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These days, looking like your dream vision of yourself seems much more attainable. We have seen celebrities such as YouTuber Xoli Gcabashe document her Brazilian buttlift surgery (also known as a gluteal augmentation).
It is a procedure that gives one firmer and larger buttocks, involving the reshaping and recontouring of the body. At 75, American music veteran Cherilyn Sarkisian (popularly known as Cher) maintains her youth through cosmetic surgeries.
A global increase in aesthetic medicine has been seen over the past decade, with more people opting for less invasive procedures with machines that use different technologies.
It is said that cosmetic devices on the market will grow by 11.5% in the next five years. As the search for beauty intensifies, surgeons and cosmetic practitioners continue to find new ways of transforming bodies.
An innovative cosmetic treatment called Exilis has made its way onto our market. It is a form of collagen induction therapy that uses radio frequencies and ultrasound energy to generate heat beneath the skin, targeting fat cells.
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The heat then kills the cells and triggers the body to repair itself. It makes new fibroblasts, which are the cells that make collagen, a protein found in the skin and popularly used by plastic surgeons to tighten the skin, reducing facial lines and wrinkles.
Dr S’lindile Ndwalane (also known as Dr Sli), a dermatologist for SCINMed in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, shed light on the treatment.
“There are many procedures on the market that require longer healing and recovery time, but this new treatment isn’t invasive and doesn’t have any downtime, which is always a plus.
“This new tech is very different from treatments like Botox, which is a toxin that’s injected into the muscles to temporarily relax them, because constant contractions of the muscle cause deep static lines and wrinkles.” Ndwalane explained:
As cosmetic surgeries rise in popularity, creating different avenues for those wanting only slight physical modifications becomes more important. What started as a means to restore the confidence and appearance of people with congenital deformities or disfigurements caused by injuries or illness has taken on an entirely new meaning.
According to Dr Bruce Lelala, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Hyde Park Corner, cosmetic surgery is completely elevating people’s quality of life by boosting their confidence and self-esteem.
“If you look at the standards of physical beauty of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, dating as far back as 450 BC, you’ll see that they played a crucial role in [the way people viewed themselves and others]. Plastic surgeons are trained to understand the concept of beauty, which – in turn – requires an in-depth understanding of the human anatomy. Taking a holistic approach to patients contributes to achieving safe surgery and attaining symmetry. However cosmetic surgery can be harmful if the patient isn’t assessed properly. I’ve seen many crucial steps being overlooked [by unqualified or inept surgeons]. [I’ve also seen] patients who needed psychological help having plastic surgery instead, which didn’t improve their quality of life.”
Therefore, the evolution of plastic surgery into less invasive procedures has been an extremely important advancement.
“Quick procedures are definitely where the cosmetic industry’s going.” Ndwalane added:
He hopes to see the brand grow, creating a bigger network of specialists who run Exilis centres in South Africa. “We’re hoping to see more specialists such as plastic surgeons and dermatologists getting involved in aesthetic medicine to provide the expertise needed to minimise complications that can arise from these procedures,” he said.
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