Let’s Talk: The Natural Choice

Bee stung lips, over-filled cheeks it’s all part of cosmetic surgery. But not GOOD cosmetic surgery. If the surgeon is trained properly and board-certified in plastic surgery, the patient should walk away from the procedure looking natural and refreshed, not overdone and fake.

Cosmetic surgery trends are shifting, and most agree for the better. Preventative is being stressed, along with non-invasive and less-invasive procedures. Consumers are better informed with relevant information at their fingertips, with the Smart Beauty Guide and The Plastic Surgery Channel. Listen as two veterans of plastic surgery, Dr. Robert Singer and Dr. Peter Fodor discuss the future of the industry and why natural is evolving as the new choice in cosmetic surgery.

By Dr. Peter Fodor and Dr. Robert Singer
and Dawn Tongish
The Plastic Surgery Channel

Natural, Not Overdone 

Check out any tabloid magazine and the cover will no doubt feature a Hollywood starlet or wannabe with an outlandish, overdone plastic surgery look. There is an abundance of people taking plastic surgery to the extreme and many times it starts with improper consultation, agrees doctors Robert Singer and Peter Fodor. “Some of these patients end up expressionless. It isn’t a good look,” says Dr. Fodor.

Dr. Singer believes the issues begin when patients seek out poorly trained surgeons, who may not specialize in plastic surgery. “I see people come in from non-trained physicians and they haven’t even had a face lift yet they look very overdone. They have had too many laser treatments or too much botox.”

The goal, the doctors say should be a natural look that doesn’t stand out to friends and family as “worked on”. It seems the industry is moving in that direction. “I think one of the things I have seen is more natural procedures and better procedures. I think a lot of it has to do with individual assessment and that is a good thing,” says Dr. Singer. Dr. Singer says plastic surgeons are starting to look at what is causing the issue and really correcting the problem, whether it is aging, loosing volume, or a little of both.

Look Out For Doctors Who Aren’t Properly Trained

Plastic surgery can be a lucrative profession and perhaps that is why so many doctors are jumping on the bandwagon to perform procedures and techniques. Be advised that not all physicians performing cosmetic procedures are board-certified in plastic surgery. Dr. Singer and Dr. Fodor say it’s always best to consult a “board-certified” plastic surgeon. “They have all the options in their tool chest. “It is just that simple,” says Dr. Singer.

“We are proponents of patient safety and this is the safest way to go,” says Dr. Fodor. The doctors say that if a patient wants to look natural, the choice shouldn’t always be less and some doctors only offer less because they don’t have a wide range of skills. “They are trying to fit patients into a procedure,” says Dr. Singer. “That’s not really the way it should work. I think less invasive is good and I believe in preventative too, but sometimes less, really is less.”

The Top Cosmetic Trend, With Staying Power 

It seems that cosmetic surgery trends come and go. Right now, the “Cinderella” Foot is popular. Really! How long do you think women will want to surgically change their feet to squeeze into high heels? Some procedures are a flash in the pan and don’t last long, but others create true believers and linger for decades. Dr. Singer thinks that consumers are hooked on the desire to be treated like an individual. “I was asked what is the greatest new procedure. I don’t think it is technology. I think it is proper evaluation and figuring out what is best for that person.”

Dr. Singer says this kind of treatment plan allows for an end result that makes the patient happy, content and possibly more pleased with the outcome than the consumer even thought possible. “We see patients walk away truly feeling like they got the look they wanted.”

It is similar for Dr. Fodor’s patients, he firmly believes a surgeon’s evaluation of the patient and the ability to perform the procedure makes all the difference. “Even a non-invasive treatment needs to be taken seriously.”

The Plastic Surgery Channel & Smart Beauty: New Resources For Savvy Consumers 

An internet click, a page flip; the latest beauty trends in plastic surgery are at the fingertips of consumers. It wasn’t always that easy to learn more about cutting edge procedures and techniques, written in easy-to-understand language; but magazines like Smart Beauty Guide and internet sources like The Plastic Surgery Channel have revolutionized the way consumers are staying informed and making choices. “I think these are all appropriate messages,” says Dr. Rober Singer.

Dr. Singer is the editor of Smart Beauty Guide, which offers the public a variety of resources about plastic surgery and healthy lifestyle living. Dr. Fodor is Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Plastic Surgery Channel,  an internet-based health and lifestyle channel that features articles and plastic surgery news with board-certified doctors. “There is so much noise that it can be hard to filter. I think venues like The Plastic Surgery Channel and Smart Beauty give consumers a good option. They promote the specialty of plastic surgery and also patient safety,” says Dr. Singer.

Dr. Fodor agrees the real benefit for consumers may be the positivity provided in the realm of patient safety. “Patients need to know as much as possible and this provides another valid option in getting good information.”