Plastic surgery can be last-resort

The beauty industry is all about working with what you've got. Enhancing the good and disguising what we don't like. But what happens if these treatments just aren't enough to satisfy us? What if the image we have of ourselves is marred by something body cream or makeup just won't help?

This is when the question of plastic surgery becomes a factor for regular people, not just celebrities. Crooked noses, excess skin after major weight loss, uneven breasts, fat pockets and jowls are a few reasons why people all over the Maritimes come to Halifax to restore their looks and self-esteem through plastic surgery.

Atlantic Canada's only private plastic surgery clinic, The Landings Surgical Centre, is on Halifax's swanky waterfront at Bishop's Landing, open since the summer of 2005.

The clinic has an understated entrance. Once inside, a friendly receptionist greeted me in the waiting area, a peaceful and luxurious area befitting a private cosmetic-surgery clinic. This atmosphere continued into the back offices and consultation rooms, until I reached the doors to the operating area.

It was strange to walk from a polished office to a silent, sterile hospital, by the swing of a few doors. Once past the doors, I may as well have been in the QEII.

Richard Bendor-Samuel, one of the physicians and founders of The Landings, has been in plastic surgery for more than 15 years, and is an assistant professor of surgery at Dalhousie University. As he spoke to me from his office in the clinic, he said there has been a major change in attitude toward plastic surgery, mainly due to American media.

"Cosmetic surgery has become a lot more popular. TV shows have made it more acceptable, but not really explained it," he said.

He says that although plastic surgery is a now more common and safe way to correct issues such as drooping breasts and excess skin from weight loss, it's not necessarily for everyone. You need to be healthy and mentally prepared for the surgery. And although he hasn't seen it very often, there are people who become fixated on additional surgeries leading to addiction to corrective procedures.

But as plastic surgery becomes more acceptable and safe, Bendor-Samuel saw the need for a private plastic surgery clinic in Halifax to give people an option for shorter wait lists, and a place to have surgery in a quiet atmosphere.

Although there has been backlash against the private clinic, Bendor-Samuel says the clinic doesn't take away from subsidized health care or allow people to jump queues.

The individual either pays for plastic surgery performed at the hospital, if it is for cosmetic reasons, or it is done for medicinal reasons and is covered by the public health-care system. The difference is there is a longer wait to have it done at the hospital.

The clinic has kept busy since its opening in 2005. Jennifer (not her real name), a single woman in her mid-20s, last September had liposuction, one of the most common procedures performed at The Landings by Dr. Bendor-Samuel.

"I'm not a huge person, but I've always had a big butt and hips," said Jennifer. She struggled to find clothes that fit properly, having a small upper body and torso, with a larger bottom. She said although she and her friends would joke about it, it bothered her enough to find a solution.

Although diet and exercise kept her in great shape, her hips remained the same. After investigating the pros and cons of having liposuction performed on her hips, she decided to go for it.

She paid $4,800 for the procedure, had bruises all the way to her feet, wore an undergarment for swelling for six weeks and might still be swollen for another year, which is normal.

Jennifer took a week's vacation from work, and still hasn't told some of her closest friends, or even her father. When asked if she would do it again, Jennifer says, "In a heartbeat."

In fact, she says knowing the results she received from the procedure she would have paid double the cost; she says it changed her life. She wore a bathing suit and shorts for the first time since childhood on a recent trip to Cuba.

After the removal of 2.5 litres of fat from her hips and thighs, she is down 15 pounds and four pant sizes. She said the staff made sure she understood the importance of maintaining a healthy body. If she were to gain any weight, dents in the flesh would remain where the fat was initially removed, leaving her with lumpy thighs and uneven skin.

Plastic surgery is a last resort for many people, like Jennifer. It's the remaining option after all else has failed.

It's expensive, painful and a serious decision not to be taken lightly. You need to be in good health, have realistic expectations and consider your future.

If you're planning on having children, a tummy tuck or breast implants may not be the best option. If you are planning to lose weight, wait until you've reached your goal, then talk to a surgeon. If you are set on surgery, quit smoking now in order to heal better and faster after surgery.

Bendor-Samuel says there are a few ways to avoid future surgery. Maintain a healthy body weight and avoid major weight gains and losses to avoid excess skin. And always wear a bra: gravity will always work against you.

Keep in mind you'll have to set aside time for recovery. Vacation time and a buddy to help you out for the first few days after surgery are often needed.

If plastic surgery is something you are considering, do your research, have a thorough consultation and plan ahead. Even though cosmetic surgery is safer and more common than ever before, it's a serious medical procedure.

Denise Surette would like to thank Jennifer for sharing her personal story. She is an esthetician at HS Studio and a journalist living in Timberlea.

source: www.hfxnews.ca