Cosmetic Surgery

[Mgee]

Let us be precise and differ clearly between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery. The first one is to remedy a medical condition the latter is not.
E.g. after complications following an abdominal surgery I needed a skin and fascia transplant. This has not just been a cosmetic surgery but a necessary plastic surgery.

Yes, you're right. In my friend's case the public system didn't classify her as needing publicly funded plastic surgery (due to her age for some reason!), so when she had the op done privately, it was classified as cosmetic surgery. My mistake -I used the wrong term in my original post and I'm unable to edit the original message anymore.

However, sometimes it's there's a thin line between plastic and cosmetic surgery, so I don't condemn cosmetic surgery either if it really improves someone's quality of life even if there's no obvious medical reason for it. My ex-colleague's child had a visibly deformed earlobe, and because it was completely harmless, there was no medical reason to fix it -it too was condemned to be an entirely cosmetic issue. He was really upset about his "funny ear" because it caused a lot of questions and some teasing, so in the end, after long consideration, his parents paid for cosmetic surgery to fix it because the questions made him very upset on a regular basis. Now we all know that he should have been accepted as he was, but he just wanted to be like other kids and not always answer questions about his ear and it was a real issue for him. He was six or seven years old at the time of the operation, and was really happy when he got a normal-looking ear and didn't face any more questions at his new school.

[ralf-nz]

This of course is a grey area: Is a psychological condition a medical condition in this context?
I know of people who got it approved in similar circumstances.

[Sam B]

I haven't voted because I need a "I wouldn't rule it out" button. I think not, but if I get really saggy jowls I might consider it, because they run in my family and I hate the look of them.

[Duncan74]

I don't think elective cosmetic surgery should be allowed. I'm god's gift, and I really don't want people to put themselves through pain in an attempt to look like me.

[GrumpyGoat]

Vanity surgery to reverse aging ends up making you look really weird. I am watching my Dallas and LA friends turn into plasticized versions of themselves. True, they aren't wrinkled but they aren't normal either.

I would rather just look old but still human. I am really glad that I don't feel the same pressure here that they obviously are starting to feel there at 40.

[Familyofmonkeys]

I would rather just look old but still human.

Same here!

I grew up being picked on throughout my entire childhood because I've inherited a large nose, probably from my jewish ancestors. I've learnt to be happy just being me I don't do makeup...not even for my wedding day. Unless my face got mangled in an accident or something similarly unfortunate, there is no way I'd go under the knife. I can't understand why some people are so scared of aging. On the other hand my mum got some new nipples done following reconstruction surgery after breast cancer and although not strictly neccesary, I can understand why she got that done because she was still relatively young, and often got odd looks from people when she went swimming etc.

[ralf-nz]

.. a large nose, probably from my jewish ancestors ...

I really have a very big problem with these words!

In the culture I grew up and spent the longer part of my life these words are considered upsetting and offending as not being politically correct.

The theory expressed in these words was used by a certain group of people and a little later embraced by NSDAP. We all know what happened then.

AFAIK as I know there is no scientific proof of this relation between physiognomy and culture / race.

[moz]

No cosmetic surgery for me, unless I had an accident and therefore there was a medical reason for it..

I am 43 this year, the best I can do is look after myself..I am less self conscious now than I was 10 years ago!

[Mamee & Co]

I have earned my lines and wrinkles in life. However like others have said here, there is a difference between necessary plastic surgery, which I had as a child to correct a third nostril, and removing normal aging effects.

We deal with appearance on a daily basis. I have found most cosmetic effects appear to give a natural look, and moving to NZ in my mid forties gave me a small advantage skinwise! However I may have to face that my son, may in the future, opt for surgery to give him an ear, which he was born without. Currently he is very much of the opinion if it doesn't hear what is the point, for which I am thankful.

But for some, I think that they feel that they have to do everything possible to counteract aging's effects and it must be so sad to be unsure of yourself...having said that I am now more handy with the moisturiser, have been known to dye my hair and am hitting the gym to try and slow the aging effects, so who knows!

[Gran]

Just imagine, you got an infection when undergoing facial surgery, and you lost all your face skin!!!
Seriously though I reckon fat is cheaper than Botox.

Gran