--Guest Post By Ed Beardsell
Summer has arrived and it's time to get those bodies bikini ready! For most of the population, that means shaving off the rainforest that's been growing under the arms since October (is that a bat in there?), slapping on the fake tan (those pasty whites could blind someone!) and carefully painting the finger and toenails to give a polished and flawless look. But for the rich, the famous and the beauty obsessed, it means something entirely different.
The effort the average woman goes through in preparation for looking good in the summer sun is mere child's play for some beauty extremists. From dangerous surgical procedures to creams that cost more than most mortgages to just downright ridiculous treatments, there's always a new fad that demonstrates the lengths some people will go to in the name of vanity. Here's 5 of the most extreme summer beauty trends you'll ever come across... hopefully!
Chop Off a Piggy
This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none, and this little pi.... wait, where did that piggy go? OK, so maybe it hasn't quite reached those extremes (yet), but there are a number of cosmetic foot surgeries available in the United States with the sole intention of making your toes sandal friendly!
More women than would care to admit to it have spent what seems like hours trying to squeeze their sweaty tootsies into a fabulous pair of shoes that just don't want to accommodate 5 toes. But fear not, now there's a solution to all your foot woes with the 'Cinderella Procedure'; an apparently pain free surgery that literally shaves the sides of the feet to make them narrower! And it will only set patients back around $5000 per foot!
Verdict: Perhaps just buy bigger shoes?
Get in on the Blood Sucking Action
Vampires are all the rage at the moment. They're hot, they're sexy, they're... not real. So beauty extremists around the world are resorting to the next best thing; leeches! These slimy and, quite frankly, disgusting looking creatures have been used in medicine for thousands of years as they help prevent blood clots and promote a healthy blood flow throughout the body.
So what does that have to do with looking great for the summer? Well, increased blood flow and better circulation works wonders for skin inflammation, which means all those nasty, red, raised spots will clear right up, leaving you looking more like a movie star and less like a greasy teenager. Demi Moore has owned up to enjoying a bit of one-on-one leech time, at a rumoured $500 a go.
Verdict: You can buy a good spot cream for a couple of dollars (and it's very unlikely to bite).
I Like Big Butts....
Ask any woman what they'd like to change about themselves and the answer is probably going to be something along the lines of 'bigger boobs, smaller booty'. A petite derriere is one of the most sought after features, especially in the summer when you want to be rocking the short shorts. So it seems to make no sense whatsoever that some women are actually spending their hard earned cash on surgery to make their bums bigger!
The 'Brazilian Butt' surgery involves sucking unwanted fat out of the stomach or thighs (two birds, one stone) and injecting it into the bum cheeks to give a more curvaceous - and larger - backside. If you're rather attached to your muffin top, you can choose to have implants instead. Have your cheque book to hand, this extreme beauty trend will have you forking out around $9000.
Verdict: Maybe eat a sandwich instead?
Vagina By Gucci
The summer holiday is approaching, and that new skimpy bikini is just begging to be tried on. But... uh-oh! How to say this delicately.... it doesn't quite 'contain' your down below private bits, if you catch the drift. Childbirth, especially, can wreak havoc on the hoo-har, leaving things a little bit more saggy than string swimwear allows for. So what's the answer? Simple! A designer vagina, of course!
Going by the far more conservative term, labiaplasty, in cosmetic surgery circles, this trend is becoming increasingly popular in the US and UK, with the Harley Medical Group reporting that 65% of gynaecological enquiries in 2010 were regarding this procedure. The surgery involves cutting away any excess skin, and making things much tighter and firmer and you can expect to the bill to reach a cool $5000 at some top clinics!
Verdict: A nice top and shorts set may be a better option.
Enjoy A Boozy Bath
Candles, bubbles and a nice large glass of red wine in hand. Is there any better way to take a bath? Apparently so, as celebrities such as Teri Hatcher are choosing to bathe in the wine rather than drink it! Believing the antioxidant properties of the grapes to be great for not only softening the skin but also improving elasticity and banishing cellulite, many people swear by these boozy baths.
Can it really work? Apparently, the grapeseed oil can actually be beneficial when applied topically, but red wine is also known for its medicinal properties internally, too. A small amount of red wine can improve blood flow and circulation, and help reduce inflammation. So if there's a choice of bathing in wine, or drinking it, which would you choose?
Verdict: Wine is for drinking. With grapes and cheese and crackers, please!
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This article was produced by Ed Beardsell an aesthetic surgery writer who focuses on cosmetic innovations and developments for Clinic Compare.
