Indiana Plastic Surgery Blog

Before pulling the trigger and paying for a procedure, we recommend doing some research to get the hard facts about surgery risks, benefits, costs and so on.

Doing so will help you in two ways:

• You will know which procedures are proven to work and which are overrated.
• You will be able to compare the risks and benefits with your individual values and goals, to see if plastic surgery is truly a good fit for you.

Where should I look?

Too often, people are looking in the wrong places for legitimate answers to their plastic surgery questions. You want objective and scientific information; here are a few tips on where you might find it.

Be Academic for a day: Do you have access to a public library? How about the library at your college or university? Don’t let the old-fashioned sound of it bother you; academic resources and peer-reviewed medical journals are far superior to what you’ll find cruising the web. The downside: many of the articles and books are written for doctors or medical students – sometimes difficult and boring to read.

Reputable websites: It’s a jungle out there I know, but there are a few websites that publish loads of useful and honest information about plastic and cosmetic surgery. RealSelf.com is a good start, where you can see consumer reviews and get answers from plastic surgeons all over the country. Yourplasticsurgeryguide.com is another popular resource. The downside: you might find a great deal of conflicting information, making your decision even more difficult.

Ask a plastic surgeon: You may want to visit a few before making a choice, but board-certified plastic surgeons will generally have your best interests in mind. They want to get you the best results possible and avoid complications. If you’re not a good candidate for the procedure, a good surgeon will tell you honestly.

The poll we posted 2 weeks ago received over 40 responses.  The largest group – almost half the participants – agreed that a tax on cosmetic surgery would discriminate against women.

In the “other” category, we got the following 3 responses:

• A fair tax to pay for an elective “luxury” procedure.
• Will negatively impact the industry.
• Largely a tax on the middle class.  Nixes Obama’s pledge not to raise our taxes.

The discrimination arguments tend to be the most significant and interesting side of this debate, in my opinion. Terry O’Neill, President of NOW, the National Organization for Women, recently voiced strong opposition to it as a “tax on middle-aged women,” an argument that has some “third wave” feminists scratching their heads.

A British cosmetic clinic is showing off the cosmetic surgery results of their employees in a 2010 calendar.  They’re calling the calendar “tongue-in-cheek, but tasteful,  featuring “girls from across our company of all ages and they all look amazing.” [The Sun]

Can breast implants or lasik eye surgery be considered a marital asset?  According to the Associated Press, attorneys in North Dakota thought the issue was worth debating.  The judge’s ruling? “nonsense”  [Star Tribune]

Marketing for breast augmentation with fat-grafting is being “ramped up” says the New York Times.  Experienced plastic surgeons weigh in to warn potential patients about the unpredictable nature of this procedure.  “Suddenly everyone is claiming to have 10 years experience,” says expert Dr. Sydney Coleman. [NY Times]

Giving cosmetic surgery for Christmas?  Don’t surprise your significant other with a plastic surgery gift certificate unless you’ve discussed the idea in the past.  Do it right and you’ve got an extraordinary gift!  [RealSelf]

Large organizations of plastic surgeons and various journalists have shared their views on the proposed 5 percent tax on elective procedures, but patients would be paying for it; so why haven’t they weighed in?

Participate in this online poll so we can gauge the opinions of non-surgeons and non-journalists, because that’s who really matters when it comes to this tax becoming law.