FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN
By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine®
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

READER'S DAUGHTER HAS NOSE ONLY A SURGEON COULD LOVE

Question: My 19-year-old daughter wants to "get a nose job." She believes that having her nose surgically altered will make a big difference in her life. I know that she feels cosmetic surgery would benefit her now, but I'm not sure she will feel that way afterwards. Can you provide any guidance for her and for me, the concerned father?

Answer: Cosmetic surgery provides a great benefit for many people. It is used to surgically improve the appearance of those who have suffered injury. A gratifying example is the repair of multiple facial injuries produced in an auto accident. Another common use is the "reconstruction" of body areas that have been disfigured by cancer surgery.

You may feel that there is a vast difference between the problems posed by these disfiguring conditions and your daughter's wish to just become more beautiful. Actually, the difference is only a matter of degree, since all cosmetic surgery is done to make individuals more beautiful. And this isn't a frivolous concern. Our appearance is very important to each of us.

Appearance is important because of the impact it has on our self-image and, thereby, on our relationships with those around us. When you feel good about yourself, you project a more positive image that often results in improved social and work relationships. These important benefits make it worthwhile for you and your daughter to investigate cosmetic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery is what we doctors call an elective procedure because you can "elect" to have the surgery done now or at a later time. That is, a delay won't in any way jeopardize your physical health, and the results can be anticipated to be just as good whether the surgery is done this week or six months from now.

The elective nature of a "nose job" gives you a very good opportunity to shop for a good surgeon. You want to be sure that your plastic surgeon that's a doctor who does cosmetic surgery, not one made of plastic can give you a good understanding of what's involved in the procedure. You should understand what will be "removed" or "added to" and be given some idea of the immediate appearance after surgery. You should also be told how long you should expect to wait for final healing. Further, it's very important that you find out what your appearance could be like if everything doesn't work out in an ideal fashion.

You and your daughter should also discuss the finances of the proposed surgery. Plastic surgery is usually not covered by insurance. The attention to cost seems more relevant when the dollars come directly out of your bank account instead of from a faceless insurance company. Actually the costs are greater when the insurance company gets involved, but that is another story.

So in summary, I'd recommend that you talk with you daughter to determine the extent of impact the proposed surgery will have on her physical and emotional well-being. Talk to several surgeons about what they can offer. Ultimately then, it is your daughter who must decide if she is willing to undergo the pain, risk and expense of the surgery in exchange for its promised benefits.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701.