Malaga congress centre turns into an open cosmetic clinic

Some 100 people underwent cosmetic procedures of different kinds as the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos in Malaga turned into a open medical centre in February.

The three-day congress for the Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SEME) saw a number of new beauty procedures being carried out, free of charge, on volunteers. These volunteers signed disclaimers and allowed the techniques to be filmed. Their progress will be monitored closely by designated aesthetic medicine professionals in the area in which they live.

These aim of this congress was to bring together some 1,600 medical professionals and to demonstrate to them some of the newest cosmetic techniques currently being practised around the world, with a special stress on improving the wellbeing and quality of life of patients.

Dr Juan Antonio López Pitalúa, member of the SEME board of directors, believes that aesthetic medicine has come a long way in the last 30 years: "We have taken an enormous leap in quality [during that time] and now there is a wide range of techniques available."

The most popular interventions, he says, are botox injections and fillers, especially in the face area. However, other procedures, such as treatment for wrinkles and skin sagging are not far behind.

The demand from men is also on the increase, he says, with interventions on males soon expected to account for up to 25 per cent of the total.