Plastic Surgery: Q&A
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When Do Plastic Surgeons Draw the Line?
In light of the recent media coverage concerning the numerous plastic surgeries done on a particular young actress, I am curious to know how most plastic surgeons feel about this.
When does a patient cross the line? How do you tell a patient, enough is enough?
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7 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
slm
in chicago
+5
When to not operate on a plastic surgery patient
There are times not to operate on a patient at all if their expectations are unrealistic or if their medical or psychological health isn't optimal. These are times when the wise and ethical surgeon just won't proceed with surgery.
That is also why the doctor MUST be primarily involved in the initial consultation process with a patient. If you go where a "cosmetic consultatant" sees you and tells you that you can have whatever you want, it is time to move on to the place where...
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Crossing the line with multiple surgeries
Sometimes determining when a patient is crossing a line is more obvious when doing multiple surgeries than when doing fewer surgeries since there may be fewer constraints on single procedures but that might be still inappropriate for an individual patient. There are no hard and fast rules except as sometimes determined by law that might restrict the length of surgery, the amount of fat removed in liposuction, or the type of anesthesia administered in particular settings.
Crossing the line...
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Responsible plastic surgery, the surgeon's role
A responsible plastic surgeon will only perform surgeries that will benefit the patient. If multiple procedures are contemplated, the question is for each individual procedure will it help the patient.
In patients with body dysmorphia,the standards are even more rigorous. Why is the patient doing surgery?
The safety of all procedures together must be within acceptable safety standards.
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How to Draw the Line in Plastic Surgery?
As I was told in my training, "you should never regret the cases you didn't do, but you will regret some of those you did". I try to take this teaching pearl very seriously, as do many of my colleagues. With experience, I have found it to ring true. There is absolutely no question that cosmetic surgery is not for everyone. Exclusionary criteria for surgery can be for physiologic reasons, for social reasons, and for psychological reasons. The most...
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When a Patient has had Enough Plastic Surgery
Most experienced plastic surgeons or even those with a modicum of common sense know when a patient is asking for unnecessary surgery. When the defect is so mild that only the patient and surgeon can see it then it's likely that surgery will fix the problem.
You see patients like these blame whatever is happening in their lives on their looks. "If my nose was straighter I would have gotten the part." Good and ethical plastic surgeons know when to tell a patient that perhaps...
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It is the responsiility of both the surgeon and the patient to have reasonable expectations
There are many times when having more than one elective cosmetic procedure at the same sitting makes sense. The issues that limit that choice involve:
1. general health of the patient
2. expected blood loss
3. expected operative time
In general, it is more prudent to stage procedures than to try to pack in as many as possible at one sitting. Patients sometimes pressure doctors as they can't take time off from work for multiple procedures. It is our job to look beyond the pressure and make...
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Celebrity plastic surgery and multiple cosmetic procedures.
To some degree, all surgery involves risk and a prediction of the future. As a skilled professional, it is our responsibility to guide and advise patients. We review patient's expectations, medical history, physical examination and then assess the risks of undergoing the proposed procedures.
Heidi Montag's 10 combined procedures at one setting may have appeared excessive but many were minor injections (botulinum toxin and fat). Furthermore, she is an individual very close to her ideal body...
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