We get asked all the time if we would ever have cosmetic surgery or procedures. We get asked if we think they are safe and worth all the pain, effort and money. And we always have some say to us – ‘never say never girls!’
We have researched many procedures and looked into the protocol of the major ones. It’s fair to say some actually horrify us. We do not quite understand people in their 20’s getting botox or why anyone would bother with collagen injections while so young either. We always wonder what the long term effects will be and we are not quite sure we would ever do some of them. But we certainly appreciate there could be a time and a place for a few.
To help us to understand the how’s and why’s about something we are not experts in we have interviewed a number of people about cosmetic surgery and appearance medicine. For us it was one interview with Dr Michelle Foster, a GP with a particular interest in skincare, including appearance medicine based in Auckland, New Zealand, who we believe summed up how we feel beautifully.
‘I LOVE cosmetic surgery! But I believe it has a place and should be used with care and respect. I am really concerned about it being used as a means of avoiding issues in one’s life or being seen as a ‘cure-all’. On the whole I believe most people use it wisely to correct defects that can affect self-esteem, such as a disproportionally large nose, saggy eyes, breasts that are too large or non-existent. These individuals usually do it for themselves, love the outcome and reap the benefits of enhanced self-esteem. Above all, in their own eyes, they look ‘normal’ to everyone else.
There is another small but significant group of individuals who are of concern to me. These people try to use cosmetic surgery to repair gaps in their lives. They do it for someone else or because they are looking for a solution to a problem in their lives. They are more likely to be unhappy with the outcome because the problem doesn’t get solved and they often end up looking odd to those around them. I guess in a roundabout way I am saying I believe cosmetic surgery is a wonderful tool that is available to us and, like all good things, we need to dispense it with love and a great deal of care.
For me, I really believe that looking after one’s own mental health, that self-care is the most important thing you can do. Second comes sunblock! I do love the idea of green beauty. I believe it offers an important perspective. I am always uncomfortable with medicine as a profession believing it has all the answers, it doesn’t. I like the idea of individuals taking more responsibility for their health.’
So, is cosmetic surgery the answer? Well we have girlfriends who have had ‘work’ done. A nose job for one friend was the making of her. It was almost like her personality changed once she had fully healed. Another had a boob job and it was insane to see her confidence shine and grow.
But perhaps sometimes, the BEST cosmetic upgrade you could give yourself is a good dose of time out. It may well cost the same to take a beautiful holiday. You only have to look at someone who has been away relaxing, chilling, reading by the pool or for the more adventurous those who have been on a trek or ski holiday to see how refreshed and vital someone’s skin and face looks.