Angeliki Kavounis
Coming from a medical dynasty, Kavouni was destined to become a doctor (her husband, Ion, specializes in neck and rhinoplasty – see page 88). But the Greek-born surgeon specializes in making women feel better about themselves – apart from some delicate procedures performed to put things back in place after childbirth or menopause. “The changes hit you like a hammer,” he says, “you’re too tired to exercise, you lead a busy life, and shifting the weight off your waist becomes more difficult.” Postpartum mothers benefit from abdominoplasty (stitching pulls the abdominals back together, but also the overlying fascia, like a double corset). and it’s a good way to clean up c-section scars. Combination procedures are her forte (“A tummy tuck, lip lift and thigh lift work well: the scars are all concentrated in one area, so recovery is relatively immediate”), with skin-tightening radiofrequency to maintain the results. Or ask her about her Saxenda injections: a daily dose, for two months, reduces body weight by five percent: “Apart from a healthy lifestyle, of course. You can’t drink a bottle of wine every night.’
Consultation, £200; tummy tuck, from £7,900. Saxenda, from £1,850 (152harleystreet.com)
Mo Akhavani (new entry)
Humble and refreshingly down to earth, Akhavani is an old head on young shoulders. The Iranian-born surgeon divides his time between the NHS (where he specializes in general surgery and hand reconstruction) and his private sector, where body surgery is booming. “Most of my work is below the collarbone,” he says. “I see two main groups: one is what I call ‘mummy transforms’, the other is those who have had extreme weight loss. Both benefit from careful liposuction (“You see the best results around the love handles and flanks”), while meticulously designed body lifts give the latter a better quality of life. But what sets the savvy surgeon apart on social media is his attention to detail: “It’s the extra 10 minutes you take to determine the placement of the scar and focus on the suture that makes all the difference,” he says. “Yes, it takes a little longer, but on the upside, you have fewer revisions – and much happier patients.”
Consultation, free of charge. tummy tuck, from £8,990; body lift, from £15,990 (theplasticsurgerygroup.co.uk)
Dr Selena Langdon, Berkshire
The steadfast Langdon is a port in a storm—though when it comes to getting results, she doesn’t captivate. “We’re pushing the non-surgical boundaries to achieve a surgical result,” says the contouring specialist, whose Berkshire Aesthetics clinic is home to a range of cutting-edge devices (a surgery is in the works). “Often, to see a difference, you need something a little more aggressive.” One of her tools is BodyTite, which eliminates fat through RFAL (Radiofrequency Assisted Liposuction): “It’s less invasive than traditional lipo,” she says, “and great for restoring elasticity.” Tightening loose skin is her specialty and she often places the Morpheus8 body on top (she’s the first in the UK to use the headset, which channels energy into the dermis, contracting the connective tissue). CoolSculpting is still in demand and often ends with some EMsculpt to enhance the abs. Above all, she is realistic: “It’s a journey – maintenance is long-term. No treatment is a one-off, not even surgery.’
Counselling, £50; BodyTite, from £2,500; Morpheus8, from £500; CoolSculpting, from £800; EMsculpt, from £750 (berkshireaesthetics.com)
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