Rhinoplasty (aka: Nose Job)

Likely candidates:
People who are basically unhappy about the shape and size of their nose, or who have had it broken in the past and want it straightened out.

Procedure:
The aim isn't to give you a new conk, but to reshape the nose so that is fits the rest of the face. The op usually involves breaking the nose bone along the ridge, sawing away the unwanted length and stitching the skin back together again. As a result, patients can wake up looking like they've done a round with Mike Tyson, and it may take three months before all the swelling goes away.

Estimated cost:
£3000

Lip enhancement

Likely candidates:
Mealy-mouths in search of bee-stung lips

Procedure:
Lips can be plumped up with a graft of fat taken from the bum or abdomen. It's not a permanent option, however, as the fat pocket will slowly be absorbed into the body. Collagen injections are a popular alternative, but the effects are even more fleeting. A permanent option is to have a thin strip removed from the outer edge of both lips so they 'roll out' during the healing process.

Estimated cost:
Fat grafts can set you back around £1000; collagen injection cost around £250. Price of permanent surgical procedure varies from one surgeon to the next.

Ear pinning

Likely candidates:
Anyone who feels they have wing nuts for ears.

Procedure:
Surgeons either snip out some of the cartilage behind the ear or bend it back to bring the flaps in, often under a local unaesthetic.

Estimated cost:
Approximately a grand for both lugholes.

Breast Surgery

Likely candidates:
Women who aren't, for one reason or another, happy with their breasts.

Procedure:

• Breast Enlargement involves having silicone or saline implants fed through a small incision under the armpit or the breast itself and positioned just behind or in front of the chest muscle.
• Breast Reduction is a fairly major operation in which surgeons cut away section of the breast, and reposition the nipples.
• A Breast Uplift involves pulling up the breast tissue to leave the nipples looking perkier.

Estimated cost:
Breast enlargement, reduction or uplift could set you back around £3500.

Liposuction

Likely candidates: Anyone who feels they are overweight or unhappy with their body shape and wants a quick solution.

Procedure: An incision is made in the area where you want the fat removed and a metal tube is inserted, through which the fat is literally sucked out of you.

Estimated cost:
£2000-£5000, depending on the size of the area.

Is cosmetic surgery for me?

It's easy to be overly critical about our looks, so if you're serious about surgery get a second opinion from family and friends, then talk to your doctor. If you would prefer not to tell your GP, and want to contact a clinic directly, at least establish that your surgeon is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. But before you go any further, ask if it's really your appearance that makes you unhappy, or could it be something deeper?

For more info, send an s.a.e. to the British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons, 17 Harley Street, London W1N 1DA

Updated: 24/02/2011