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Plastic Fantastic

Talking to a cosmetic surgery consultant may seem like an unnecessary waste of your surgery budget, but it could save you more than just cash. BuyAssociation Health & Beauty editor Felicity Quigley interviews “The Knife Coach” Wendy Lewis to see how they can add value.

I must admit that when I originally discovered the concept of the cosmetic surgery advisor, my response was cynical – given that the industry has experienced a large growth spurt in the last few years, I thought perhaps that these self-styled advisers were merely supping from the cup of people’s insecurities and dipping into their pockets whilst doing it. I pictured meeting a consultant and being sized up as to what nips and tucks I myself should have, from liposuction to Botox, and being advised to act accordingly, lest my imperfect outer self be perceived by others to be well, imperfect.

I have an appointment to meet Wendy Lewis in the coffee bar of a swanky Knightsbridge hotel. Arriving there I am pleasantly surprised to meet a warm, down to earth and almost maternal lady, who, admittedly, looks as if she has had some ‘work done’, though not in a flashy or distasteful way (I later find out that this is due to the fact that she has regular Botox and non permanent facial fillers, more of which later).

Wendy’s role as a cosmetic surgery consultant as she describes it to me, is part counsellor, part adviser and part friend. Preferring to be called an “image consultant”, Wendy deals with all aspects of a person’s image, whether it is skin care, styling or surgery. “I help people with image enhancement concerns, and that can be for anything like removal of acne scars, hair loss or something more extreme, like facelifts,” she tells me. I’m also interested to find out that 80 per cent of the consultations she does are for above the neck. In other words, Wendy specializes in facial work.

Splitting her time between New York, LA, London and now Palm Beach, I was surprised to find that many of her consultations with clients were done over the telephone. “It’s much more cost effective for the client,” she says. “I do charge £400 for a personal face to face visit, whereas a telephone consult is just US$300 (£150).” Questioned about how this is possible, Wendy says that she requires a full facial photograph from the client prior to the call. “We’ll start off talking about what it is the client doesn’t like about their appearance, rather than specific treatments. If I can see that the client may need something as simple as a microdermabrasion treatment, rather than full skin resurfacing or lasers, for example, that’s what I’ll recommend. Equally, some issues such as saggy jowls don’t require a full facelift, and I will point that out.”

Following the consultation, Wendy will prepare a full list of recommendations and include details of selected treatments, as well as a list of recommended surgeons (if applicable) and treatment centres. Although she doesn’t sell particular products, or have vested interests, she is a big fan of certain treatments and brands, which she’ll also put on the list. This follow up involves ensuring that her recommendations are tailored to the client’s needs and budget, as well as their location. “At the moment, given the exchange rate, it can be cheaper for someone in the UK to go to the US for surgery – and it doesn’t necessarily have to be in New York or LA. Other big regional cities such as Chicago have good surgeons,” she says. Wendy is at pains to stress, however, that it is very important to ensure that your surgeon provides good aftercare, and that you should take a good amount of time to heal before travelling after a procedure. “A good surgeon will be very careful to ensure that you do not get on a plane too early after surgery.”



I ask Wendy if there are any surgical and non-invasive treatments she doesn’t advocate, and the list is surprisingly long. “Cheek implants,” she says adamantly. “It’s just not a good look – kind of eighties – think Bo Derek, all bones.” Wendy would rather recommend a non permanent filler, which is less extreme, and though it isn’t permanent, means that as you age and your cheeks sag, you can have more treatments to keep up with it. “I also have a problem with thread lifts (which are more popular in the UK), simply because they don’t last. If you are planning on having the skin on your face lifted back, it is worth having a facelift instead.” The other treatment she doesn’t hold stock with is permanent fillers, “permanent fillers create permanent problems,” she says.

On the more serious side, Wendy tells me that up to a third of her clients seek her advice because of previous botched surgery. “This is one of the aspects of the job that is most distressing to me. When someone comes to me after having a surgery disaster, they are damaged – angry, scared and distrustful of the industry as a whole. They are in pain, both physically and mentally. It’s my role to help them get as much of themselves back as possible, and that’s not always possible,” she warns. It was as a result of one of these people coming to her in the first place that got her into becoming an adviser in the first place. Wendy was managing a plastic surgery practice in New York when a friend of a friend of hers had some facial surgery go wrong. She approached Wendy for help, and doing some research, Wendy managed to find the surgeon who had actually invented the procedure and arranged to have the problem fixed. Apparently, the patient was a well known New York society figure, and she was so delighted with the final result that Wendy realized that there was a real need for people to be given good advice before embarking on plastic surgery.

10 years into her thriving business, Wendy has seen a huge growth in the plastic surgery business, and says she is seeing an increasing number of male clients, as well as younger women. It seems as if the more socially acceptable cosmetic surgery is becoming, the more the industry needs advisers like Wendy to ensure people are receiving the right treatments from the right doctors. Talking to someone you trust before you make that cut is crucial, and as I left the swish hotel coffee bar I felt like I had met someone I could trust with giving me the right advice on that all important issue of self image.

For more information on Wendy’s service, visit www.wlbeauty.com

Wendy Lewis’s book, “Plastic Makes Perfect” Orion Books, is available now for £16.99

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