When a 50 Year Old Doctor Calls You Mommy, Watch Out
Type in "mommy makeover" in google. There you will find a list of cosmetic surgeons who propose to restore the body of any newly blessed mother from the ravages of her pregnancy.
I don't know about you but I find the term "mommy makeover" degrading. How does an adult male/female physician refer to a patient as mommy and then presume to treat the patient with respect. For that matter how does a mature and respectful physician indicate to a patient that he respects her intelligence when he uses baby words like tummy , boobs and all its acronyms, belly button ,and so on. Medicine and physicians, and most prominently cosmetic physicians, have a long history of misogyny and chauvinism and I am not proud to report that the tradition of looking down on women is now being perpetuated by female physicians.
For some time I have posed the question to patients: if your doctor will lie to your insurance company about a procedure he performed in order to have them pay your bill, do you think your physician would have any qualms about lying to you? Now I ask the question, if your physician speaks to you in a condescending manner which communicates his arrogance and how little respect he has for you, do you think that physician will respect your best interests and provide appropriate care? To wit, I saw a lovely woman last week who saw another cosmetic dermatologist the week before for treatment of a small scar. The dermatologist, unasked, told her that her face was sagging, her skin was a mess, and she needed $2000.00 of fillers and botox to correct a problem this patient had never perceived existed. When she told me of her discomfort I analyzed her face. She is 40 years old, African American, round faced, perfect color and texture of skin, and by any one's standards quite beautiful. Her previous doctor is a charlatan at best.
It is appropriate for women as consumers to make some demands on the medical profession, and the first demand starts with respect.
This is my 100th blog. When I began 3 years ago I had no idea what it would take for me to write a blog, whether I would keep it up, and if anyone besides myself and my wife would read it. To those of you who read this blog may I offer my sincere thanks. To those who have not cancelled my e-mails, I am grateful. To those with whom I have been able to share some opinions and perhaps struck a mutual cord I promise not to stop. I have 2 new offers to write for different websites and I will tell you of these when they launch. To everyone, I am very grateful for this life and feel most blessed that you allow me into your hearts and minds.
Edward Lack MD
I don't know about you but I find the term "mommy makeover" degrading. How does an adult male/female physician refer to a patient as mommy and then presume to treat the patient with respect. For that matter how does a mature and respectful physician indicate to a patient that he respects her intelligence when he uses baby words like tummy , boobs and all its acronyms, belly button ,and so on. Medicine and physicians, and most prominently cosmetic physicians, have a long history of misogyny and chauvinism and I am not proud to report that the tradition of looking down on women is now being perpetuated by female physicians.
For some time I have posed the question to patients: if your doctor will lie to your insurance company about a procedure he performed in order to have them pay your bill, do you think your physician would have any qualms about lying to you? Now I ask the question, if your physician speaks to you in a condescending manner which communicates his arrogance and how little respect he has for you, do you think that physician will respect your best interests and provide appropriate care? To wit, I saw a lovely woman last week who saw another cosmetic dermatologist the week before for treatment of a small scar. The dermatologist, unasked, told her that her face was sagging, her skin was a mess, and she needed $2000.00 of fillers and botox to correct a problem this patient had never perceived existed. When she told me of her discomfort I analyzed her face. She is 40 years old, African American, round faced, perfect color and texture of skin, and by any one's standards quite beautiful. Her previous doctor is a charlatan at best.
It is appropriate for women as consumers to make some demands on the medical profession, and the first demand starts with respect.
This is my 100th blog. When I began 3 years ago I had no idea what it would take for me to write a blog, whether I would keep it up, and if anyone besides myself and my wife would read it. To those of you who read this blog may I offer my sincere thanks. To those who have not cancelled my e-mails, I am grateful. To those with whom I have been able to share some opinions and perhaps struck a mutual cord I promise not to stop. I have 2 new offers to write for different websites and I will tell you of these when they launch. To everyone, I am very grateful for this life and feel most blessed that you allow me into your hearts and minds.
Edward Lack MD
posted by Edward Lack MD at 4:25 PM
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