By Cheryl Mattox Berry
The last time I got together with girlfriends for Happy Hour, the conversation eventually turned to our aging bodies, specifically what we’d go under the knife to change. Survey said: boobs (perkier,) bellies (flatter) and erasing those facial lines that make us look tired and angry.
Of course, we were under the influence of potent cocktails when we drew up our wish list, and no one whipped a cellphone to make an appointment with a plastic surgeon. However, more and more men and women, especially people of color, are making a trip to the doctor’s office to fix something they don’t like.
In 2013, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 1.2 million procedures or 8 percent of the total number were performed on African-Americans. Between 2005 and 2013, the group estimates the number of cosmetic procedures performed on blacks rose 56 percent, compared to 35 percent for non-Hispanic whites. Among Asians and Hispanics, the numbers grew faster.
I’ve been watching patients get plastic surgery on Atlanta Plastic, a Lifetime reality TV show that features three black cosmetic surgeons who perform body magic on mostly minority patients. This program is not for the faint of heart because it shows graphic, closeup video of surgeons in the operating room, slicing through bloody tissue, sucking out fat and stuffing breast implants in chests.
The show takes you from the consultation, into surgery, through the painful recovery and finally the big reveal. The patients are ordinary people. Many have lost weight and want excess skin removed. Some have deformities, such as uneven breasts. A lot of women want breast augmentation or their pre-baby bodies back.
Doctors ask patients to explain how the problem they want corrected has affected their life. That was the eye-opening part for me. These people aren’t trying to look like celebrities: They just want to feel and look normal.
Not everyone is a candidate for cosmetic surgery because of a medical condition or they need to lose more weight. It’s amazing how many people get angry when the doctor turns them down. They are reminded that staying alive is more important than looks.
I used to think only vain people and celebrities underwent cosmetic surgery, but after seeing Atlanta Plastic I now know that fixing what you think is broken boosts your self-confidence and allows you to live the life you deserve.
Tip: Go to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ website at www.plasticsurgery.org, to find a board-certified cosmetic surgeon. The site also provides information on patient safety and what to expect following surgical procedures.