Fitness and Surgery: Women Now Want the Best of Both Worlds

Fitness and Surgery: Women Now Want the Best of Both Worlds. More young women are turning to aesthetic surgery than ever before, with some of the most popular procedures including breast augmentation, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and blepharoplasty (or eyelid lift).

At the same time, the fitness industry is booming. Over 55 million Americans have gym memberships and the fascination is worldwide, with global health club industries totaling over $81 billion. Ideally, we are told, we should aim to achieve our best body, through nutrition and exercise, yet statistics indicate that we are increasingly seeking help for problem areas that even the most strenuous workouts will not solve – including loss of firmness/less volume than is desired in the breasts, excess volume, and sagging skin.

The Choices American Women are Making

Far from being viewed as yin and yang, fitness and plastic surgery are being embraced as a satisfactory solution by many American women. Studies show that over 90 per cent of women aged 18-24 are unhappy with at least one part of their body, compared to 85 per cent of those aged 55-64. Interestingly, women aged 25-34 are most likely to seek out a plastic surgeon to change a part of their bodies they are not pleased with.

There has certainly been a big change in the way plastic surgery is viewed; today’s women are putting in the work it takes to achieve a fit, lean body, but are not willing to put up with problems that will not go away, despite the hard work invested.

The Plastic Surgeon they see will often recommend the treatment that best suits – sometimes, a full makeover (such as that involved in body contouring) is recommended; at other times, a non-invasive treatment such as laser can be used to improve the appearance of skin.

Body Areas that Concern Us

The body issues we are most unhappy with, it seems, are excess fat (especially in areas such as the hips, back, thighs and stomach), low volume or lack of firmness in breasts (women either desire a larger cup size or that their breasts had a perkier appearance), and excess skin (which can arise after significant weight loss or after having a baby).

Cardio is often the first line of defense for losing fat, while strength exercises are ideal for giving breasts a perkier appearance, or for toning the abdomen, thighs and arms. Another popular treatment is fat freezing – the so-called non-surgical liposuction. For quick results, however, surgery is often sought.

Women are more interested than ever in having an appearance that reflects how they feel inside. While weight gain and loss of firmness can be tackled through nutrition and exercise, plastic surgery is increasingly a choice strategy for help with stubborn areas, and issues which persevere. Views of plastic surgery have changed dramatically with the advent of new techniques that deliver more natural, harmonious results than in the past.