Until we can recognize the stigma affecting our field and seek ways to reverse harmful perceptions about plastic surgery, empowerment is inherent. According to our experts, the stigma of facelifts is stronger in certain demographics.
Women of color have been hesitant about plastic surgery; it usually wasn't something they thought would be applied to them for a long time, explains Dr. Amaka Nwubah, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Nashville, Tennessee.
While she has seen attitudes change slightly regarding breast and body surgery, she says, the stigma surrounding facial surgery in communities of color remains high. The way we feel about our appearance is important.The way we feel about ourselves plays an important role in the way we present ourselves to others and the way we interact with them. Complexes and insecurities about appearances hinder us in ways we sometimes don't recognize. Whether it's a favorite side when taking a picture or positioning yourself at the back of the group to hide your arms, thighs or belly that aren't perfect, these acts become routine, just like how we feel about our appearance. We limit our closets and even our social activities, sometimes without knowing it, because of a concern for skin contouring that we haven't addressed.
So, while it may seem taboo to consider cosmetic surgery in some communities, I think that not only is it healthy, but it's also necessary to remind all women that it's okay to want to improve something about themselves. It's not equivalent to vanity or selfishness to want to be happy with the skin you're in, regardless of age, gender or race. Wahrman, MD, MBA, MHCDS, FACS, adjunct professor of Plastic Surgery at Penn and head of Plastic Surgery at Cape Michael J. But as much as we want celebrity confessions, they sometimes serve as a reminder that a segment of society continues to criticize plastic surgery and those who practice it.
While plastic surgeons are not prepared to end stigma, they are confident that transparency, in any form, is significant. Be that as it may, there's no denying that social media has elevated the conversation about plastic surgery for better or worse. Steven Levine, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City, says that although people who undergo facelifts are almost universally happy, facelift patients' biggest fear is that they will end up looking different from them and then being judged for undergoing surgery. However, the most attentive plastic surgery patients see facelifts as more than just a restorative solution for older people, they consider it a tool for self-perfection and self-expression. To say that I fully understand why, for some black women, the idea of undergoing plastic surgery seems so wrong is an understatement.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported a 115% increase in the number of cosmetic procedures performed last year, with more than 15 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. The astonishing or unattainable extremes popularized by these platforms are certainly not a victory for plastic surgery or for its patients. The number of male cosmetic patients increased by three percent last year, mainly due to surgeries such as nose remodeling, eyelid surgery, breast reduction, liposuction and facelifts. They bragged about their “wonderful plastic surgeon” and how he was literally able to stop the passage of time.
The plastic surgeons who contributed to this story agree that the stigma of facelifts still exists unequivocally throughout. the country. As a first-year plastic resident in New Orleans, I was reluctant to use Botox and swore that my Haitian grandmother would come out of her grave and slap me if I thought about having cosmetic surgery. Motakef applauds high-profile patients such as Marc Jacobs, Chrissy Teigen and Sonja Morgan for helping to generalize some select plastic surgeries.
Keep seeing that this culture of secrecy among some celebrities perpetuate the stigma.
