Posted by LawtonMD on January 20, 2014
There has been significant fanfare around Michelle Obama’s recent interview in People Magazine:
Tomorrow, Michelle Obama will hit a milestone: she’s turning 50! One surprising thing she’s not ruling out? Plastic surgery or Botox. “Women should have the freedom to do whatever they need to do to feel good about themselves,” she tells People magazine. “Right now, I don’t imagine that I would go that route, but I’ve also learned to never say never.”
Immediately, this interview blew up in the press. Every news outlet acted shocked at her statement. Why? Because plastic surgery has always been a secret. The did she or didn’t she? Good genes, or good docs? Media is always trying to exploit any public figure with shame for having plastic surgery. As a result, women feel guilt and embarrassment about having plastic surgery and most certainly never want to admit they would consider it, let alone do it.
Again, I ask: why? As a woman in this business dominated by men — I find myself often in an uphill battle against the “perception” of plastic surgery. Certainly, it doesn’t help when plastic surgeons continue to show up in various reality TV shows putting our industry in a not-so-positive light. But,I digress….
I continue to find negativity around an industry based on helping people feel their best. Granted there are those with mental issues using plastic surgery in an unhealthy way. And, unfortunately, my field has plenty of doctors willing to operate on anyone for a buck. And, more, unfortunately, those cases end up being the billboard for plastic surgery. But, every industry has bad seeds — whether its Wall Street, banking, mortgage brokers, fashion industry, etc. As a mother of two young children, a wife, friend, daughter, sister …. I’m as “normal” as they come. And I assure you, there are plenty of plastic surgeons like me, but we are not the face of the plastic surgeons these days– contributing to this negative image.