Plastic surgery isn’t just for Hollywood anymore. The search for never-ending beauty has moved from TV to reality, as procedure have increased threefold.
TORONTO, Digital Journal — When MV (her name has been changed to protect her identity) was 12 years old, she would draw pictures of herself and circle the body parts she wanted redone. Now, 11 years later, she has made her daydreams a reality: She’s had plastic surgery on her breasts, nose, chin, cheeks and lips, costing about $17,000 total. “They made me look great, feel confident and allowed me to surround myself with aesthetic beauty,” MV explains.
In one sentence, this Toronto resident sums up why many people opt for cosmetic surgery to improve their appearance. But what has also transformed recently is the societal stigma saddled on plastic surgery. Popular TV shows like Extreme Makeover, The Swan and MTV’s I Want a Famous Face have embraced the concept of beauty-as-commodity. Whether materialism has reached new heights, or these shows have just baited a curious public, the pull of plastic surgery is tugging at the loose flesh hanging off many a tarnished ego.
In the United States last year, surgeons performed around 8.5 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, a 293 per cent increase from 1997. Botox injections have increased to 2.27 million in 2003, up from 63,000 in 1997. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery calculated that cosmetic procedures on women in 2003 increased 16 per cent in one year, and comparable data on men showed an increase of 32 per cent. In American dollars, it’s a $7-billion industry. Canada’s industry is about one-tenth the size, or $700 million, according to the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons.
“Plastic surgery has become a psychological and economic necessity,” says Dr. Kris Conrad, a Toronto plastic surgeon who has been practicing for 28 years. He also teaches facial plastic surgery at the University of Toronto. “It can be therapeutic by improving quality of life, while also having economic benefits by helping job-seekers compete.” And Conrad is not just talking about models or actors; he cites an example of grade-school students preferring a good-looking teacher over a plain teacher.
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A before-and-after photo of Dr. Kris Conrad’s facial reconstruction work. — Photo by Dr. K. Conrad |
But being better-looking doesn’t necessarily mean sipping from the fountain of youth.
“They should decide how badly they want change,” he advises. “There’s always the risk of not getting what you wanted, since healing metabolisms can’t be predicted.”
In the wake of reality shows’ love affair with plastic surgery, Conrad doesn’t look too kindly on TV’s propensity to tell the ugly truth. “Media publicized plastic surgery, but it also left people with little knowledge of the procedures. They speed up the recovery time, so everyone thinks it can be done so quickly.” He shakes his head. “And then there are prospective patients who cancel their surgeries once they see these shows with their gruesome footage. Some people aren’t used to seeing the body being explored like that.”
To better prepare patients for their altered look, Conrad – and almost every other plastic surgeon – uses digital photography to simulate cosmetic reconstruction. After watching him demonstrate the Marketwise Imaging System software, I notice how a thinner nose bridge or a smoother chin can alter a face’s overall appearance. Somewhat.
MV was disappointed her new body and face didn’t attract more attention. “It frustrated me when people kept saying that they didn’t notice a change,” she says.
Even men are increasingly priming themselves to tweak or tuck ostensibly imperfect body parts. Conrad says many men opt for an Adam’s apple reduction which requires an incision high up under the chin.
Botox injections are also increasingly popular, because they are non-surgical and relatively inexpensive. By paralyzing muscles that produce negative facial reactions, Botox — costing around $350 per injection — causes a tighter, wrinkle-free look. Conrad admits that he even injects Botox into his own forehead every six months.
But there are times when common sense trumps vanity. Dr. Craig Dufresne, a renowned plastic surgeon in Washington, says he has turned away patients eager to resemble their younger selves. “I tell them, ‘There’s no way to restore you to the way you were because too much time has passed.’”
Most media covering plastic surgery rarely focus on what Dufresne is known for: reconstructive surgeries or, as he calls them, “worst-case scenarios.” Over 25 years, he has operated on 200 war veterans and most recently he is working on 9/11 Pentagon victims. Missing eyes and burned skin are some of the stomach-churning situations prime-time TV is afraid to air. “I think what is most rewarding is fixing faces ravaged by infection or war,” Dufresne concludes. “Shows like The Swan cross the ethical line by making plastic surgery a competition.”
Perhaps some people want to look young again, while others just want to look better. As for MV, she is certain her hunger for change won’t stop with the next lip filler. “I’m not going to quit making myself look prettier,” she says bluntly. “I’m like Lady Macbeth, I’m like Donald Trump — I always want more.”
