More Pitfalls in Finding a Cosmetic Surgeon

Well, I hope we all learned something from my blogs on beautiful women getting awful cosmetic surgery as they get older because they crave attention. I learned that patients are smarter than doctors. I think I knew that, I just forgot. Now an "old" friend, respected colleague, and noted cosmetic surgeon, Nelson Link, writes a comment to my blog that bears passing on:
"I meant to include these comments last evening when I answered your blog about Hollywood’s unattractive actresses.
I have been retired now for five years and recently received brochures and letter from SLD Industries, INC. congratulating me for being selected as one of “America’s Top Plastic Surgeons” It goes on to say “You are among a select few that have earned this prestigious recognition. Accomplishments like yours should be displayed proudly.” They then give you a catalogue of plaques and certificates all with America’s Top Plastic Surgeons 2008 displayed in various ways. I remember tossing these in the trash when I was practicing and have always felt they were gimmicks to make a few bucks for the company and are misleading to patients. Receiving such after being retired for five years reinforces my impression. Would this be something to expose to the public and should the Academy or board certification organizations look into these types of abuses? Nelson"
The marketing of doctors for the profit of the doctors and the marketing industry is another topic I will tackle in the next few weeks. Here is another mud kreplach in the chicken soup which attempts to entrap unsuspecting patients into the care of unscrupulous physicians. Just this week a new patient came to me. She had a consult with a noted plastic surgeon in my community. She was "evaluated" by 2 salespeople he employs. She was concerned about baggy upper eyelids, but the "expert salespeople" told her that she needed a "full face lift" and not to worry about her eyes. The story is not so egregious for the unethical conduct of this physician's staff; it is egregious because this woman did her homework and found that this surgeon is board certified and highly regarded for his expertise in the community.
Next blog: how do you rate a cosmetic surgeon or perhaps any doctor?
Edward B. Lack MD http://www.metropolitanmds.com/

Why Beautiful Actresses Want to Look Unattractive _Part II

In my last blog I opinioned that the reason yellow tabloids are replete with formerly beautiful actresses that have made themselves unattractive using cosmetic surgery is that these are people seeking attention at any cost. I think the blame for such a lack of aesthetic appreciation does not lie with the physician, but rather with the patient who seeks such obviously inferior care. This is not to excuse a cosmetic surgeon who performs these procedures. At the least he is guilty of poor judgment and probably also of poor ethics and obvious avarice. The interesting result is a group of self righteous patients and surgeons who dignify themselves as more insightful, indeed perspicacious, than people like me. They defend themselves with comments such as "who are you to judge beauty", or "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Nonsense. There is enough recording of aesthetic values and perceptions for thousands of years to dismiss such self effacing arrogance. The fact is there are generally accepted criteria for "normal" and even for "attractive" that can be applied to this discussion. Can there be argument against the observation that health and youth construe the optimal human appearance? Can there be an argument against my opinion that "nature" evokes what is attractive in form and color and that one needs only to look outside the window to appreciate what I am talking about? So I will hold steadfast to my opinion that these aging and yet to be recognized beauties would rather be recognized for being unattractive than not to garner attention at all.
In my last blog I asked my readers to let me know whether they agreed with my views or that of my Swedish relatives who hold the doctor solely accountable. Six physicians answered the survey. Two agreed with me, two disagreed, and two were equivocal. Five readers responded and all agreed with me. This gives me illumination that I had not thought about. I think this shows we can trust your own judgement instead of the "experts".