As a responsible plastic surgeon, I agree with most of the facts elaborated by the news and internet these days, but some facts need correction just like busting myths around plastic surgery. Let’s take a step back and know what plastic and cosmetic surgeries mean? When one opts for plastic surgery and why it’s not always about beautification. It’s more than that. It is life-saving in situations and also improves the quality of life for many. 

Firstly, plastic surgery is a broad specialty with subspecialties like burns, maxillofacial surgery, hand, and microvascular surgery, and aesthetic/cosmetic surgery. Most of these sub-specialties are life-changing and mandatory to better the quality of life of patients seeking them. Aesthetic/cosmetic surgeries too are life-changing and help in improving self-esteem in the vast majority of situations, provided it is done by qualified experts in the safest environment.

Delving deeper into the issue of patients seeking cosmetic surgery, I strongly believe that it’s a personal choice and must be left to them to decide what is good and works for them to improve their quality of life My concern is that this news clip, rather than encouraging people to have their issues sorted, may potentially make our society mock all those seeking plastic surgery even if it’s for a life altering situation let alone cosmetic surgery as the terminology used by most of the news channels and articles isn’t right and is confusing to the viewers.

Every surgery comes with risks:

And so does plastic surgery and all its sub-specialties. Does one complication after a Cesarean section or a hysterectomy make us condemn these procedures? No, isn’t it? In the same vein, what ought to be highlighted is the safety of getting these procedures done by qualified plastic surgeons. 

Procedures being done by unqualified personnel are increasing by the day and these ought to be addressed and focused upon by our media.

Cosmetic surgery, although a booming industry, is an unregulated market where there are no written rules of how these procedures need to be conducted and by whom they need to be performed. Quackery and unqualified doctors doing these procedures must be targeted and penalized rather than bringing the broad specialty of plastic surgery to disrepute. Even in the hands of the most experienced plastic surgeons complications do occur occasionally. Our media needs to understand this and not make a mockery of the surgeon and the specialty

Secondly, good outcomes in plastic surgery especially cosmetic surgery are dependent on choosing the right doctor and choosing the right patient. For eg if a plastic surgeon were to operate on every patient walking into the consultation, one would be attracting a lot of unsatisfied clients and patients.

On the contrary, realistic expectations of patients need to match the plastic surgeon’s skills. Once these two are in sync one can expect a favorable outcome.

Some patients suffer from body dysmorphic syndromes (BDS) who are constantly trying to alter themselves seeking perfection through plastic surgery. Only a qualified plastic surgeon can understand BDM and could seek other professional consultations to avert a disaster or a very unsatisfied client.

Please understand that plastic surgery is not an exacting science and a blend of medicine with art. Millions of patients and clients benefit from plastic surgery and that never gets highlighted. It’s one rare complication or death that catches the attention of our media to sensationalize such news and for reasons better known to all of us. I wish good sense prevails in our media and that even positive news could be sensationalized rather than only showing only complications and deaths to our viewers. No different from ignoring hundreds and thousands of flights that land safely but news calling out the ones that didn’t. 

It also goes without saying that our patients need to be operated on in the safest environment. Just as it is the duty of every surgeon to mention about the anticipated risks involved in a procedure and the back up plans for these events, it’s also the duty of each and every individual to gather information of thequalifications of their surgeons and the credibility of operating rooms / clinics and hospitals.

Come on Palki, the brilliant journalist that you are, I’m sure you could bring up all the success stories that plastic surgery has been responsible. since the days of Sushruta ( Indian plastic surgeon credited for performing the first rhinoplasty ). Positive side of the story needs to be highlighted much more than gory complications if our society were to benefit at large.

A Mercedes isn’t put off roads just because it was involved in a bad accident, In the same way by blaming a beautiful specialty like plastic surgery is doing us more harm than good. 

Plastic surgery must be encouraged. Plastic surgeons need to be applauded for their tireless efforts and their supreme sacrifices that they make with time and their families. Young surgeons need to be encouraged to take up this specialty and to bring back the glory that time and again that it’s being robbed of.

– Dr. Rajesh Vasu, Consultant Plastic & Aesthetic Surgeon – Care Hospitals, Gachibowli, Hyderabad