Don’t we all have a secret little wish list of body parts that could stand improvement? Dr Parul R Sheth finds newer and better ways of making it possible.

YOU watch Shakira and Britney Spears groove to music and instantly wish you had their body. Who doesn’t want a perfect number 10 body? Some women even believe that their sex lives would be better if they achieved their ideal shape. Cosmetic surgery is no longer just for ageing movie stars or the very wealthy.

If someone is not happy with how she looks, there’s nothing wrong with her getting elective cosmetic surgery. It seems as though all you have to do is imagine a little ‘tuck’ here, maybe a nice ‘boost’ there, and plastic surgery makes it so. But beware, if you hope for a miracle rather than an improvement you may be disappointed. Here’s a peek at what’s available and what’s really involved.

The Doctor Nose
Refashioning the nose, or rhinoplasty, involves reshaping the nasal contour by either removing a ‘bump’ on the bridge of the nose, trimming a bulbous tip, or camouflaging by another procedure, resulting in a better profile.

More Boobs
We don’t know why exactly men are so fascinated by boobs, but breasts seem to have mesmerised men through the ages and across all cultures. “Curves on a woman’s body has always been a turn-on for me. Women look really sensual when they are filled out,” says Ravi Dutt, a 27-year-old sales manager. Obviously, you feel it’s very important to have the right size, shape and pointiness! Today, you have breast enlargement options that you couldn’t dream of a couple of decades ago. You can add volume to small breasts or restore the volume that was lost due to childbirth, weight loss and ageing.

Augmentation mammoplasty, as it is medically termed, involves surgical placement of an implant behind each breast to increase its volume and enhance its shape. The small incisions are virtually undetectable, usually made under each breast, around the nipples or in the armpits. Implants may be inserted just under the gland of the breast or beneath the muscle tissue. Stitches are removed after approximately one week.

Currently, saline-filled implants are very popular. FDA-approved implants with a thicker and better version of silicone gel called ‘cohesive silicone gel’ are also a popular option and are specially suggested if you have minimal breast tissue.

The use of sustained mechanical force to induce tissue growth in the breasts has recently been touted as a method to achieve modest enlargement of the breasts.