just an injection here or there, be it on your lips, forehead, cheeks, or the like, could transform you. Although there is some danger behind it, as the acid can sometimes make its way into the bloodstream, there aren’t many other things that could go wrong. Just find someone that knows what they’re doing, and has good reviews, and you’ll be sorted.
Botox
Usually, people will use it to soften the lines on their face, including their forehead and eye lines. That said, Botox can have serious repercussions on your overall health. After treatment, it’s quite possible to experience pain, trouble swallowing, puffy features, muscle weakness and much more.
Over time, this can then seriously affect your health and looks. With too much use, your skin can become thinner, your muscles may weaken, and it may become much more difficult to continue using it. Problems like this usually occur when you attempt to administer treatments yourself or a friend does it for you. To avoid this, it is vitally important you seek professional help and advice, and only ever get this treatment from registered clinics and professionals like Botox London Professional Aesthetics. They will always be there to help should you have any questions or concerns. The more reputable the clinic, the easier the questions should be to answer. You can also view previous client's reviews online if this helps you.
Cool Sculpting
Cool Sculpting is gradually becoming a much more popular method of removing excess fat from the body. The idea is that you head to a clinic to have your body fat frozen, and it is then vigorously massaged away. This is usually used on stubborn fatty tissues under the chin and along the abdomen.
Many people are sceptical about whether this even works or not. However, some studies do show that, with persistence, this could actually work wonders. It’s also a pretty safe bet; although it will likely hurt, it’s much safer than some other treatments out there.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are often used if a person has acne scarring from years back, which affect their confidence and makeup application. Others may use it to brighten and smooth your complexion, shaving years off of their appearance… quite literally!
The idea is that an acidic solution is applied to your skin, to cause it to peel off, essentially. Sounds pretty scary, right? Well, it’s not as bad as it may sound.
This provides a deep exfoliation, where the first layer of your skin will gradually peel off over the next few days. With prolonged use, you may notice a real alteration in your overall skin quality.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a painless and non-invasive procedure, which aims to improve your complexion. Through using vacuum suction and fine abrasive crystals, the skin is exfoliated lightly.
In a similar way to a chemical peel, this removes the dead skin and cleans up your face along the way. In doing so, spots and blackheads are likely to diminish, and your skin will appear smoother and more refined. This way, you should look a lot more rejuvenated and glowing.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment is a little more painful than some other treatments but can work wonders after a couple of rounds. The idea is that a laser cuts or vaporises the tissue, changing its general makeup.
It can be used on several body parts, for changing wrinkles, scars, pigmentation, or hair placement. For example, some people might get laser treatment on their legs to completely remove hair growth, after a few procedures. So, for generally smoother skin, in all aspects, this is a pretty good choice.
Clothing Enhancements
Although this may sound simple, have you thought about wearing certain clothing to enhance your features? It’s amazing what dressing for your body shape can do for you.
What’s more, if you’re really looking to enhance your features, there are certain items which can do this. Most commonly used are padded bras to make your chest appear larger, or to implement a cleavage. Or, if you’d like to show off a larger buttock area, padded pants can be sourced online.
Computer-Aided Cosmetology Instrument (CACI)
Similar to Botox, this a relatively new form of non-surgical augmentation which changes the appearance of the skin. Through the use of electric waves, the muscles in the skin are toned and tightened. This way, wrinkles appear less pronounced, and you look younger and softer.
Moisturising
Finally, and something which shouldn’t be laughed at is moisturising. Having a good skin routine is something that can completely alter your life. If you have spots or dry skin or just want to add some bounce to your cheeks, changing up your morning or night-time could be just the ticket. Also, don't forget to use a good sun cream with a high SPF to help avoid wrinkles and sun damage.
Some good ingredient choices for these grievances could include vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, glycerine, proteins, and mineral oil. Do your research, and choose something which will work for you, and you never know what may happen!
Think You’ll Ditch Getting Cosmetic Surgery Now?
If you’re feeling as though some cosmetic treatment may make you feel more confident in yourself, then perhaps our alternatives could be the answer? Cosmetic surgery is, a lot of the time, a permanent and life-changing procedure. Take your time to think about it, and perhaps see if any of these alternatives work in the process.
Have you tried out any of these cosmetic surgery alternatives? Leave your comments down below, and let us know if they worked for you! This post does not offer medical advice always consult a trained practitioner.
*Collaborative post
