According to a new study in Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, polylactic acid (PLA), used as a cosmetic enhancement to decrease volume loss around the eyes, leads to disfigurement when not injected properly. The authors reviewed four cases where patients were injected superficially; all four exhibited nodule development and inflammation.

Cosmetic surgery techniques, such as having a patient sit or stand while incision sites are marked so they blend into natural lines of the body, can improve the aesthetic result of thyroid surgery as well, researchers say.

Forget expensive moisturisers and cosmetic surgery, a compound found in the humble elderberry could give a natural boost to skin.

In what they call a “stunning research advance,” investigators at Georgetown University Medical Center have been able to use simple, non-toxic chemical injections to add and remove fat in targeted areas on the bodies of laboratory animals. They say the discovery, published online in Nature Medicine on July 1, could revolutionize human cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery and treatment of diseases associated with human obesity.

From drooping eyelids and sagging breasts to cleft palates and stained teeth, the makeover experts on the ABC reality show Extreme Makeover have never met a physical imperfection they couldn't correct. But philosophy professor Cressida Heyes argues that, for all the beautification that takes place on the show, there are some ugly truths at its core.

Women who undergo breast enlargement often see a sizable boost in self-esteem and positive feelings about their sexuality, a University of Florida nurse researcher reports.