Oap to OMG: The Rise of ‘Silver’ Cosmetic Surgery

Silver surgery – cosmetic surgery for those in their twilight years – has become a hot topic around the world thanks to one woman: Marie Kolstad. The 83-year-old has made headlines around the globe after revealing the results of a boob job.

As is to be expected, it's an operation that's proved pretty controversial. Doctors have lined up to write articles in the Daily Mail chastising the Californian for going under the knife at such an old age. Columnists, commentators, forum posters and Twitter users have been equally scathing, with only a handful defending Ms Kolstad's right to change her body as she sees fit.

And as for the woman herself? Well, given the fact she still works full time as a property manager, rather than rocking in the corner of her living room sucking Werthers Originals, she's been pretty forthright about her procedure. "Your breasts go in one direction and your brain goes in another," she told the New York Times. "Physically, I'm in good health, and I just feel like, why not take advantage of it? I want my children to be proud of what I look like."

It's her final comment that's the most interesting off, the suggestion that Ms Kolstad had the work done as much for other people as herself. Without wanting to put too fine a point on it, some would argue this is indicative of how image obsessed society has become as a whole.

Given that the widower is working in the high-powered world of property, it's hardly surprising that the octogenarian wants to appear as young as possible, and is looking to get any advantage she can over her rivals. And she's certainly not the only one. While Ms Kolstad is certainly the most extreme example to hit the headlines around the world, it's becoming more and more common for women of all ages to wind the clock back with the help of cosmetic surgery or non-cosmetic treatments.

From facelifts and dermal fillers to Botox and facial peels, there's a whole range of invasive and non-invasive ways to smooth out wrinkles and reverse the ageing process to reveal a revitalised and rejuvenated you. And the figures suggest that these treatments and more are growing in popularity, both in the UK and US, with figures from both the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reporting big patient volume increases earlier this year. Silver surgery, it seems, is only going to grow and grow.