Not all Plastic Surgery is “Bad Plastic Surgery”

Social media is filled with pictures of celebrities and their “bad plastic surgery.” If it’s not that someone’s had “too much plastic surgery”, it’s that they got a bad nose job or lip injections too big for their face. It seems to be a common pastime of the nation to gawk at them and analyze the ways in which big names have made bad choices when it comes to their looks and plastic surgery.

I am even guilty of offering my comments in several magazines about the specifics of so-called bad plastic surgery jobs. I’ve been quoted calling Madonna’s cheeks “bizarre”, Christina Aguilera’s breasts after breast augmentation “too big for her body”, and Mickey Rourke’s face “overdone.” To be sure, celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Joan Rivers, Carrot Top, Tara Reid, and Heidi Montag have also had some questionable experiences with plastic surgeries.

But are these outcomes really the norm? Furthermore, where is all the “good plastic surgery”? Why does plastic surgery look so bad all the time (or seem to)? Could it be that we don’t notice when cosmetic surgery is good because, well, that’s frequently the point?

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Society’s View on Plastic Surgeries

As a society, we tend to focus on the bad outcomes of pretty much any situation. Why? Because it’s usually what sells. This certainly goes for cosmetic surgery and especially for bad celebrity plastic surgery.

The “bad nose job” or the “botched breast augmentation” are always top news.

Moreover, “regular” people seem to derive some level of unhealthy pleasure from criticizing famous celebrities who always seem to get whatever they want. As “victims of plastic surgeries gone bad”, it cuts them down to size. A once famous actress nobody cares about anymore because she had multiple plastic surgeries that didn’t turn out well? That can be appealing to some people.

But, the real truth is that there is excellent plastic surgery being performed every day on celebrities and non-celebrities alike. Modern techniques for surgery allow for smaller incisions that are better hidden, more rapid recoveries, and more “natural” results. Gone are the days of dramatic surgical changes and barely recognizable post-surgical faces.

Case in Point: Facelifts

Facelifting techniques, in particular, have seen the greatest advancements.

The facelifts of the 1980s, with the windswept look, overly tight skin, and upturned mouth (à la “The Joker”) are no more. Plastic surgeons now “lift” and “reposition” the deep structures of the face (the fat pads and muscles), and very little is done to the skin.

In fact, after the underlying structures are repositioned into a youthful position, the skin is simply “redraped” and not pulled tight. You would be surprised at how little skin is actually removed during a facelift when it is done correctly.

I will share a little trick that I do with every one of my pre-operative facelift patients in consultation. To show what you will look like with a very well done (and natural) facelift, lay on your back and look at yourself in a handheld mirror. Impressive, right? This allows gravity to show you where everything should be.

“One of the last great Hollywood taboos is admitting to having work done. Whether it’s just a little jab of Botox or a more severe cosmetic procedure like breast implants or a face lift, stars have long since been going under the needle and the knife in complete denial. But times are changing, and a handful of brave celebrities are opening up about their experiences — both good and bad — with plastic surgery and cosmetic injectables.” Harper’s Bazaar

Non-Surgical Treatments Have Evolved

Additionally, non-surgical treatments have evolved as well. Chemical peels should no longer result in that obvious shiny, over-smooth, waxy skin.

Likewise, injectable fillers can be done conservatively so that they restore volume and fill lines, without making someone look like they have been over-inflated. Dysport and botox treatments can soften lines and do not have to completely prevent movement. That “frozen look” that people fear is a result of a bad injector, not the injection! Believe it or not, it is possible to eliminate lines on your forehead AND be able to lift your eyebrows!

My point is that there are excellent plastic surgeons who perform surgeries and injections that rejuvenate and improve physical appearance, without making you look ridiculous and “overdone”. My patients obviously want to look different (i.e. better), but they don’t want people to know exactly what they had done. They want someone to ask if they got their hair colored or lost weight, when the truth is they had their eyes or face done.

Finding the right surgeon is key. As long as bad plastic surgeons (or non-plastic surgeons trying to act like plastic surgeons) are out there practicing, social media and gossip magazines will continue to have lots of content for the “bad plastic surgery” section. Definitely don’t choose the wrong guy (or girl) for this job.

The truth is, nobody wants to read about the good results.

Traveling From Out of Town

Everybody understands the importance of selecting a qualified surgeon for their cosmetic procedures. However, sometimes, the best person for you is many miles away.

About 20 percent of my patients live more than three hours from New York City. In fact, my patients have come from as far away as Texas, Alaska, France, England, Dubai, Thailand, Ireland, and Bermuda.

Patients seek all sorts of body procedures, including tummy tuck surgery, buttock augmentation (BBL), liposuction, and more. Desired facial procedures include lip injections, brow lift or eyelid surgery, cheek implants or buccal fat removal, chin liposuction or chin implants, and many other cosmetic procedures. Botox injections, laser treatments, and other noninvasive procedures can also be formed. Finally, we offer several different types of breast surgery procedures, from breast enlargement with breast implants or fat transfer to breast lifts or even getting breast implants removed.

Our office is very experienced with out-of-town patients. They can set up online and virtual consultations for those who are too far away to come in for an in-person consultation.

How Long Will You Need to Stay in Town for Your Procedure?

The required time to stay in NYC will vary depending on the specific procedure that you will be having. The stay for a nose job revision or laser treatments is going to be different than a stay for a chin reduction or butt implants, for instance. Still, most patients stay in the area for around 5-10 days. If you just want a few enhancements with minimal surgical intervention, you’ll probably only need to stay a few nights.

We can also provide information about discounted hotel accommodations. We even have nearby apartments that are available for your stay in NYC as you recover from your surgery.

Contact Our Office to Learn More

If you are interested in seeing before and after photos of plastic surgery procedures performed by me, visit our photo gallery, or contact our office to schedule a consultation. We also offer fly in to New York City packages on our website.