Cosmetic surgery bucking the trend north of the border

Cosmetic surgery in Scotland has bucked the trend

Figures out earlier this week from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons showed that the number of people having cosmetic surgery in 2016 was the lowest in nearly a decade, with a climate of “global fragility” and economic fears over Brexit leaving patients prioritising stability over big life change.

However, Scottish surgeon Taimur Shoaib, who owns five La Belle Forme clinics, including two in England, said that his Scottish business had seen a six per cent rise, with a 200 per cent increase in non surgical procedures like fillers, Botox and ultherapy.

He said: “Demand is greater than ever in Scotland and there has been an increase across the board in all types of surgery. This is not the case in our clinics in the south.

“People are factoring in a visit to us in the way they would to the hairdresser or the dentist and this cosmetic ‘top-up’ has not been affected. In fact the reverse is true.”

Aws Quaba, a consultant plastic surgeon at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh, said the number of procedures had risen by ten per cent over the past year.

He said: "We do not have aggressive advertising campaigns or promotional events, yet we have still seen the figure go up by ten per cent over the past year. Historically, Scots have been cautious, when I first started working here 30 years ago, I found people here like to have two or three consultations before they have surgery and think about it very carefully, which is what we like, but now we are seeing the demand rise in Scotland, while it has fallen by 40 per cent in the UK."

He added: "I suspect it is a blip. I can see no way there will be another 40 per cent drop next year south of the border."

Margaret Cowan, 67 from Stepps, had an upper eye lift in March last year.

She said: “I thought I was looking a little tired, especially around the eyes. I have always had a young outlook on life and I feel the mirror now reflects the way I feel about myself on the inside. I don’t worry about Brexit.”