Dr Lyras' interview in "The Cyprus weekly" Newspaper

‘The Secret of Brazilian Beauty’

 Plastic surgeon Dr. Ioannis Lyras visited Cyprus to present his book and

revealed some of the secrets behind staying beautiful

November 11th,  2012.

 The renowned plastic surgeon Ivo Pitanguy once said: “I cannot tell you what beauty is, but I will recognise it when I see it.

 “Beautiful is anything that makes you feel happy when you look at it; that applies not only to humans, but anything you can see, touch, or taste that gives you pleasure is beautiful,” adds plastic surgeon Dr. Ioannis Lyras.

 Beauty, however difficult to define, is perhaps one of the most important parts of people’s lives, as the way they look and the way they are regarded by others in society has a significant impact on their self-confidence and overall mental and psychological well-being.

 Beauty and ageing play a big role in people’s lives, especially for women, who often have difficulties accepting the changes that the years inevitably bring about.

 “Plastic surgery is about helping someone who is young and beautiful on the inside, look equally young and beautiful on the outside,” says Lyras, who visits Cyprus every six weeks for consultations and surgeries.

 Having completed his training in Brazil under Ivo Pitanguy, Lyras is a strong advocate of the simplicity and naturalness of Brazilian beauty and Brazilian plastic surgery.

 “The methods are far simpler, less painful and have a much more natural effect, with the least possible hassle for the interested party,” he says.

 Beyond plastic surgery, Brazilian culture and lifestyle also contribute to the beauty of Brazilians, who are considered one the most beautiful people in the world, according to Lyras.

 To begin with, he claims, the secret behind Brazilian beauty is the mixing of the races.

“Brazil has the largest mixed-raced population in the world and has made a great contribution to the development of globalisation and the mixing of different races, which has lead to the creation of gorgeous new shapes and beautiful new ethnicities.”

 Another factor that comes into the equation is the Brazilian lifestyle, mainly the tropical diet and exercise routines.

 “Brazilians never stop moving, they never spend time just lying on the sofa, the gyms in Brazil are packed with people from as early as 6.30am every day, they are always dancing, getting ready for the carnival or practising for sporting events, which also explains why they have Olympic medals in all sports and especially team sports,” he continues.

 Lyras has been a certified plastic surgeon for more than 20 years and has operated on more than 12,000 people. He is the president of the European Academy of Plastic Surgery (EAPS) and the head of plastic surgery at Athens Medical Centre. He currently operates in hospitals in Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete and has been operating in Cyprus since 2004.

 He acknowledges that Cypriots and especially Cypriot women are very well informed about plastic surgery issues and are very open about the possibility of having work done, although the financial crisis has lead to a decline in the number of surgeries he performs.

“I have noticed a drop since the financial crisis in Cyprus last September. The financial measures that are being taken render cosmetic procedures a luxury and therefore people have justly put them on hold. However, I think that those who are truly interested in having something done will still want to go through with it in two years time when, in my opinion, the situation will improve.”

 Throughout his career, Lyras has had consultations with more than 80,000 people, while the cases that resulted in surgery are in fact far less, as there are certain criteria that interested parties need to meet in order for the procedure to move forward.

 One of the ‘a priori’ conditions of plastic surgery is of course the existence of an actual problem. “A person who gets as far as my office usually has an objective problem that needs correcting, although views may differ as to the extent of the problem, but those who don’t have a real problem are automatically rejected as surgical candidates,” he stresses.

 A clean bill of health is another factor taken into account in the selection of possible candidates, as pre-existing health problems need to be treated or regulated before any surgical procedures can take place.

 Having unrealistic expectations or excessive demands is another parameter of candidate selection. “We use a computer generated image to show the interested parties what the end result will look like, so a person who feels that this is not enough, or who

wants something excessive done is politely turned down.” Finally, psychological and emotional stability are factors that influence a plastic surgeon’s decision as to whether or not a surgical procedure can be beneficial.

 “People who are very pessimistic or depressed usually have underlying psychological issues which will not likely be resolved through the procedure. The important

thing in plastic surgery is not the actual result, but the level of satisfaction that it will offer the individual.

 Therefore, if we believe that the individual will not be satisfied even with the best possible result, then we do not go through with the surgery.” Lyras’ book “The Secret of Brazilian Beauty” is written in Greek and can be found in bookstores and online.

A new book will be available soon which contains the most memorable stories from his career.