Grazia - A-list nip/tuck secrets revealed

The best surgery isn’t pumped up or obvious.

Instead, says Shannon Leeman, plastic surgery

advisor to the A-list, it’s subtle and totally discreet

(just like her). Here, she shares her tips with Grazia

When international plastic surgery advisor Shannon Leeman goes to a party she’s the most popular woman there. ‘I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been pulled into hotel and restaurant lavatories to give an opinion on a once-pert breast or wobbly thigh,’ she says. Shannon’s not a doctor, she’s a surgery advisor; her clients (some of them A-list) are women looking to have surgery and it’s her job to hunt down the best surgeon for their needs. Years in the industry meeting doctors, studying results and watching operations means that she knows all there is to know; from who does the most flattering facelift to where to get the best Botox in New York, Rome and London.

‘I have the inside track to the best, most experienced doctors around the world,’ she says. As part of her luxury personal service, she organises patients’ pre- and postoperative care. ‘From holding their hand to holding the ice pack, I’m there. I book all private nurses, hotels, drivers and food (even when it’s served through a straw).’ It also explains why she sometimes she gets ignored at parties, too. ‘Past clients pretend they’ve never met me, so no one will know they’ve had work done!’ she laughs. Which is hardly surprising; her clients include two Oscar-winning actresses and an infamous ‘It’ girl.

The secrets behind keeping it secret

Working with high-profile clients, Shannon knows exactly how to keep surgery a secret. For example, she often makes a patient’s initial consultation in her own name. ‘I don’t want my clients’ names scrawled in an appointment book for anyone to see,’ she says. ‘If you’re really famous, your surgeon will create double files and pseudonyms – and even come to your house for after-hours bandage

and stitch removals,’ she says. ‘One well-known A-list surgeon in the US has a private elevator that leads straight from the underground garage into his office, so his pashmina-wrapped patients never have to set foot on a public pavement.’

But even if you don’t require this level of secrecy, here’s Shannon’s advice on keeping your ‘work’ quiet.

‘Stop talking about what you want done – or even what you don’t like about yourself. It’s almost impossible to get away with surgery if you’ve already told people your flaws, so keep your droopy breasts and thin lips between yourself and your surgeon. One of my clients even explained away her facelift stitches to her husband by saying she’d been in a car accident. It was only when he wanted to sue the cab driver that she had to confess!’

‘If you’re well-known (or paranoid), book your first appointment under a fake name and admit your real one later. But don’t lie about any medical conditions or past surgery; you don’t want your surgeon to have a surprise when he has to hack through unexpected scar tissue.’

How to get top-quality care

‘Many women spend more time shopping for a handbag than they do researching their surgeon,’ says Shannon. Here’s how to get it right:

‘In the UK, I refer to surgeons qualified in plastic surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons and registered with the UK General Medical Council (see gmc-uk.org and read up at dh.gov.uk/cosmeticsurgery). Abroad, doctors should be registered with the appropriate regulatory body. Check that the diplomas on the wall aren’t just from a Botox day course.’

‘Forget bargain-basement chop shops unless you want to appear on a “what went wrong”

TV show. Never skimp on your face or body; save up until you can afford the best.’

‘Ask which operations your surgeon specialises in. Surgeons are trained to perform most procedures, but usually have a speciality. Never go to a breast doctor for your nose job.’

‘Check out the waiting room, the office staff and even the surgeon’s wife, if you can. They’re all good indicators of his work; if the receptionist looks like she works in a strip joint, you will too.’

‘Look around the office. Is it clean? Is it organised? If the answer to any of these is no,

get out of there!’

‘When you’ve chosen your surgeon, book the first surgery of the day. A fresh surgeon is always best. Who wants to be the last lipo of the day or the final facelift? All surgeons start in the early hours, so take your arnica (recommended for faster healing) and get to bed early. Have everything in place: who’s going to pick you up, your medications, pillows and ice packs.’

Why surgery isn’t a miracle cure

‘Surgery isn’t the answer to everything,’ says Shannon. Here’s why:  ‘Liposuction doesn’t cure cellulite. The skin around the lipoed areas tends to sag once the intitial swelling has gone; any cellulite you had before can be made worse.’

‘Too much surgery can leave you looking like a walking nip/tuck ad. Remember, less is more.’

‘Be prepared to age a little gracefully. One woman I saw had had 23 operations on her eyes – in the end they didn’t shut and she had no eyelids left. Don’t let that be you.’

‘Even the best facelifts show a little. If a woman with a facelift bends over, you’ll see a little pouch on the side of her mouth that flaps forward.’ 

If you have any plastic surgery questions, email them to health@graziamagazine.co.uk. We’re sorry, but Shannon can’t answer all questions personally. To arrange a consultation, go to shannonleeman.com or call 020 7727 6978.

Strange but true...

Shannon shares the surgery industry secrets you'd never guess

‘All surgeons practise new techniques or troubleshoot old ones on corpses.

It’s gruesome but better than them practising on us, I suppose.’

‘It can take years and lots of operations to create whopper breasts like those

belonging to Lea from Big Brother. The skin needs to be stretched with increasing

sizes of implants. Surgeons don’t like to admit to doing freakish operations like these;

one famous US plastic surgeon has a back door where he meets patients at night, as

he doesn’t want his bread-and-butter patients to see these balloon-breasted women.’

‘Many women tell me their tummy-tuck has done them a huge favour in the sex department. It’s because it pulls up the skin, which gives better contact.’

SHANNON’S FAVOURITE DOCTORS

LONDON

Norman Waterhouse for facelifts and breasts. His work is beautiful; his jawlines are fine and like nobody else’s. www.norman-waterhouse.com; 020 7636 4073.

Jan Stanek for facelifts. He gives a very natural look, and his scars are discreet. www.surgical aesthetics.com; 020 7487 4454.

Basim Matti for facelifts and eyes. He works with the curve of your face to create volume in the right places. www.bmplastic

surgery.com; 020 7637 9595.

Marco Lens for eyes. He gives a natural result that follows a woman’s original eyeline and opens up the patient’s eye.

020 7487 5407.

Dr Rita Rakus for Botox and injectibles, especially lips. Great if you’re nervous, as her work is subtle and beautiful and she’ll build up slowly. www.drritarakus.com; 020 7460 7324.

EUROPE

In Rome: Marco Gasparotti

for liposuction. His speciality is the ‘happy bottom’, sculpting the buttocks into the shape of two smiles. www.marcogasparotti.com; 0039 06 88 64 43 49.

In Paris: Gilbert Aiach for noses. He’s known for his strong noses and fine adjustments.

0033 1 45 53 57 57.

US

In NYC: Dan Baker for facelifts. He’s famous for making beautiful women even more beautiful.

001 212 734 9695.

In LA: Peter Fodor for liposuction. Expensive, but

offers a bespoke service for the A-list. www.centurycitycosmetic

surgery.com.

In NYC: Gerald Pitman for liposuction – he creates a lovely silhouette. 001 212 517 2600.

In NYC: Pat Wexler for injections – he’s known for being very thorough. 001 212 684 2626.