Informal report

Leticia Rivera

Professor Matyakubova

English 21003
September 24, 2016

Pursuit of Perfection:

The Gains and losses in Cosmetic Surgery

World War I aka “La Grande Guerre” was one of the world’s first global conflicts that came with destruction. Soldiers were wounded in battle and doctors were urging to look for ways to fix the injuries. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has provided history of plastic surgery, which stated “ 1910 — 1919. Dr. Varaztad Kazanjian, a “Founding Father” of modern plastic surgery, pioneers numerous maxillofacial surgical techniques during WWI, dramatically increasing the stature of the burgeoning field of plastic surgery.” The idea of maxillofacial surgery was to treat wounded soldiers so they no longer needed to hide their faces in public. Years passed and more training was carried out. By 1931 the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPS) was founded. Plastic surgeons focused their work on soldiers in following wars such as WWII. Thereafter, in the 50’s, surgeons began to treat facial deformities on children and other patients (whom were not soldiers). Time had passed and plastic surgery was advancing. By the 70’s there was a breakthrough of cosmetic surgery.

The millennium arrived and so did the culture of cosmetic surgery. Body and face contouring became so popular that doctors all over the Unites States conducted millions of surgeries per year.  Table 1 illustrates the statistics of plastic surgery done in the United States in the years 2000, 2013, and 2014, posted by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The counts are high in more than a few major surgeries such as breast augmentation, nose reshaping, liposuction, eyelid lift and facelift. The purpose of statistics chart is to display the amounts of people who have done surgery and which type of surgery is more common.  

The media has played a huge role in the culture of cosmetic surgery. Celebrities emphasize the procedures they have undergone to achieve their perfect look. Now the public questions their potential to look their best in ways that may not come naturally. The low prices in some surgeries no longer limit the act to just the wealthy and celebrities. Since the media has placed significant pressure on the physical attributes of others, people today are considering plastic surgery, which can help improve their self-esteem or cause them potential harm physically and psychologically such as death, infections and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

Table 1: Courtesy of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Gains of Plastic Surgery

            The thought of wanting to look attractive passes the mind occasionally to some people, especially if the self-esteem is low. Many talk among each other about who is “hot” and who is “not”.  This can influence how people view themselves, and how they would like to be viewed. Following the latest fashion trends, exercising and applying make-up are a few ways people believe will make them more attractive. Additionally, plastic surgery is also considered a solution to lift self-esteem. Richard Nauert, a associate professor at Rocky Mountain University evaluates a research conducted by Cynthia Figueroa-Haas, a clinical assistant professor at University of Florida College of Nursing. Nauert stated, “Figueroa-Haas studied 84 women who were 21 to 57 years old, assessing their perceptions of self-esteem and sexuality before and after cosmetic breast augmentation. […] Improvements in the women’s self-esteem and sexual satisfaction were directly correlated with having undergone breast augmentation.” The findings on this research fulfill the expectations in self-esteem improvements with plastic surgery. Figueroa-Hass used the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, which is a widely accepted scientific scale to measure self-esteem.

Losses of Plastic Surgery

There is likelihood that patients receiving cosmetic surgery can experience complications related to anesthesia, including blood clots and/or death. Some people are not physically healthy to deal with such intense surgery. Ann S. Lofsky mentions in her article “The 12 claims included patients aged 31–64, [….] Eight of the 12 claims involved abdominoplasties, with six of these combined with other procedures performed at the same time. Half of the claims were performed under general anesthesia […], and half were performed under intravenous sedation. Nine of the patients died as a result of the pulmonary embolism, while three survived” (pg. 1). She is uncovering medical malpractices claims related to pulmonary embolisms, because of the importance of recognizing the risk and complications that can occur during plastic surgery. Mayoclinic defines a pulmonary embolism as a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs become blocked by a blood clot. 

