I was truly shocked tonight when I turned on Channel Four and seen a program called “Ten years younger: Bus Pass Challenge”. I often watch the original ten years younger as some of the results you see are amazing. However, I found it hard to believe that this program was actually going to show an O.A.P receiving all kinds of plastic surgery in order to make themselves appear younger. Well, I was right as this is exactly what was happening. The show featured two older ladies, 64-year-old Marie and 72-year-old Betty who were both unhappy with their appearance. A lifetime of sun-worshipping without wearing protection, along with smoking around 140 cigarettes a week had left Marie with skin like leather and a face with more crinkles than a pack of McCoys. Betty on the other hand was just looking for a bit of a make-over and a few fashion tips.
Marie received eye bag removal, a face peel, a face lift, a nose job and a set of sparkling new veneers. I may have missed a few procedures, however there’s only so many images of sawing, burning, pulling and bleaching I can look at without feeling sick. Whilst Marie was going through this hell, Betty was enjoying a new haircut and a new wardrobe. The end results in both cases were very impressive. They both looked at least 15 years younger than they had done before the miracle team had worked their magic. However, who actually wants a granny who has teeth brighter than those of Tom Cruise or a forehead which lacks the ability to frown. Nothing gives me a giggle more then when my granny sees me before a night on the town and her face says it all. So I for one would think my granny had lost her head if she suggested any kind of plastic surgery.
Elderly UK consumers are increasingly choosing to have cosmetic surgery, a leading private healthcare company has claimed. According to Dr Sneh Khemka of Bupa, the most popular procedure among patients over the age of 60 is bletheroplasty, which is chosen by around 30 per cent of elderly patients. “Bletheroplasty is a reduction of the saggy eyelids people get at the bottom of the eyes,” Dr Khemka explained. Around 28 per cent of patients opt for facelifts, while female breast reduction (eight per cent) and tummy tucks (six per cent) are also popular, the associate medical director revealed. (Private Healthcare UK). These figures astonish me. How many men and women with a bus pass are contemplating plastic surgery?
I believe that we should all grow old gracefully. A healthy diet, some gentle exercise and in general looking after your body is all you need to have a happy retirement. The only exception is if someone requires reconstructive surgery, perhaps after an accident or the removal of a breast following surgery etc. In general I think we are becoming far too obsessed with the way we look and the way we think we should look. I can accept young people having boob jobs or nose jobs or whatever takes their fancy as it is becoming more popular. . However, I urge all the grannies out there to stay put. We love you the way you are, whether you are carrying a bit of weight, have a head full of greys or have to take your false teeth out every night before bed. You are the nice cuddly grannies we have grown to love! So if you feel the need to spruce yourself up a bit, then take Betty’s advice and head down to Boots in the direction of the make-up counter.
Donatella Versace- Old and beautiful? You decide!
Lori Carnochan 
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