Plastic Surgery- Not Just For The Rich and Famous

When you flip through the channels on your television, chances are you
will come across more than one program dedicated to rnakeovers. "Extreme
Makeover - Home Edition," "Starting Over" and "What Not to Wear" are
just a few of the shows committed to this makeover frenzy. Others portray
the medical side. Showslike the Discovery Channel's "Plastic Surgery Before
and After," the original "Extreme Makeover" and the upcoming "Miracle
Workers" give you a glimpse of plastic surgery, the medical subspecialty that
helps patients feel better about their looks.
"All you have to do is watch television or pick up a women's magazine to
see the results of cosmetic, or aesthetic, surgery," saysRonald A. Freeman,
MIDDLE GEORGIA M.D. NEWS
M.D., F.A.C.S., of Macon. "Aesthetic surgery has exploded in the United
States in the last 10 years, and it is no longer just for Hollywood. It is for
the ordinary person who just wants to look younger and who feels better
than they look sometimes."
And while aesthetic surgery is considered an elective procedure, plenty
of other patients undergo reconstruction surgery to repair congenital
deformities or those caused by diseases such as skin or breast cancer.
The end result for both, says Dr. Freeman, is a chance for patients to feel
better about themselves.
"Some of my patients tell me they want to look youthful because they
feel youthfuL Some tell me they are doing it because they want to be more
competitive in their job market," he says. "If plastic surgery makes them feel
better about themselves and increases their self-esteem, it is a good thing."