From 'tweakments' to temporal facelifts, here's what you need to know for the year ahead
From lip fillers to baby botox, cosmetic surgery's popularity isn't going anywhere any time soon.
But when it comes to the 'look' of the times, things are moving away from accentuation and towards subtler changes like the non-surgical nose job.
Below some of the experts at The Private Clinic of Harley Street, London, share their insights into the most popular cosmetic trends for this year.
The temporal facelift
'Also known as the ‘mini or secret facelift’, the 'temporal facelift' will become one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in 2019,' says Davood Fallahdar, consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon at The Private Clinic. 'The demand for the mini-facelift has been increasing in recent years, with many patients opting for it over a full facelift due to the natural and fresher look it offers.
'Unlike a full facelift, the treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic. This means that patients can return to work the next day and don’t have to suffer the abundance of unsightly bruising, swelling and bandages as seen with full-facelifts, as the scar is hidden on the scalp, within the hair and not on the face. his makes it the perfect choice for the modern-day worker with little time on their hands.'
The 'tweakment'
'The era of over-filled lips and dramatic cosmetic surgery procedures is passing, with patients looking for not just a subtler look and an alternative to invasive forms of cosmetic surgery,' says aesthetic doctor Dr Hao Hanson Yu. 'This, combined with people wanting to return to their day to day activities straight away, means we are expecting to see a huge rise in the "tweakment".
'Perhaps one of the most popular of these treatments will be the non-surgical nose job. This is a form of nose reshaping that uses dermal filler as an effective alternative to surgical rhinoplasty. The fillers are used to subtly enhance to the contours of the patients nose and at the same time reshaping to provide more definition. It is perfect for those with small bumps in the bridge of nose, a crooked line or cartilage irregularities at the tip.
'Depending on the cases, the procedure is usually quick and, as with dermal fillers, numbing cream is used to reduce pain and there is very little downtime. It will be incredibly popular as most patients experience little swelling and can go back to work immediately.'
Hair transplants
'In recent years there has been a steady increase in the number of men coming to me for hair transplants and I don't see this slowing down in 2019,' says Dr Raghu Reddy, hair transplant surgeon at The Private Clinic. 'I believe one of the main reasons behind the trend is advancements in techniques. With a growing number of our clients, including celebrities, openly admitting to having had a hair transplant and a lot of referrals from friends, we have seen a huge surge in bookings.
'From premier league footballers to Hollywood actors, more and more stars are going public with their treatments. With hair transplants becoming mainstream medicine, we are operating on men who in the past may not have had the confidence to go ahead with the treatment.'
Foot work
'A bunion is often described as a bump on the side of the big toe,' says Andrea Bianchi, The Private Clinic's orthopaedic surgeon. 'However, it is much more than that: the visible bump actually reflects changes in the bony framework of the front part of the foot. The big toe leans toward the second toe, rather than pointing straight ahead, and this throws the bones out of alignment, producing the bunion's bump. This can cause swelling and chronic pain over the big toe joint.
'In 2019 I am expecting to see a huge surge in the number of women seeking treatment for their bunions. This could partially be down to the speculation around Meghan Markle's bunion treatment that hit the news last year – but it will also be driven by major advancements in the treatment for the condition.
Above, a scar on the side of Meghan's foot, which an expert told The Sun is likely to be from bunion surgery
'A pioneering, minimally-invasive keyhole surgery is now available that requires only a local anaesthetic and removes the bunion quickly, without the use of screws or plates. Unlike any other bunion surgery available in the UK, patients can walk without crutches immediately after the procedure and are able to return to everyday activities almost straight away.'
EVLA
'Varicose veins are one of the most common beauty complaints, with over two thirds of Brits admitting to feeling self-conscious wearing certain clothes because of their varicose and spider veins*,' explains Dynesh Rittoo, vascular surgeon at The Private Clinic. 'I am expecting to see a continued rise in the number of people coming to me for treatment for their problematic veins in 2019.
'I think this is down to the ever-increasing role of social media, with everyone wanting to look as good as their favourite celebrity or influencer. As well as this, I now treat varicose veins with a minimally-invasive method called Endovenous Laser Ablation, which can be delivered under local anaesthetic and enables the patient to leave the clinic on the same day as treatment.'
*According to a OnePoll survey of 1,000 men and women