Click on the following links for excerpts from the book "Beauty in Balance"
CHAPTER 1 - THE PLASTIC SURGEON'S ROLE AS NAVIGATOR
Almost every person wishes they could change something about their face or body. It is common for people to expend a lot of effort and energy - through makeup, hairstyle, clothing, diet and exercise - to conceal or change the things they don't like about themselves, and to emphasize the things they do like or want to highlight.
Vanity is an easy accusation, but body image is more complicated than that. What one person thinks is vain, may be considered by another person to be a necessity. And there are people who think that cosmetic surgery is only for those who lack self worth and have low self esteem. Yet, surprisingly, most people who undergo cosmetic surgery are actually very confident about themselves.
Cosmetic surgery has become mainstream; many people now consider it acceptable to make improvements in their appearance to feel better about themselves and to create a physical form more in line with their inner self-image.
While the current focus in the media is on drastic body changes through multiple and lengthy surgical procedures, it is not a realistic, practical, or safe approach to cosmetic plastic surgery for most people. This book discusses the modern trend of extreme makeovers and highlights appropriate combinations of procedures and a practical method for staging plastic surgery.
- the safety of performing several procedures in an outpatient setting
- the appropriate timing for surgery
- the advantages and disadvantages of combining multiple procedures
- the psychology of dramatic body image changes.
We will offer Information and practical advice to help you navigate the many options, avoid the pitfalls, and help you better understand what you see on television, what you find on the internet and what you read in newspapers, magazines and books. We will also give you important background information on specific procedures, including facial aesthetic surgery, non-surgical techniques for facial rejuvenation, breast reshaping, and body contouring.
As aesthetic plastic surgeons, it is our job to educate you about the changes that are possible, and the safest and most sensible way to undertake these changes. All your needs must be considered individually, because there is no single formula that applies to everyone. Although you may watch the physical transformations that are carried out on plastic surgery shows in awe, do not automatically assume that the same procedures would be recommended for you, or that they would give you the same results. We encourage each person to consider the surgery that is best suited for their age, body type, skin type and bone structure. It is our job to help align your external appearance with the person you feel like on the inside.
Plastic surgery is serious business: it permanently alters your appearance, it involves risks and can be costly. We think it is important for you to have a clear understanding of what is involved with the surgery before agreeing to it. The results of plastic surgery are rarely satisfying for people who want to look like a particular celebrity or for people who are trying to please someone else. The people who have plastic surgery to look and feel better for themselves are usually the most satisfied.
The mission of this book is to enlighten consumers who are considering cosmetic plastic surgery. Surgery should only be performed when you and your surgeon completely agree that a specific procedure offers realistic changes or enhancements in your appearance and can be carried out safely. We believe surgery is only appropriate when it is done by the right doctor, in the right place, at the right time, and for the right reasons.
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