Gold Coast health: Nip and tuck season arrives on the Gold Coast

As the weather heats up and clothes come off, more people will go under the knife than at any other time this year, according to the Gold Coast’s cosmetic plastic surgeons.

WHILE most people are taking a break, Gold Coast plastic and cosmetic surgeons are hard at work well into their annual busy season.

As the weather heats up and clothes come off, more people will go under the knife than at any other time this year, according to the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS).

A survey by ASAPS has revealed that November to January is the busiest time in a specialist plastic surgeon’s diary, performing more than 30 per cent of the annual total number of procedures.

The lead up to Christmas is the busiest time of the year for cosmetic surgeons, as everyone wants to look their best for the silly season. Photo by Richard Gosling

Surgeons who had been run off their feet over the past couple of months put the rush down to two major factors — more time off and more social occasions.

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“Everyone wants to look best over the Christmas break. It is not uncommon for us to have patients who are returning to friends overseas after a long period or are having a family reunion,” said Craig Layt of the Layt Clinic at Southport.

“I have had a patient tell me she hoped to show up a sister she wasn’t fond of.”

According to Dr Layt, anti-wrinkle injections and dermal-fillers were still king of non-surgical procedures.

Ros Cooper applying a dermal filler to Gaye Crosthwaite at The Layt Clinic. Photo by Richard Gosling

“Surgical procedures need to be planned a little bit ahead of time, so generally that rush happens in November, while non-surgical treatments tend to happen closer to Christmas and New year,” Dr Layt said.

“Particularly for injectables, it is a really busy time of the year for us.

“People want to look their best. In fact I have also had a treatment for that very reason.

“I would say well over a third of our work happened in November and December.”

Fellow Cosmetic plastic surgeon Mark Magnusson said the number of people taking leave over the summer months also contributed to the surge in bookings.

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“I don’t think the trigger is Christmas, I think the trigger is summer. There are fewer normal routines so people have the time and people available to help them recover,” Dr Magnusson said.

“Those with leave have the opportunity to have some downtime to recover from their surgery and fully heal before returning to work, with their colleagues none the wiser.

“It is easy for people to trivialise these procedures and overlook the quality of life improvements but treatments can provide both physical and cosmetic benefits.’’

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Of all the cosmetic surgical procedures performed by ASAPS members, breast surgery continued to dominate.

The most popular were breast augmentation (breast implants) followed by breast reduction and breast reconstruction.

Dr Magnusson said fat transfer to the breast was on the increase on the Gold Coast.

“The Gold Coast has always been one of the places people travel to for breast surgery so we do have higher rates than other areas,’’ he said.

“We are seeing more fat transfer being used as a stand-alone procedure and in conjunction with breast implants.”

Members reported nationally that February and March were the months when fewer cosmetic surgeries were performed.