Cosmetic surgery is the branch of medicine concerned with enhancing the appearance of one or more body areas.
We provide consultations with some of the leading cosmetic surgeons in the UK, who provide the specialist knowledge required to diagnose and treat problems such as unsightly or painful scars, and facial cosmetic issues, breast and body contouring anomalies.
Our expert approach during your first consultation focuses on your motivations and expectations of treatment. Your questions will be answered, and you are encouraged to return for a further consultation to ensure that all aspects of your care can be addressed once more. Our unit provides the very best in pre-procedure and post-operative care, with regular follow-up appointments scheduled as necessary with our consultants as well as the provision of specialist nurse and therapy input when needed.
Cosmetic surgery is the branch of medicine concerned with enhancing the appearance of one or more body areas. Although the treatment options available may often be surgical procedures, most cosmetic surgery units such as Circle Reading’s also provide expertise in the non-surgical management of cosmetic issues.
Some cosmetic problems may have an underlying medical cause, such as varicose veins, while many other cosmetic issues may be related to the ageing process, trauma or genetics.
Non-surgical cosmetic treatments include certain forms of masking creams and camouflage make-ups. Pharmacological topical creams and oral medication may help certain skin conditions when there is an underlying inflammatory cause or where there are autoimmune causes.
Laser therapy can be used for various skin conditions which cause skin redness, as well as for cosmetic problems including pigmented skin lesions, birthmarks and scars with an unsightly appearance.
A common reason an individual will seek an opinion from a cosmetic surgeon is for surgery to improve the appearance of the chest. This may involve breast enlargement or reduction procedure as well as breast uplift procedures. Surgery to improve the symmetry of the nose or facelift procedures are also performed.
For some individuals it may be the appearance of the abdomen that they wish to improve, and cosmetic surgeons are able to offer a similarly successful tummy tuck procedure.
Where non-surgical options are not appropriate or have not provided the results required, cosmetic surgeons can also perform minimally-invasive surgery to remove pigmented lesions, scars and moles.
Your initial consultation will begin with an introductory conversation with a cosmetic surgeon so they are able to fully understand the history of your cosmetic problem. Depending on the nature of the issue, our experts will aim to find out the timeline of the problem, the initial cause of any problem such as trauma or illness, as well as whether the problem has previously been treated in other ways before. Our cosmetic surgeons may also ask in-depth questions about your own medical history to exclude any underlying medical problems which may be causing certain cosmetic disorders.
Following a comprehensive discussion, our consultants will conduct a thorough physical examination. For cosmetic issues of the chest and face this will include a technical assessment of the underlying bone structure, muscles and soft tissue beneath the skin. This will determine which treatment options may deliver the most effective results.
For other conditions and certain types of skin lesions, as well as a physical examination, our experts may also use a specialist microscope to examine the area. This procedure is often referred to as dermoscopy and allows visualisation of the deeper layers of the skin and a better understanding of the exact nature of the lesion in question.
State-of-the-art diagnostics available for you
In cases where there is a purely cosmetic need to seek an appointment, diagnostic scans and tests may not be needed. However, for varicose veins a test known as a duplex ultrasound may be used. This gives our experts a detailed view of the venous system in the legs and enables any faulty valves which may be causing the varicosities to be identified.
Occasionally, our cosmetic surgeons will also wish to exclude any underlying medical cause for certain inflammatory skin conditions and skin lesions. This may include requesting blood tests to examine markers of inflammation and genetic markers. Specialist imaging may be requested to examine any possible vascular supply to the area and in rare cases, our surgeons may request a biopsy for certain types of skin lesions.
The right treatment for you, always
Whether a non-surgical or surgical management plan is chosen, we provide convenient follow-up appointments as required. Surgical management will be supported by a thorough pre-operative assessment clinic in which our anaesthetists, specialist nurses and cosmetic consultants are able to answer any questions you may have around the surgical procedure.
Furthermore, we are able to offer appointments at short notice and with flexible, convenient times with leading experts. Any diagnostic procedures may be booked immediately following your initial or follow-up consultation.
Non-surgical treatments for certain cosmetic problems have advanced significantly in recent years. This is particularly true for conditions amenable to laser therapy, and our hospitals are equipped with the very latest in laser and surgical instrumentation to give the best outcomes for our patients using the least invasive method possible.
Peace of mind for you
We understand that for many individuals consulting for a cosmetic issue can be a stressful experience. Through their years of experience, our consultants understand this and will always give you the space to explain your motivations for seeking help and the concerns you may have. In many circumstances there may be more than one non-surgical or surgical cosmetic option.
You will be encouraged to go away and think about all of your options before committing to one, while also seeking independent medical advice. Sometimes our consultants may recommend that it is best to avoid a surgical procedure if they feel the desired benefits are unlikely to be achieved.
If needed, our cosmetic surgery department is able to refer in-house, with no waiting list, to other medical specialties such as dermatology and therapies.
Not only is our surgical and non-surgical cosmetic clinical care second to none, your treatment will be conducted in a modern, clean facility which you are able to feel comfortable in throughout your treatment.
