Women going for cosmetic surgery are increasingly opting for body contouring procedures, an annual conference bringing together plastics surgeons in the country heard.
The Kenya Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (KSPRAS) Annual Scientific Conference 2024 held in Mombasa was told women are seeking to enhance their bodies aesthetically while preserving the natural African appearance.
Making his presentation, Dr Martin Ajujo, a consultant plastic surgeon said African beauty celebrates a woman's curvy yet voluptuous figure.
“The concept of ‘ideal African beauty’ is diverse and varies greatly across different cultures and regions within Africa,” he said.
“Overall, the ideal of African beauty is not monolithic but rather a rich tapestry reflecting a broad spectrum of individual and cultural preferences.”
Ajujo cited several reasons why Kenyan women are opting for body contouring procedures.
He said women go for contouring after experiencing massive weight loss after either surgical or non-surgical regimes.
Other reasons he said were post-childbearing, enhancements, lipodystrophy and reductions.
Lipodystrophy is a group of rare syndromes that cause a person to lose fat from some parts of the body while gaining it in others,
In his presentation, Ajujo named the most popular body contouring procedures as facial rejuvenation, neck lift, breast lift/breast reduction, 360 liposuction, tummy- tucks/ body lifts, enhancements (BBL, hip dips) and reductions (butt, hips, legs).
Lipo 360 or 360 Liposuction refers to the body areas where liposuction is performed – three hundred and sixty degrees, or all the way around the midsection.
On the other hand, a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) is a procedure that improves (augments) the look of your buttocks in addition to removing fat from other parts of your body (liposuction).
Hip dips surgery is a cosmetic procedure that injects or removes fat from the hip and thigh area while a tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure to improve the shape and appearance of the abdomen.
Topics discussed at the meeting included lip reconstruction in an East African setting, ear reconstruction, the impact of AI on the regulation of health services and risks and clinical impacts of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial wound dressing materials among others.
KSPRAS was founded by a group of like-minded Kenyan plastic surgeons to advance and elevate the practice of plastic surgery in Africa.
In July, Ajujo revealed that Kenya is witnessing a significant shift towards plastic surgery for aesthetic purposes, a move from traditional reconstructive procedures.
He noted that over the past two years, his practice has seen a noteworthy shift towards aesthetic procedures.
Cosmetic surgery aims to improve how people look and feel about themselves.
It can be performed on just about any part of the face or body.
Many people who choose this type of surgery hope it will boost their self-esteem.
On the other hand, reconstructive surgery is performed to treat body parts affected aesthetically or functionally by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities or trauma.
