Do cosmetic surgery patients really come in asking to look like movie stars?

Perhaps in Beverly Hills, patients ask to look like movie stars but not out in the "real world" of plastic surgery. First of all, it would not be possible to grant such a request. Secondly, a properly motivated cosmetic surgery patient should want a result that looks natural, not operated upon, and is one that makes them look "better, not different!"

In reading the answers of my colleagues, it has become clear that our practices and experiences with patients are certainly different.  Yesterday, I was given an opportunity to answer this very question in an interview filmed for a documentary film regarding celebrity obsession.

Although this is not the norm, I have certainly had requests from patients in my practice who wish to have features of certain public figures.  I have had several patients bring pictures of Angelina Jolie, Kim Kardashian, and others to request features of their cosmetic procedures to result in similar features to these celebrities.  In most cases, discussions of celebrity features have helped to foster an understanding between the patient and myself regarding their "aesthetic ideal", or what they consider to be beautiful.  These discussions must always include the critical evaluation of real beofore and after pictures of the consulting surgeon. 

It is very important to realize the limitations of what surgeons can and cannot acheive with a given patient's features.  It is also important to realize that a mere transplant of one person's features on another person's face is not desireable.  In consultations for cosmetic procedures, much time is devoted to facial analysis, and to teaching the principals of acheiving facial harmony through cosmetic surgery, and I do beleive that features of public figures can often serve as a useful refference point.

In rare cases, I have had very clear and firm requests to acheive results strongly resembling features of a public figure.  In these cases there is often a misunderstanding, on the patient's part, of what is realistic and even desirable as an outcome for cosmetic surgery.  These patients are often advised to rethink thier wishes in a more realistic fashion, or completely avoid cosmetic procedures, particularly surgery, to avoid grave dissapointment.

Many rhinoplasty (nose job) patients ask whether or not surgery can give them a nose like a particular celebrity or movie star. In some cases, it is possible to give patients the features of a particular person's nose - such as a defined bridge or sculpted tip.

However, it is important to realize that there is not a "one-size-fits-all" nose. For the nose to appear natural and attractive, it must harmonize and be in balance with the patient's other facial features. A nose that is attractive on one person won't necessarily look good on another person.

No. Generally if a famous person is brought up by example, it is of an extreme result that people find unattractive (e.g. Michael Jackson's overdone nose, Joan River's overdone face, or Pamela Anderson's obviously "fake" breasts).

My clients come from a wide range of backgrounds but share one thing in common... they all want to look and feel better but don't want to look like someone else.

While some will point to various attributes of movie stars and say that they like someone's nose, someone's breasts, or someone's legs, they don't necessarily want to look exactly like this person; instead, they use a particular attribute as an example or as a template for a specific look.