ET ISSUE 2146 Tuesday 10 April 2001

Pear shaped? Give yourself a lift Catriona Wrottesley looks at the bottom line in cosmetic surgery

MANY British women consider themselves to be the classic "pear" shape. Slim and trim on top, their figures spread into comfy rotundity below, and they are seemingly unable to keep their bottoms in check. The most drastic solution is cosmetic surgery: the "G-string" lift. In this procedure, one incision is made above the crease of the buttocks and another just under the belt line. A section of skin and fat is cut out from each buttock, before the skin below is pulled up and stitched.

Beth Collins used to be a classic pear shape - her top was size 10/12, and her bottom half close to a size 16. "I was mismatched and self-conscious. At 5ft 2in, I felt ridiculous." Beth, 44, paid £5,000 to have a new bottom created by a surgeon at the London Cavendish International clinic. Days after the operation, she was back at work. "I can't say it was painful - no worse than feeling achy after a strenuous work-out at the gym," she says. "Sitting down was no problem because the incision is above the area you sit on. Now I have subtle curves, instead of a rhinoceros butt. At last, I feel I can get on with my life. I wish I'd known this was possible years ago."

Stephanie Williams, director of the London Cavendish International, says the bottom lift isn't yet common, although it's becoming more popular.

"Most women don't talk about it. It means admitting they had a hang-up. Now women wear trousers 90 per cent of the time, it can feel even more important to be happy with the size and shape of your bottom."

This dissatisfaction is partly to do with being British. If Beth had grown up in other parts of the world, she might never have resorted to surgery. In America, cosmetic surgeons are making money from the fashion there for big bottoms. The actress Jennifer Lopez is noted for her ample derriere. "I could serve coffee using my rear as a ledge," she has said.

Thomas Roberts, an American surgeon, specialises in sculpting bottoms - coaxing them into a fuller, plumper shape. Women shop for the bottom of their choice via his website (www.betterbuttocks.com). His most popular technique is "micro-fat grafting", which syphons off fat from the thigh or the abdomen, the hips or the lower back, then transports it through a special tube and inserts the living fat cells through small incisions in the upper buttocks.

Those who don't have enough fat to spare can opt for a buttock implant, using a material which is as soft as - but stronger than - breast implants. Dr Roberts makes an incision in the crease between the buttocks and places the implant underneath the gluteus maximus muscle.

But even without resorting to surgery, plenty can be done to look after the bottom you've got, says Sally Penford, education manager at the International Dermal Institute, a postgraduate training school for skincare therapists. "You can use a dry body brush to help move the lymph towards the lymphatic nodes. This encourages circulation and exfoliation. Be careful not to cause reddening of the tissues, though.

"Gentle peel products are also very good at removing dead cells, leaving the skin smoother and softer. It's also a good idea to drink plenty of water and use a body moisturiser. Sitting down all day encourages puffiness and cellulite. Exercise will help deal with that. Women do get worried about their bottoms but there's a lot you can do both to improve the aesthetic appearance and your health."

The London Cavendish International helpline: 01727 812757

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001