Natural plastic surgery results should be the goal

Certainly, every cosmetic surgery patient is looking for a change.  Sometimes, more is not better.  Sometimes more is irreversible and damaging.

I would rather “under-do” 10 facelifts than “over-do” one.   You don’t have to look further than Joan Rivers or Kenny Rogers to understand why.  Facelift results should look like a rested, more youthful version of the patient.  Not like a different person entirely.

I would rather “under-do” 10 rhinoplasties than “over-do” one.   Michael Jackson.

In my opinion the top surgeries that are too frequently over-done are:

1. Brow lift – No one has ever come to my office asking if I can make them look surprised.   A well executed brow lift usually actually results in only a couple of millimeters of brow elevation.  This can often be accomplished non-surgically with Botox.
2. Facelift – The skin should not look tight or pulled.  There should still be some lines and wrinkles.  The corner of the mouth should not be pulled.
3. Blepharoplasty – The upper eyelids should have excess skin when the eyes are open, otherwise they wouldn’t close.
4. Breast augmentation – Symmetry is beauty.  The circumference around the hips should match that around the breasts.  The contour of the breast should be nearly a straight line without bulging from the collar bone to the nipple.

There are times when being aggressive is beneficial to ultimate outcomes:

1. Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) – it is hard to “over-do” a tummy tuck.
2. Breast reduction – I have seen a few patients who after breast reduction later had breast augmentation (none of my patients, knock on wood).  This is rare.  Most breast reduction patients are just tired of their heavy, large breasts and desire a significant change.
3. Breast lift – As long as the nipple position is correct and the operation is executed safely, it is nearly impossible to “over-do” the lift.  Generally over-lifted on the table means fantastic results in 6 weeks.   Fabulous results on the table can result in bottoming out over time.

This is not to say that every one of my results are what I would consider “perfectly natural”.  This is, however, my philosophy and goal.

I am fortunate to practice in a fairly conservative area in Utah where many of my patients share these sediments.  This is one of the primary reasons why I practice in Utah instead of, say, Beverly Hills.