Plastic Surgery at the Oscars

Normally I watch the Academy Awards for the same reasons many others do: to marvel at the fashions, dismay at the choices for the awards, and in my case critique the results of the stars' plastic surgery. This year was a pleasant surprise on many fronts though. Even though nominee Mickey Rourke has publicly bemoaned his plastic surgery experiences, he actually looked pretty good so maybe he has had some touch-up work done. In any case, my read overall is that the overdone look is out. We do know that both movie stars and ordinary people are still getting their maintenance work done, whether it is strategically placed Botox or a subtle enhancement with Restylane or Juvederm injections, but a more natural look is in fashion. That of course is what we have been doing here in the Northwest for quite a while.
A particular joy was seeing the short documentary "Smile Pinki" get recognized. This inspirational movie told the story of a girl with a cleft lip and palate from a poor section of rural India. Her cleft was repaired by a volunteer plastic surgery team working with the international organization Smile Train, one of many such groups. I can tell you from personal experience that there is no greater calling or reward than doing this type of work. It is a rare opportunity to make an intervention in a child's life that changes it permanently and dramatically for the better. Many plastic surgeons believe that for this reason, this is the "heart and soul" of plastic surgery.
Does that mean that cosmetic surgery is on the way out? Not by a long shot. Statistics do show that less invasive procedures are being done while some postpone their facelift or tummy tuck, but there are limits to how much can be accomplished without surgery. And surgical procedures are getting less invasive and producing more natural looking results anyway, so one way to view it is simply part of a long-term trend. Like the designers who displayed bright colors at Fashion week in New York last week, I am optimistic that good work will continue to be appreciated, whether it be fashion, plastic surgery, moviemaking, or any of the other endeavors that enrich our lives.