The secret is out. Top sporting personalities have beauty treatments – including having their lips plumped.
This is done, they say, to counteract the ageing effects of the sun.
Being in the spotlight and spending long hours in the sun put pressure on sports personalities, compelling some of them to seek cosmetic procedures so they keep up with appearances.
Among sport personalities who have had some beauty treatment are Blue Bulls players.
Some of them have had their lips plumped, with others have gone for a light chemical peel called a glycopeel.
Last week Dr Riekie Smit, who chairs the Aesthetic & Anti-Ageing Medicine Society of South Africa, said some Blue Bulls players had come through the society’s rooms.
“Yes, I have treated some Blue Bull players,” she said, explaining that famous sports people had to look after themselves because they appeared in the media. “There is a lot of pressure on them and they are being criticised a lot.
“Usually they suffer from skin breaks due to stress and severe sweating, therefore the superficial chemical peels are very popular treatments as this keeps their skins healthy and looking good,” Dr Smit said.
But Smit is mum on whom she had treated.
Other treatments were focused on specific problems that had to do with their appearance, she said.
Over the past few years several South African politicians and celebrities have admitted to going for beauty treatment.
DA leader Helen Zille is among those politicians to have admitted to Botox treatment, a procedure done to keep the appearance of old age at bay.
Dr Smit said: “Sports people often have severe sun damage because of long hours exercising in the sun; therefore treatments to remove sun damage on the skin is also very popular.”
Treatment costs varied tremendously, but most cosmetic treatments were quite affordable in South Africa, Smit said.
Some of the treatments were more costly in other countries, Smit said.
“That is why we have many international guests coming to our country for these treatments.” – Pretoria News