Vanity Insanity

The spa experience has primarily been a woman's domain until now. Today's men are eradicating stereotypes and challenging common traditions, proving that personal care and grooming are not for women only.

As an interior designer, Diane Marks knows the importance of looking good. In her line of work, it's all about appearances and being able to sell a certain look.

Over the years, we've seen jewelry work its way all over the body, from rings and necklaces to earrings and body piercings. What about jewelry for the teeth?

The body is a canvass for personal expression, and people are always finding new methods to express themselves. Toted as the next step in tattoo art, scarification involves carving a design into the skin.

Rozanne Thornton hates her hands. She thinks the big, blue bulging veins that have appeared over time show her age in a most unflattering way.

Beauty comes in various forms, even though all models tend to fit the same mold. Ellen Stohl, however, was not your average model.

After having three children, Tammy Hopkins' baby-bearing years are complete. Now that the kids are grown, Tammy wants a more satisfying relationship with her husband in the bedroom.

After having three children, Tammy Hopkins' baby-bearing years are complete. Now that the kids are grown, Tammy wants a more satisfying relationship with her husband in the bedroom.

At the age of six, Bettina Olcay's daughter suffered a stroke that was followed by a series of seizures. For Bettina, the stress took a toll on her health, virtually aging her face by 10 years.

Having a mom who's connected in the plastic surgery world may have its advantages. For 18-year-old William Sheridan, it's a lifesaver. As a chunky kid with a broken nose from football, William is very self-conscious of how he looks.

How young is too young to start getting pampered? Emily Grommer got her first pedicure when she was ten years old. Some may say this only serves to spoil a child, while others see it as a good time to learn proper hygiene.

For most of us, the term "bearded lady" conjures up images of large ladies in freak show circuses. For Jennifer Miller, it's a way of life.

Steve Erhardt, dubbed the living "Ken Doll" by U.S. media, has had nearly 40 cosmetic surgeries. At age 49, he admits he may have an issue with addiction yet insists he just wants to look good, to keep his edge in Hollywood.

The self-styled "Cocktail Doll," Dollie is a Las Vegas cocktail waitress with years of experience and strong opinions on the service industry in Vegas – she says she knows exactly what girls need to do to succeed at her job.

The self-styled "Cocktail Doll," Dollie is a Las Vegas cocktail waitress with years of experience and strong opinions on the service industry in Vegas – she says she knows exactly what girls need to do to succeed at her job.

Buff bodies are a common sight in sunny Florida, where more and more seniors are embracing a fit lifestyle. Doris Barilleaux has been bodybuilding competitively since she was a young woman; now 76, she photographs other bodybuilders for magazines.

When she heard about liposuction on a TV advertisement, housewife Mona Alley knew it was for her and those last several pounds around her stomach that she just couldn't shake.

Mary Nissenson was a successful and attractive on-air reporter when she decided to get a facelift to keep youthful-looking. The surgery triggered a rare side effect – Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy – leaving her in excruciating pain 24/7.

At an anti-aging convention in Vegas, everyone claims to have found the latest fountain of youth, from crystals to lasers to oils, and eager consumers flock to the booths to learn how they can turn back the hands of time.

South Miami is a hotbed for illicit procedures; many unsuspecting patients opt for fillers on the black market where they're cheaper but end up paying far more in the damage done to their bodies.

The TUBA technique involves inserting breast implants by way of the belly button. The surgery is quick, leaves minimal or invisible scarring, with less risk of nerve damage and a quick recovery.

At the age of 12, Brooke Bates weighed 225 pounds, suffered daily humiliation at school, and believed she was going to die in a few years if she didn't lose the weight.

New York Times reporter Alex Kuczynski, author of "Beauty Junkies: Inside Our $15 Billion Obsession with Cosmetic Surgery", shares her own colourful tale of the lengths she once went to in the pursuit of perfection as a cosmetic surgery addict.

The pressure on girls aspiring to ballerina status to be tall, thin, lithe, and beautiful starts at a young age – and never gets easier. Two dancers trained in classical ballet share their personal experiences.

The Lap-Band is a less-invasive, adjustable, and reversible alternative to the gastric bypass procedure for seriously overweight people and comes without the gastric's fatality risks.

Men today are perhaps as concerned with looking good and keeping themselves impeccably groomed as women are. Kevin Lorage is a self-proclaimed "metrosexual," a man who enjoys his trips to the spa and designer clothing stores.