25 revelations of plastic surgeons who break stereotypes about their work
'22.02.2019'
Source: Bigpikcha.ru
The American edition of Buzzfeed found out from several plastic surgeons what they are doing and what is interesting in their life and work. It turns out that they do other surgeries besides liposuction and breast augmentation, and not only the rich and famous can afford these services. The remaining secrets are in the material. Bigpikcha.ru.
1. No, not all of us live in palaces, wear Versace, and every weekend we have fun on a yacht.
This is not the "Beverly Hills 90210", where we have a beautiful rest, wear clothes of expensive designers and enjoy the luxury. But yes, we really earn a lot.
2. Most of us do plastic surgery to help people like themselves and feel good.
Some people have lost a lot of weight and want to do an abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck to get rid of excess skin. Some women want to return to their breasts after pregnancy, breastfeeding or cancer. Not all operations are vital, but they can restore people’s self-confidence and self-esteem.
3. We care about our appearance, it's true.
It is believed that plastic surgeons are very interested in how they look. For many professionals it is true. It is difficult to find a designer clothes, who do not care what he wears. Similarly, it is difficult to find an untidy, unhealthy surgeon who does not care about how others perceive him.
4. Plastic surgery is an extremely wide area that includes many more things than liposuction and breast augmentation.
Starting to get a medical education, you immediately understand how many specializations really are. There is manual surgery, pediatric plastic surgery (for birth defects like cleft lip), cosmetic surgery, peripheral nervous system surgery, microsurgery and general plastic surgery, including a mixture of many of these things. Plastic surgery is much more than what people usually see in movies and TV shows.
5. This is one of the few medical specialties in which you have the right to work with people of any age and any parts of the body.
Most surgeons in other areas have limitations on possible patients and parts of the body that they have the right to operate. But plastic surgeons can work with anyone, including children.
6. Plastic surgeons in the United States after high school are still studying at least 14 years, and training in their residency is especially tense compared to other medical students.
We would like the society to better understand how much effort is required to obtain professional certification, how many years education takes and how many responsible decisions surgeons take.
7. There are two main types of specialists: some are engaged in aesthetic surgery, and others are reconstructive.
Aesthetic, or cosmetic, surgery helps those who want to change something in their appearance. This includes tummy tuck, liposuction, buttock lift, and the like.
Reconstructive surgery can work with birth defects, with the consequences of unsuccessful operations and accidents (car accidents, burns). Operations can be done for other reasons related to the state of health. One of the most common indications for reconstructive surgery is damage to the face, nose, and ears after skin cancer.
8. In plastic surgery, there is no single “right” way to have surgery. It happens that the same procedure can be performed 25 in different ways.
How many different types of noses, eyes, lips and ears do you see every day? For each procedure there is a huge variety of different options, and this is one of the coolest things in our work.
9. Therefore, many plastic surgeons have an artistic background behind their backs, be it sculpture, painting, architecture or photography.
Some people believe that all orthopedists are former athletes or just sports fans. There is also a stereotype about plastic surgeons - as if we all understand art. Yes, most of us do have an artistic hobby.
10. In some cases, you can choose a plastic surgeon yourself - just as you choose a tattoo master.
You can look at our previous work and evaluate whether our ideas of beauty are the same as the visual result of each operation depends on the particular doctor. It's like flipping through the tattoo artist's instagram or checking out his portfolio in a tattoo parlor. Our sites have a “Gallery” section, and in the offices there are albums with examples of work, so that people can check if they are looking for this.
11. Botox saves not only from wrinkles. It also helps from excessive sweating, from migraines and from twitching of the eyelids or eyebrows.
12. Liposuction is most often used on the abdomen, back and hips.
13. We reject approximately 30% of people who seek the services of aesthetic surgery, because their expectations are unrealistic or they want to harm their health.
We need to make sure that the patient’s wishes are in line with what we can give him. Sometimes people want something fantastic, unsafe, unhealthy, or something that is not worth the risk. Some we will not operate, no matter how much they promised to pay.
14. No, we do not increase penises.
Usually urologists do this.
15. During the operation, we can experiment a bit to make sure that everything works out perfectly, as the patient wants.
In most cases, we are well aware of how long the procedure will last, but we usually leave enough time for experiments, because we know about our perfectionism. For example, with breast augmentation, we can try implants of various sizes and shapes to see which ones look best and choose the perfect one.
16. Plastic surgery is not just for the rich and famous.
Most procedures are not terribly expensive, and if you really need it, they are easy to save.
17. Sometimes consultations, surgeries, filler injections and prophylactic examinations can fit in our working day.
Every day may be different from the previous one. It happens that you need to wake up early to meet with the patient, go to the conference, and by lunchtime, go back to the office and do breast surgery, breast augmentation or rhinoplasty, and then examine the mass of patients.
One of the main advantages in the work of a plastic surgeon is a variety of interactions with different people. Sometimes I give a breast enlargement consultation right after helping a student who has a finger stuck in the gap between the door and the joint.
18. We often explain to people that liposuction cannot replace diets and exercises, but can give the body shape.
Most people who want to do liposuction and so in good shape - they just need help with specific areas that are hard to lose weight.
19. Some of us try not to tell others about our work.
We just do not want friends to come to us for advice and services: it turns out awkward and uncomfortable. I do not want to tell people that they are bad candidates for the operation, or to evaluate their bodies, risking to hurt their feelings. Therefore, we simply strive not to mention our profession.
20. So, if you see us outside the medical office - please do not suggest to a friend, mother or friend of a mother to find out what we “can do for them”.
Sometimes we are expected to consult “here and now”, wherever we are, but this is the last thing we want to do while on vacation, having a rest with our family or just leisure.
21. It is better not to bargain with plastic surgeons. In most cases, you get what you pay for.
If you try to cheat, the level of service will match the payment. If the clinic offers big discounts, it is possible that non-certified anesthesiologists or nurses work for them. There is a risk of something to become infected and die, saving is not worth it. Make sure your plastic surgeon is in a professional association. You do not want to risk your life just to save a thousand dollars?
22. We try not to evaluate the appearance of people in everyday life, but sometimes it happens.
No, we do not walk in circles, thinking about how we want to correct the shape of the nose over that person. But sometimes we think which procedures would be useful to people. This is a significant part of our life, so it can be difficult to distract from it.
23. Some operations take up to 12 hours.
We are lucky: we usually do not have emergency operations, like other surgeons. But we, too, can work long hours. Some operations take a particularly long time - for example, certain types of breast surgery, which require transplantation of other tissues.
24. In our work, too, can be deeply moved. Especially when dealing with mastectomy patients.
Working with these women, we usually get involved in their lives for a long time — sometimes for years. Therefore, we have a special relationship with them, and in the end we keep in touch.
25. We are lucky: plastic surgery makes people happy and the level of satisfaction of our patients is extremely high.
We usually work with healthy patients who achieve the desired results. We don't often have to give bad news. We mainly do the operations that people want and which will make them more beautiful and more confident.
