We all see the headlines in the supermarket checkout line. Many celebrities demonstrate a “more is more” approach to cosmetic enhancement that’s just not reflective of how subtle and natural cosmetic procedures can look when performed by a skilled surgeon with good taste and restraint.
To illustrate the point, here are four examples of tabloid cosmetic surgery that give the rest of the world the wrong impression.
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False: Boob Jobs Always Look Fake
Dramatic breast enhancements like Pamela Anderson’s don’t do much to make a case for how natural breast implants can actually look. With other classic examples like the late tabloid queen Anna Nicole Smith, breast augmentation may almost seem like an extreme body makeover.
In reality, there’s actually a growing trend toward more natural-looking cosmetic surgery with results so believable that the outside observer may not realize they’re not looking at the work of Mother Nature. When performed by a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in breast augmentation, a believable, gorgeous figure is absolutely within reach.
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False: Procedures Never Age Well
Mickey Rourke was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of a washed-up fighter in the 2008 film “The Wrestler,” but tabloids love instead to tout him as an example of facial surgery gone wrong. It’s important to note that these same tabloids leave out an important fact: Rourke’s distorted appearance is due in no small part to many serious real-life boxing injuries several years prior, so his current appearance isn’t indicative of how plastic surgery actually ages.
Facial rejuvenation procedures should leave men and women looking refreshed and youthful rather than “done,” for results that can not only take years off patients’ appearances in the present but that will also stand the test of time.
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False: Extreme Results Are Totally Normal
If tabloids are to be believed, Joan Rivers is practically the unofficial spokesperson for overzealous cosmetic surgery. While the “wind tunnel” look may be her personal preference, extreme results like this are anything but commonplace.
Responsible cosmetic surgeons use restraint in working with the delicate facial features in order to preserve natural beauty and avoid drastic alterations. The goal of facial procedures is to help patients look like younger, more well-rested versions of themselves.
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False: No One Will Recognize You
Jennifer Grey was the object of Patrick Swayze’s love in the iconic 1987 film “Dirty Dancing.” Her quirky beauty is forever preserved on film thanks to the huge success of that movie, but that’s the last time most people ever saw her real face. Not long after her sudden rise to fame, she underwent a rather radical rhinoplasty that left her looking almost unrecognizable, which the tabloids universally blame for grounding her fledgling career before it really took off.
The tabloids use Grey as an example of plastic surgery gone wrong, but the truth is that her results are far from typical. While rhinoplasty is commonly considered the most challenging cosmetic procedure, dramatic change is certainly not the norm. Much like the other examples above, this tabloid myth can easily be proven false by viewing before-and-after photos of real patients who are satisfied with their natural-looking cosmetic surgery results, and are still perfectly recognizable.
Author: Dr. Joseph Castellano
Dr. Joseph Castellano is a native Floridian who grew up in the Tampa Bay area. After medical school and residency, Dr. Castellano returned home and has opened a practice in Tampa, Florida focusing on breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, liposuction, facelift, and eyelid rejuvenation. He is a member of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, American College of Surgeons, and American Medical Association
