Who does plastic surgery?

Posted on January 31, 2011

“No one I know would do plastic surgery.”

I am here to tell you that statement is not true.  I gave a talk at the Mom’s Night Out for the Palo Alto Mother’s Club last week. (I know it is so hard to get any time out of the house without little ones hanging off you, so thank you all for coming and all of your questions!)  And I opened my question and answer session with a little talk starting with that sentence.  “No one I know would do plastic surgery.” 

Almost no celebrities admit they have done plastic surgery.  The words “Plastic surgery” still dredge up shivers in some- those fake looking, overplumped or wind tunnel faces, breasts the size of melons.  Who would do that? 

My father was a plastic surgeon.  It was all hush hush in those days…. it was done by a few, and thought of for only the rich and famous.  Oh-my-heavens- no one would talk about any of it.  A decade ago when botox first came out it was a forbidden topic. . Now, a decade later, many women will talk about botox openly, some as openly as getting their haircut or manicure. But surgery? No.  We don’t talk about that.  Maybe, to a close friend. Behind closed doors.

But we in Northern California are not like other places in the country.  Palo Alto and all of the Bay Area is filled with very natural, healthy, athletic women. Natural.  Organic.  Hiking, marathon running, spinning, pilates.  Who here would do plastic surgery?

Most 40 something women are doing something. The thing is when done well, you just don’t KNOW they are doing something.  I am one plastic surgeon.  I have been in practice for 11+ years.  I have a small office.  I have thousands of patients, and they mostly come from a 10 mile radius of my office.  

Plastic surgery is a range, from very quick, nonsurgical office things like botox, peels, and fillers (Juvederm, Restylane, Sculptra) to big surgeries.  The results of plastic surgery are also a range, from the oh-my-did-you-see-her-face/chest/lips to how-do-you-look-so-good-after-3-kids/must be the good genes.

For better or worse, plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures have become mainstream, and I can guarantee you know someone who is doing procedures.  Again, when done well, you just don’t KNOW it.