If you take a good look around in Hollywood, you would be hard pressed to find a single star out there without some kind of plastic surgery or the other. Botox, Juvederm, liposuction, facelifts, Rhinoplasty, Blepharoplasty – there are all kinds of cosmetic surgery, minor and major, available; all guaranteed to ‘turn back the clock’ and more.
Some of the biggies that made headlines for the wrong procedures include Michael Jackson (RIP), Jocelyn Wildenstein, Mickey Rourke, Cher, Melanie Griffith, Priscilla Presley, Janet Jackson, Courtney Love, Donatella Versace – oh, this list could go on…
Starting (Too) Early
Many celebrities begin their cosmetic surgery way too early, often in their twenties, and by the time they’re in their forties, it’s a case of plastic surgery gone horribly wrong. So if you’re looking at Hollywood for guidance or ideas for your own procedure, it may not be the right direction to look!
One of the things we can definitely learn from celebrity plastic surgeries is not to get too carried away by what the procedure can do for you. Plastic surgery works up to a point, but you can’t let yourself believe that it is the antidote for aging. You thus need to know when to stop and let the natural process take over.
Overdone, cosmetic surgery can often end up having the reverse reaction, making the skin look aged, drawn, pinched and often noticeably deformed.
Some celebrity mistakes that you wouldn’t like to repeat
1. Think before you agree to the procedure
Procedures like Rhinoplasty can actually damage blood circulation in the nose region and so it is not advisable to perform the procedure on the same nose more than twice. Then of course you have the issue of subjecting yourself to an operation, no matter how minor, the aspect of pain and all the recovery time. Thus, it is best to think carefully before finalizing on a procedure. It is also important to understand all the risks involved.
2. Chose a doctor carefully
With so many thousands of doctors advertising their cosmetic surgery services, choosing the right doctor can be a Herculean task. And yet, your choice can make all the difference between a successful procedure and a disastrous one. It is really important to ensure the doctor is board-certified; that he has experience (preferably lots of experience, like maybe ten or twenty years) conducting the procedure you want and that he does not have pending legal cases against him. Research on the Web can help, but it can only go so far; one of the best ways of choosing a doctor would perhaps be to get a personal recommendation.
3. Don’t attempt to undergo the same procedure more than twice
If you do, it could be counterproductive. One of the prime reasons why some plastic surgeries have gone horribly wrong – and this can be seen among many celebs as well – is that it is done repeatedly. Repeated, excessive Botox (among the most common of the overdone procedures) can make your face look stiff and frozen, thus giving it a very unnatural look.
4. Learn to be comfortable with your looks
Perhaps the hardest of them all – for if we were all comfortable with our looks in the first place, there would be no need for plastic surgery at all! Anyway, the point is that you call it quits before things take a turn for the worse. It is important to remember that all these plastic surgery procedures can only last for a while, after which their effects will wear out and the body go back to looking its age. The fountain of youth, alas, is still a mythical magic potion, defying all of mankind’s attempts to synthesize it and put in a bottle – or under a knife.
5. Be extremely careful if you’re planning a procedure abroad
They call it ‘medical tourism’ and many people now like to mix a holiday with a surgical procedure; and they go abroad where the cost of the procedure also usually turns out to be cheaper. It seems fairly obvious that you need to be extremely cautious about these attractive offers. Among the main issues are accountability - how would you make the doctor accountable for follow-up examinations, or in case there are problems. Price should be the determinant for having any surgical procedure abroad, leave alone a cosmetic one.
In the end it’s your body, your choice – so ensure you make the right ones!
