Too Much Plastic Surgery?

Should surgeons say “No” when patients visit too often?

Reader Laura Question:
“Alicia Douvall is back in the news after spending a reported million pounds on plastic surgery to look like a barbie doll. She is now claiming that it’s the Dr’s fault that she had so much surgery and that they should have told her no when she asked for surgery. What do you think is the Dr’s responsibility when it comes to designer plastic surgery?”

She has had more than 330 cosmetic procedures and operations – far outstripping American Cindy Jackson, usually credited with being the world’s most surgically-enhanced woman.
Former English glamour model Alicia Douvall – best known for her kiss-and-tell affairs with celebrities including music mogul Simon Cowell – claims to have spent more than £1 million on boob jobs, facelifts and even toe shortening operations.

A grown woman saying her primary reason for wanting cosmetic surgery is to ‘look more like Barbie’ would be a cause for concern, even to those with no medical training. Yet unscrupulous surgeons agreed to operate on her for just this bizarre reason not once, but more than 50 times.

Source: dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2297998/Alicia-Douvall-Why-did-stop-worlds-nipped-tucked-woman-wasting-1m-16-boob-jobs-eye-watering-308-cosmetic-treatments.html

It is somewhat laughable when an obvious plastic surgery addict tries to blame someone else. The public doesn’t often think that surgeons get paid to operate and when one says “No” there are likely many others who do not. Saying “No” costs money.

As we have discussed here before, that which constitutes “Too Much Plastic Surgery” is a matter of a surgeon’s philosophy. While I have turned away patients who have requested surgery which I feel was problematic, I am in the minority and suffer financially for each such ethical denial. Many other doctors are less selective and justify their policies with their own beliefs. Suffice it to say that if a patient seeks surgery with money to spend, there will very likely be someone there to take that money.

Best Regards,

John Di Saia MD

Related:

Would A Plastic Surgeon Ever Say No?