By Plastic Surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer. 

Following on from a successful first appearance in season 13 of The Alan Titchmarsh show where I spoke about post pregnancy tummies, Dr Anita Sturnham, dietician Lucy Jones and I returned for the second episode, where we spoke about everything from gaining weight to removing bunions.

Gaining weight

Many men across the country aspire to lose weight, not gain, but the problem of anorexia or being underweight is almost as big as the issue of obesity. Many underweight people suffer because it’s genetic, and therefore adding weight can be difficult. During the show we touched on the fact that many underweight people try and tackle their problem with junk food which actually has detrimental effects on their health. Many underweight people actually suffer from the same cardio-vascular problems as overweight people.

It is important to remember that if you’re looking to gain weight after drastic weight loss, you should make sure that the weight loss wasn't down to an underlying health condition. Eating disorders, thyroid disorders, heart disease, diabetes and even some forms of cancer can cause weight loss, so if you’re unsure about your weight loss, do make an appointment to see your GP.

If you’re looking to gain weight or ‘bulk up’ then there are a number of things you can do. Eat 3 regular meals a day with snacks, as this will keep your body ticking over instead of gorging at certain times of the day. You can also do some physical exercise and spend time in the gym, but make sure that you’re eating enough calories a day, to avoid detrimental effects to your health.

Abdominal muscle sculpting

After gaining weight many men will hanker for that well defined, muscular body they see in many films and TV shows. Although plastic surgery can help men achieve the body they desire, it shouldn't be used as a substitute for hard work and a healthy diet.

Men looking to sport a six pack can undergo laser liposuction which targets smaller fat pockets and can help men achieve the six pack look. Many cosmetic surgeons offer abdominal implants that will help create the ’rippling’ image. I personally feel these look fake and unnatural and are no substitute to hard work!

As I've mentioned before, plastic surgery is not the complete answer for most men looking to develop six packs and toned abdomens. There is no substitute for hard work in the gym and a healthy diet that promotes muscle building.

Bunions

Bunions can be hugely embarrassing for men and women. A bunion is simply a bony deformity of the joint at the bottom of the big toe that causes it to point inwards, in serious cases pushing the smaller toes above it.

Bunions can occur due to a number of reasons. Reasons include genetics and arthritis, but the most common is poorly fitted shoes. Poorly fitted shoes are the reason for the majority of bunion cases found in women.

Thankfully bunions are fairly easy to treat. Treatment techniques have improved dramatically over the last 5-10 years with many podiatrists and orthopaedic surgeons able to remove bunions with minimal evasive surgery. Most surgeries can cure bunions in around 85% of cases.

I personally believe that prevention is better than a cure, so unless your bunions are due to genetic conditions or any underlying health problems, it is important to make sure all your shoes are properly fitted! If you’re young and suffering from the first symptoms of a bunion, I recommend you have the surgery now and change your life habits instead of waiting until you are older, when the bunions could be more severe and the surgery more complex.

If you would like to speak with me about any plastic surgery or arrange a consultation, please get in touch. I also regularly talk about the latest plastic surgery trends and issues on my Twitter, Facebook and Google+ page.