Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Smart Money's "10 Things Your Plastic Surgeon Won't Tell You"


Props to Dr. DiSaia for pointing out out an article on Smart Money.com called "10 Things Your Plastic Surgeon Won't Tell You".

  1. "I trained a whole weekend to learn this procedure."
  2. "I make a mint off other surgeons' mistakes."
  3. "Sure, I can turn back the clock, but it just starts ticking again."
  4. "You'd be better off spending this money on a good therapist."
  5. "Of course I'm board certified — for what that's worth."
  6. "You can get this done for a fraction of the price overseas."
  7. "I make my living off the fat of the land — literally."
  8. "Long-term effects? Beats me."
  9. "Silicone's back — and putting my kids through college!"
  10. "Those who need surgery the most will benefit from it the least."

You can click the link above (or here) to read this in context. I've actually touched on many of these "dirty secrets" here on Plastic Surgery 101, most of which are neither dirty nor secret. They touch on the issue of who/what can call themselves a Plastic or Cosmetic Surgeon (which is pretty much anybody), prevalence of psychiatric disease among patients, & patient selection among other things.

I'd strongly disagree with their point #6, the breezy attitude towards having cosmetic surgery in 3rd world countries (aka "scalpel tourism"). Just briefly scan Google's newswire to find dozens or reports highlighting peril with this. There are just too many potential variables to endorse that. You want to be in a place where you have access to your doctor or an associate for complications. These can be devastating, especially with some of the body contouring and facial procedures.

Fair or not, a true "dirty secret" is that you're going to get a big red flag attached to you for having surgery in remote locations as a likely problem patient for showing such poor judgement in the first place. Good luck trying to find a doctor on short notice in the USA who is going to be rushing to take care of someone else's complication, particularly when it occurred overseas.

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