THE business of express aesthetic makeovers is booming more than ever.
Seven aesthetic doctors and plastic surgeons my paper spoke to reported growth figures of between 20 and 50 per cent in the past year for express aesthetic treatments. These are fast and convenient procedures that can be done under an hour.
The doctors said they see patients from all walks of life, mostly those aged between 20 and 60. Many of these are students, factory workers, housewives and professionals.
This growth is partly due to technological advances. Patients can now have previously complicated procedures, such as breast enlargement, done in a shorter time and almost painlessly.
Traditionally, patients who wanted breast augmentation needed to go under general anaesthetic. The procedure, including pre-operation steps and recovery time, can take a few hours. And the downtime for such breast surgeries are typically between one and two weeks.
Comparatively, express "lunch-time" procedures, said doctors, are faster and have shorter downtime. Many of these require fillers, such as the hyaluronic acid-based Macrolane. The fillers can be injected into the breast to make it up to half a cup larger.
They are also used for more traditional facial enhancement procedures, such as the reshaping of the nose and the smoothing of wrinkles.
One drawback: While the express procedures, especially those which use non-permanent fillers, may be quick and easy, they typically last "two to three years" and results may not be consistent throughout, said plastic surgeon J.J. Chua, who has a clinic in Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.
