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Dr. Andrew Jacono MD, a Dual Board Certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Founder of the New York Center For Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery pictured

Beyond The Knife:

The Life and Death of Imperfections

By: Danielle Jackson

Posted: 11/26/07

Many women take time out of their busy and sometimes hectic days to look at some discrepancy in their physical appearance, at least one thing on their body that makes them deem their body less than perfect. Whether it is a wrinkle, cellulite or the gravitational pull of certain areas over time, one can not deny the urge to quickly and easily resolve bodily imperfections with a mere glimpse of the insurance card or a swipe of a credit card. The proof of this is evident according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Over 11 million procedures were performed on people seeking to improve their appearance, up from 8 million just three years ago.
The latest victim to this tyranny is Dr. Donda West, award-winning recording artist Kanye West's mother. Donda West, 58, died allegedly from complications of cosmetic surgery. It was later revealed that her plastic surgeon, Dr. Ian Adams allegedly could be at fault in the death of Ms. West because of past patients of Adams who were not satisfied with the results of their surgery.
According to MTV.com, a civil action brought by an Orange County woman is still pending against Adams. The woman alleges that, in 2006, she was hospitalized with a high fever and fluid in her left breast, following a botched surgery to remove excess skin and reshape her chest and abdomen. Two other cases against Adams also remain active.
Those facts aside, the speculation remains, when can one who desires plastic surgery feel safe in going under the knife? Ms. West placed her trust in Adams, who has been featured on Oprah and The Discovery Channel during his plastic surgeon career, but is it enough to entrust a surgeon predominately because of his publicity and television appearances?
According to Dr. Andrew Jacono MD, a Dual Board Certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Founder of the New York Center For Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery, the first step in ensuring a safely executed procedure is that the patient is healthy enough to withstand the physical stress of anesthesia and surgery on the heart and pulmonary or lung systems. This check, according to Jacono, requires a complete medical pre-operative evaluation, performed by an internal medicine doctor, not a surgeon, including complete blood work, an electrocardiogram, and chest x-ray. This step is most important in the case of Ms. West because there was speculation that when she originally went to have the procedure done, the surgeon refused her because of a medical condition discovered during pre-op.
The second step is to locate an accredited and professional surgeon. There are five boards that are either member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). These boards include the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and The American Board of Plastic Surgery.
"You should also check your doctor's hospital affiliations. If a physician has privileges to perform surgery at an accredited hospital, this demonstrates that his or her performance and credentials are subject to regular scrutiny. While most plastic surgeons perform surgery only in their office, they do have privileges to perform surgery at a local hospital. If a doctor does not have these privileges, do not use that doctor," Jacono said.
The emotional ramifications of plastic surgery sometimes out weigh the physical results. Although women and men alike are getting plastic surgery these days, women seem to be the most emotionally affected. According to the Mayo Clinic Women's Healthsource, "A tummy tuck here. An eyebrow lift there. For women with realistic expectations, cosmetic surgery can enhance body satisfaction. The key word is realistic. Women who are happy with their overall appearance but who seek cosmetic surgery to alter just one aspect of their body often find that cosmetic surgery meets their physical and emotional needs."
Those seeking plastic surgery to cure their view of bodily imperfections should be very thorough in their search for a surgeon and use the tips of Dr. Jacono. Remember that your health and successful healing is the key to safely making modifications toward physical imperfections.