There are people who think that the boom in plastic surgery is unhealthy to the point of being unethical. What does it say about people who believe that in order to be attractive or worthwhile they must have certain physical characteristics? Why do so many perfectly beautiful Asian women feel like they must have eyelids with a crease? Why do so many perfectly “normal” American women believe the need slimmer thighs and larger breasts?
There are certainly risks associated with any surgical procedure, and the operations are quite expensive. But most plastic surgery patients know quite a bit about the procedures they elect to have due to the proliferation of television shows and internet sites on the subject. For anybody contemplating plastic surgery, it is important to know that in the U.S., in order to be a plastic surgeon, a physician has to: attend at least three years of progressive clinical training in general surgery after receiving a medical degree; go through an accredited two to three year program in plastic surgery; and pass a comprehensive written and oral exam in plastic surgery.
When it comes to cosmetic procedures, however, doctors sometimes learn these through workshops or even videotapes. There is also the matter of “board certification.” The problem is, there are any number of “boards” the doctor can claim certification with, but the one that really means something is the certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which is the only certifying board for plastic surgery recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Continue reading ‘Why Should Plastic Surgery be Allowed and not Banned’ »