Cosmetic Surgery
The Sun Herald
Saturday July 6, 1991
"SOME people feel you must live with what you're born with and that makes you a true spirit and a true beauty. It's not my concept. People should do what makes them happy."
So says Cher in a new book Cher: Forever Fit.
It's how she justifies the numerous cosmetic operations she has admitted to having. It may also be how she justifies the surgery she is rumoured to have had as well - like the cheek and chin implants, the liposuction, and the stomach tucks - which she denies.
What Cher does admit to is having had four breast operations, a nose job and her teeth straightened and "brought out".
Her first breast operation was to tighten the skin which was stretched during pregnancy. This was repeated after her second pregnancy. Two more operations were required because of scarring.
"Look, we're a visual society," Cher says.
"I didn't make this society. I just live here. I have adapted to it. I've been pretty open about the stuff I've had done.
"I've killed myself in the gym to have this body. It isn't like I've got some amazing secret that nobody else has.
"What's ironic is that the press wants to write off my body as the result of cosmetic surgery. It amazes me that people are choosing to bust my chops over this.
"This way they can dismiss me - and exercising - by saying 'Well, look at her, she just went out and bought her body'."
So perfection, chez Cher, is not as simple as a nip and tuck here and there.
"The bottom line is: plastic surgery is no panacea," she writes.
"Nothing can change and maintain the shape of your body better than exercise and proper eating."
Despite her advice - and, perhaps, adhering to her example - a massive 80,000 Australians received Medicare rebates for cosmetic surgery in 1989/90.
Plastic surgeons performed 6,000 nose reductions, 4,500 breast operations, 1,700 abrasive therapies for removing tattoos, 2,000 upper eyelid reductions and 3,000 excisions of the lip and eyelid.
Most patients are women over 45, according to the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. Yet teenagers rank highly in the number of patients having their noses altered or their ears pinned back.
The key, according to the society's spokesman who cannot be named for ethical reasons, is to seek a second opinion and to obtain as much information as possible before the operation.
"There are no guarantees," he said.
"The most common complications are bleeding, infections and scarring.
"Every person considering plastic surgery must weigh up the potential benefits with the potential downside."
The Consumers' Health Forum agrees, advising people to seek a second opinion before surgery and to ask their doctor lots of questions.
The doctors' spokesman said one of the major problems was that women did not follow the doctor's advice after the operation.
With some operations such as liposuction, in which fat can be removed from the legs, stomach, buttocks or arms, a tight elasticised garment must be worn for between four and eight weeks. This garment helps compress the holes through which the fat has been removed thus holding the new shape.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons has 170 members and advises patients to choose a doctor who is a society member and has had four to five years specific training in plastic surgery.
The recession has hit Australian plastic surgeons hard. According to the society, business is down about 10 per cent.
In most operations part of the cost is refunded by Medicare. How much the doctor charges varies.
Here's a list of the most common operations and their estimated costs:
Face lifts: Most surgeons now perform a double level face lift which tightens the skin and layers of muscle. This means the lift lasts longer. One face lift doesn't make a second one necessary but, as you can't stop yourself from aging, some people tend to repeat the process years later. Fat is also often removed from the neck and cheeks using liposuction. Cost: $1,000 to$4,000.
Nose jobs: Cartilage and bone are removed or added to the nose to reshape it. After surgery a plaster covers the nose to hold it in its new shape. Some packing may be inside the nose. Swelling and bruising around the eyes and cheeks can be severe for about one to two weeks. Patients are advised to avoid social contact or work for up to three weeks. Cost: $1,000 to $3,000.
Eyelid lifts: Baggy eyelids, but not dark circles, can be decreased by cutting out the skin and fat in the lower and upper eyelids. After surgery the eyes are soothed with icepacks and bandaged for about two weeks. Bruising can remain for several months. Cost $1,000 to $2,000.
Paris lip: Collagen, a protein extract of calf skin, is injected into the lips to give a fuller look. This operation is often performed in beauty clinics with a local anaesthetic. Collagen is also used to fill in fine wrinkles, such as those around the mouth. The procedure can be repeated every six to 12 months. Cost: about $400 for the Paris Lip.
Breast reduction or enlargement: Breasts can be made larger by adding gel-filled or saline-filled silicone implants or smaller by cutting out skin and tissue. It's best to wait until you've finished breast feeding to have your breasts reduced because the operation can limit the milk output. Cost: $1,000 to $3,000.
* Cher: Forever Fit is published by Bantam. RRP $24.95.
* The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons can send you a list of their members. Telephone (02) 499 2270.
© 1991 The Sun Herald