            Furthermore, the possibility of contracting prokaryotic microorganisms, such as bacteria is likely when undergoing plastic surgery. This commonly occurs to patients who go over seas to unfamiliar countries. In 2004, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made an announcement on their website regarding patients becoming infected with Mycobacterium abscessus. The CDC stated, “A total of 12 cases, all laboratory confirmed, have been reported from residents of New York (five), Massachusetts (two), North Carolina (two), Rhode Island (two), and Puerto Rico (one). … The patients underwent procedures in multiple surgical centers in Santo Domingo during May 2003--February 2004” (pg. 1). The 12 cases were patients receiving plastic surgery for the abdominal area and breast. Patients find it economically beneficial to travel to a different country in order to receive plastic surgery for a cheaper price. Making this a reason to do tourism surgery puts them in an increase risk of infection.

            Aside from the physical unfavorable circumstances, psychological disorders can be affected by plastic surgery. Most of the time, plastic surgeons are acceptable to do surgeries on patients, but not when the surgeons recognize unusual request for repeated surgeries.  This behavior can be a case of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Mayoclinic defines BDD as a mental disorder in which one can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in their appearance — a flaw that, to others, is either minor or not observable. BDD causes plastic surgery addiction, which is unhealthy for the patient’s body and mind. Dr. Howard C. Samuels discusses the outcomes of plastic surgery on patients with BDD by stating, “ People who undergo excessive surgeries may end up with permanent damage to their muscle tissue and skin. There are also reports of collapsed muscle tissue and excessive scarring. Plastic surgery addicts set out to obtain perfection and they often end up with irreparable damage that permanently modifies their appearance”.  If surgeons do not recognize this disorder in a patient, then they are actually hurting instead of helping.

            Generally speaking, some people are driven to improve themselves, and are considering plastic surgery, which can help improve their self-esteem or cause them potential harm physically and psychologically such as death, infections and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). It is a personal choice to undertake plastic surgery, and has the right to so. However, it is important to research and contemplate all information on plastic surgery. It will be helpful to know the gains and losses, as it can make it easier for a one to make decisions in relation to plastic surgery. Cosmetic surgery is not 100% complication free, although the chances are small. There is a possibility that surgery can make one feel more comfortable in it’s own skin, as there may be other’s who may feel worst after the surgery. If there are any questions, concerns, or feelings regarding plastic surgery do not be afraid to talk with a doctor. Finally, if the decision is to receive plastic surgery, make sure the surgeon is registered with the Healthcare Commission, discuss the treatment with them, look at recent pictures of their performances and read testimonials of previous patients. After a surgery has concluded the healing process can take a long time and feel very painful. The skin will often be inflamed, bruised, sore and red. The speed of healing varies between each individual person.

Works Cited

“Brief Report: Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections After Cosmetic Surgery ---

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 2003—2004.” CDC. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 17 June, 2004. Retrieved September 9, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5323a4.htm.

“History of Plastic Surgery”. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2016. Retrieved

September 10, 2016/. http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/history-of-plastic-surgery.html

Lofsky, S. Ann. Deep Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism in Plastic Surgery

            Office Procedures. The Doctors Company: 1-4, 2005.

Mayo Clinic Staff Print. “Pulmonary Embolism.” Overvie. Mayo Foundation for Medical

Education and Research, 18 Aug.2016. Web. 24 Sept. 2016 <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pulmonary-embolism/home/ovc-20234736>

Nauert PhD, R. Plastic Surgery Helps Self-Esteem. Psych Central. (2015) Retrieved on

September 23, 2016, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2007/03/23/plastic-surgery-helps-self-esteem/703.html 

Samuels, Howard C., Dr. “Plastic Surgery Addiction.” Plastic Surgery Addiction. Dr.

Howard C. Samuels, 2011. Web 24 Sept. 2016 <http://drhowardsamuels.com/addiction-guide/plastic-surgery/>

2014 Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Statistics. Digital image. The AMERICAN SOCIETY OF

            PLASTIC SURGEONS, 2015. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.

<http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Documents/news-resources/statistics/2014-statistics/cosmetic-procedure-trends-2014.pdf>.