Experts say that in a few years, cosmetic surgery will be more like any current non-invasive beauty treatment

Jun 13, 2008 13:50 GMT  ·  By

Many women consider plastic surgery as a viable means to enhance, improve or correct various aspects of their appearance, get rid of unwanted body fat and smooth out any wrinkles that start creeping up with age. However, a great deal of women are put off by the "surgery" part - and indeed, even if in the long run the improvements brought about by cosmetic surgery procedures may be extraordinary, this doesn't mean that short-term it's not scary, invasive and painful. Due to rapid scientific research and progress, all this could soon be a thing of the past: no more silicone implants, no more scalpels, no more crude procedures.

The answer to all our prayers comes in the form of the already controversial stem cells. Adult stem cells are found in all the tissues in our bodies and have the advantage of being able to renew themselves and turn into virtually any type of cell, thus acting like a repair system for the organism. The so-called stem cell cosmetic surgery is currently offered in Austria and consists of taking stem cells from the patient's own body and using them on anything from silicone-free breast enhancements to face lifts and wrinkle treatments that do not wear off in time.

Along with stem cell implants, cosmetic surgeons are also beginning to offer another revolutionary treatment called "hormonal regeneration", which consists of administering hormones that have the ability to stop the aging process (at least for a while) and make patients look up to 15 years younger. The basic concept for these innovative regeneration techniques is that premature aging is not the permanent disaster it's said to be, but a treatable deficiency disease. "The enormous potential of new cosmetic surgery lies in the combination of these treatment strategies", a Vienna-based beauty and anti-aging expert claims. "Most cosmetic problems may be optimally treated this way, with perfectly natural results".