Reality TV and Psychology Issues Drive Unnecessary Cosmetic Surgery, Says Denver Plastic Surgeon

Two recent studies highlight a disturbing trend for young people to have unreasonable expectations of beauty, says Dr. Jeffrey Raval, MD, of Raval Facial Aesthetics

Denver, CO (PRWEB) August 29, 2010

Two recent academic medical studies centered on body image and the heightened desire for cosmetic surgery, raises concerns that young people are being driven to unreasonable, even dangerous expectations of beauty, says Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Raval, M.D., FACS, of Raval Facial Aesthetics, P.C.

One study, from a pair of psychology professors from Rutgers University and Villanova University and recently published in the academic journal Body Image, argues that teenagers and young adults who are fans of such “make-over” reality television shows like ABC's Extreme Makeover (cancelled in 2007), Fox's The Swan, MTV's I Want a Famous Face, E's Dr. 90210 and Oxygen's Addicted to Beauty are more likely to consider surgical techniques to improve their appearances.

In another study, undertaken under a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health and published in the Annals of Plastic Surgery, researchers claim that a majority of patients suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) believe cosmetic surgery procedures can help their perceived problem; however only two percent those undergoing the knife actually experienced reduced BDD symptoms.

“I am terribly wary of young people seeking out such procedures as nose jobs, and eye and chin reshaping with no real obvious need,” says Dr. Raval. “Certainly, I have experienced more inquiries over the past few years with all of these reality TV shows and such high-profile plastic surgery patients as Heidi Montag. I counsel many of these people to reconsider or I simply decline to take the case unless I think they have a serious beauty issue, which is rare in young people. This trend disturbs me.”

Dr. Raval adds that BDD is an often misunderstood psychological problem and really requires professional mental health intervention.

“I’ve studied BDD extensively and I have a heightened awareness in my consultations to recommend a psychological assessment,” he says. “The mental health studies say that cosmetic surgery procedures do nothing to alleviate real BDD, so I think it’s unethical for someone like me to perform any work on someone who needs psychological help.”

Celebrities and media like television and movies have long had an effect on the nation’s fashion and even health trends. Indeed, the sultry actress Veronica Lake popularized the peek-a-boo hairdo in the 1940s, and the highly popular television show Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004, is said to have created a spike in anorexia among young women seeking to have the size-0 style of the program’s three female leads. The fashion trend now seems to be cosmetic surgery, and Dr. Raval counts himself among those fighting back.

“There are legitimate reasons for cosmetic surgery among young people, like a too-big or misshapen nose, for instance, but because some popular actress has it done is not among them,” says Dr. Raval. “We can do some amazing things with plastic and cosmetic surgery, but I’m not in the practice of unreasonable or outrageous expectations.”

In addition to being a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Raval is also board certified in by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, a practice generally known as ear, nose and throat, or simply ENT. Raval Facial Aesthetics performs a full range of facial cosmetic surgery procedures, including facelifts, Rhinoplasty (nose jobs), chin and cheek augmentations, browlifts, eyelifts, deviated septum, and more, as well as such non-invasive procedures a laser-based facial peels, vein and age-spot removal, and skin resurfacing. In addition, the practice provides such wrinkle-reducing services as Botox, Latisse, and other popular age-fighting injectibles.    

Raval Facial Aesthetics is located in Denver’s renowned Cherry Creek North shopping and dining district, easily accessible to patients throughout Colorado. For more information visit http://www.ravalmd.com/ and telephone 303-381-FACE (3223).

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