Scotland's rapidly growing cosmetic industry is part beauty – and part beast.
A surge in innovation and availability of clinics means consumers have more treatments to choose from than ever before, and the opportunity to benefit from world-class expertise to enhance their looks and rejuvenate their skin.
While the only option for previous generations was to go under the knife with expensive plastic surgery, advances in lasers, energy devices, and injectables such as Botox mean that roughly 90% of the procedures being carried out today are non-surgical, minimally invasive, and much more affordable.
On the flipside, an explosion in unregulated practitioners is being blamed for a surge in people suffering horrific injuries and disfigurements – sometimes with little prospect of compensation.
The Herald launches its latest in-depth series investigating the state of Scotland's cosmetic sector, how we got here, and what's next.
Day One
From taboo to trends: Why Scotland's newest private hospital is for cosmetic surgery
On the outskirts of Edinburgh city centre, tucked away among the capital's £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration project and overlooking the Firth of Forth, is Scotland's newest private hospital. But this hospital is the only hospital in Scotland dedicated to cosmetic surgery. Health correspondent Helen McArdle investigates.
I tried Scotland's newest skin tightening procedure – so what's it like?
For the series, health correspondent Helen McArdle arrived at Essence Medical to experience something she had never done before: her first cosmetic procedure. Follow Helen as she tries out one of the new procedures.
Explained in Five Minutes: What is Botox, how does it work, who discovered it?
Botox is the brand name for Botulinum toxin - the UK's most popular form of anti-wrinkle treatment. Helen McArdle breaks down frequently asked questions about the treatment.
Cosmetic dentistry is on the rise – but don't blur line between beauty and function
The widespread belief across Scottish dentistry is that there is nothing more aesthetic than a healthy natural tooth in the correct position. Yet, patient expectations have also risen alongside the advancing technology. Dentist Philip Friel breaks down the rise of cosmetic dentistry.
Exclusive: Independent clinics surge 150 per cent amid cosmetic treatment boom
Official figures show a rapid expansion in the number of regulated clinics – but it comes about growing concerns that patients are coming to harm from unregulated practitioners. Helen McArdle reports.
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