Cosmetic surgery: Facing the facts
August 22, 2006 | 12:00am
Who hasn’t looked in the mirror and wanted to change a feature? Maybe it’s the nose that you inherited from your father. Or the large mole that you’ve always had on your cheek. Or the lines, sags, and wrinkles caused by the passing years and too much sun exposure.
Today, a growing variety of cosmetic procedures make it possible to address these problems and more. And judging by recent statistics, many people are choosing to do just that. In 2004 alone, 11.9 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States, and American consumers spent $8.4 billion on the treatments.
People turn to cosmetic procedures for a variety of reasons: to enhance their appearance, erase the ravages of time, improve skin tone and coloring, rejuvenate aging tissues, elevate sagging breasts, and reshape body parts. Some seek a boost to their self-esteem, others an advantage in the boardroom where a more youthful look may create an impression of greater vitality.
If you are considering a cosmetic procedure, it’s wise to do your homework. Cosmetic procedures require specialized training and almost always entail some risks. Choices are plentiful, and the technology is complex. In addition, misinformation abounds. Entering into a cosmetic procedure with faulty information could leave you unsatisfied and broke. The results can be even worse if you put yourself in the hands of an unscrupulous or unqualified practitioner.
Statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reveal just how much interest in cosmetic procedures has surged. In 1997, just over two million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed by ASAPS members. By 2004, that number had swelled to nearly 12 million – that’s an increase of 465 percent! The same upward trend has been noted in the Philippines.
Why are cosmetic procedures so popular? It’s partly the result of our youth-worshipping culture, and our unabashed openness about wanting to look our best, which usually means younger and more sensual. It’s also due to the development of improved methods and products that not only are safer, quicker, and less painful than earlier ones, but also produce results that look more natural and last longer. These new techniques also offer a shorter and less intense recovery period, and leave behind fewer telltale marks.
Other factors contribute to the burgeoning interest in cosmetic procedures. Awareness of the damaging effects of the sun has grown in recent years, but for many people, this knowledge comes after years of sun worshipping and premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
Finally, several prime-time TV shows about radical cosmetic makeovers have inspired many a newcomer to enter the world of cosmetic procedures.
While women make up the majority of patients seeking cosmetic treatments, the appeal of these procedures crosses sex, age, and ethnic lines. Men and women, young and old alike, are seeking more procedures than ever before. From 2000 to 2004, the number of women in the US having cosmetic surgery swelled by 26 percent and the number of men seeking these treatments grew by 16 percent, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Also consider your mental health before deciding that cosmetic surgery is the right answer for you. Cosmetic surgery is often touted these days as a self-esteem boost and perhaps it can be. But is it the right one for you? Are you considering cosmetic surgery for yourself or because you’re hoping it will make your mate happy? Are you trying to affect other people’s perceptions of you? Cosmetic surgery can’t guarantee that people will treat you the way you’d like them to.
Some people suffer from a distorted body image, focusing on a cosmetic flaw they think is disfiguring but which most people don’t even notice. If you are considering surgery to fix a weight problem, for example, when most people consider you to be at a normal weight, this may be an issue. While surgery may help you look better, it won’t make you happier if your underlying problem is more psychological than physical.
There are other issues that may suggest a need for caution or counseling before deciding plastic surgery is for you. If you’re under a great deal of stress, have recently lost a loved one or just separated from your spouse, it’s wise to work through your problems before you leap into a surgery. Those with unrealistically high expectations, such as trying to restore the way they looked in their 20s, may also be setting themselves up for problems and may end up very disappointed. You may have seen dramatic transformations on reality TV, but those surgeries cost many thousands of dollars and may not be safe for many patients. If your doctor does suggest counseling, ask him what his concerns are and take him up on it. Surgery can be painful and difficult and, even for the well-adjusted, changing your appearance can take some getting used to.
Another issue is to consider how well your cosmetic surgery fits into your lifestyle. Perhaps the most dramatic problem occurs for smokers, who are far more likely to have problems healing from certain procedures because smoking inhibits the flow of blood to the skin. Even if you do have the surgery, smoking accelerates the wrinkling process and you simply may not get as good or as lasting a result as you would like. Other lifestyle considerations also come into play. If you drink a lot of alcohol or worship the sun without the benefit of sunblock, you may also complicate the healing process. Are you willing to change your lifestyle to accommodate the surgery? Another issue is simply time. If you elect to have a surgical procedure, you may need to take several days to weeks off work for proper recovery, though the amount of downtime varies with each procedure. You’ll also need a family member or friend to take care of you while you recuperate. You may not be able to drive or exercise or perform other parts of your normal routine for several weeks. Can you fit all that in your busy schedule?
And of course, there’s the cost. Remember, cosmetic surgery is almost never covered by insurance so you will have to pay the full cost out of your own pocket. Be sure to ask your doctor for a full accounting of all the fees involved in a procedure so you can be sure you can afford it.
Finally, discuss with your doctor all the possible risks so you can decide whether the improvement in appearance is worth it. Your choice of the doctor is important to how safe your procedure is, and how happy you are with the final results all depends on your choice of surgeon. This is an area of medicine where doctors, who are completely untrained in the special techniques of cosmetic surgery, offer potentially risky and even life-threatening procedures. Although very few people die of cosmetic surgery, there are many who suffer serious medical complications or disfigurement. Thus, your doctor should be well-trained, competent, experienced and, preferably, board certified in his specialty. It is also a good idea to seek a second opinion or interview several doctors to see which one you’re most comfortable with. You want a doctor who gives you a good idea of what to expect and who is willing to tell you if a smaller procedure would work just as well, as opposed to a doctor who wants to do more work than you’re interested in or comfortable with. Remember that one way to protect yourself is to go for the smallest, least invasive procedure as you can. The less invasive the surgery, the less opportunity for error and the less time you will be exposed to the risks of anesthesia.
There’s another issue that’s unique to picking a plastic surgeon as opposed to a regular surgeon, and that’s aesthetics. Two perfectly competent surgeons could do the same procedure and create vastly different results – simply because they prefer a different look. But you may be appalled by one outcome and thrilled by another. That is why it’s so important to look at "before and after" pictures to get a sense of a doctor’s particular style. You should also be clear about your goals and preferences and be sure that the doctor understands them. You need to do all this because in cosmetic surgery – as in any field of medicine – it is best to be safe than sorry.
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