What would you do to get a toned stomach?
The 90s trend of high-waisted trousers and Spice Girl-esque crop tops have made a comeback this year but as a result, doctors say increasing numbers of young women are seeking treatment on this newly exposed area.
Experts at Dr Newmans Clinic, the UK’s only doctor-led thread vein removal specialists, have reported a 20% increase in women undergoing treatment on thread veins in the subcostal margin – the area between the edges of the ribs, down to the soft abdomen.
The rising demand for thread vein removal in this area is thought to be a reflection of the growing trend in the UK to bare the midriff, no matter what the weather.
Earlier this year, fashion bible Vogue UK proclaimed that the exposed midriff trend was set to explode in Spring/Summer 2014, banishing low cut jeans to the back of the wardrobe. Instead, high-waisted skirts and high-rise jeans worn with a crop top or a bralet are ‘in’.
Rita Ora loves a crop topThe trend has been embraced by celebrities such as Ellie Goulding and Rita Ora who regularly show off their toned tums at awards ceremonies, music videos, nights out and regular “selfies’ on Twitter and Instagram.
Dr Peter Finigan, Medical Director at Dr Newmans Clinic said: “Whereas the most common areas people have thread veins treated are faces and legs, recently we have seen a sharp rise in the number of 20-40 year olds coming in with concerns about thread veins in the subcostal margin.
“Many women feel self-conscious wearing a bikini or crop top if they have thread veins in this area – which usually appear in a ‘belt’ of tiny, vertical red lines.”
Doctors say that many women often have a genetic predisposition to suffering from thread veins on this part of the body. Patients are usually very fair skinned and redheads are even more likely to have them.
Dr Finigan added: “Interestingly, the patients we have treated for this area over the last 12 months have been getting younger, with the majority aged between 20 and 30.”
Emma Watson flaunts her taut stomachOther celebrities who are fans of the exposed midriff include Emma Watson, Cheryl Cole, Cara Delevingne, and Abbey Clancy, who just weeks ago posted a “selfie” of herself in her Calvin Klein underwear and boasted a picture perfect midriff.
However, last year, psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd warned that “selfies” could be damaging to young people. She said although comparison happens in every day life, it is exacerbated by social networking sites such as Facebook. She said many young people post photographs of themselves online in a bid for approval and attention - but reminded them that celebrity “selfies” and posts portray consciously edited versions of themselves.
Dr Finigan added: “We do also treat older women up to the age of 40, but patient numbers tend to fall after this age. This could be down to older women preferring not to bare their midriff, or perhaps becoming more body confident as they get older.”
Sarah Hyland recently wore a crop top at the Emmy AwardsDr Newmans Clinic treats more than 2,000 patients every year at its clinics across the UK, through a treatment called “Thermocoagulation”, which uses microwaves to heat fine blood vessels and destroy them quickly, without scarring.
The energy is transferred to the affected area via an ultra-fine insulated needle to ensure accurate application and when the high-frequency energy (4Mhz) is passed through the vein, is causes it to collapse and instantly disappear.
Thread veins are often associated with heavy drinking, but experts say they can be caused by a myriad of factors, including too much sun, hormones and pregnancy, a genetic predisposition or an underlying skin condition such as rosacea.
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