The survey found that women were not just willing to trade time for beauty but also suggested they would forfeit a promotion at work, part of their salary, time with loved ones and even their health.

These findings may be unsurprising given that the survey found 46% of the women had been subject to ridicule because of their looks and 93% claimed to have negative thoughts about their appearance in the previous week.

Nearly 40% of the women said they would elect cosmetic surgery, like liposuction to remove localized fat deposits. This, despite the fact that nearly 80% of the women were either underweight or within a “normal” weight range.

These statistics only stress the importance of choosing a cosmetic treatment, like breast augmentation or  a tummy tuck, for personal reasons, not due to outside influences.

Each of the women questing for the ‘Bridalplasty’ prize has a wish list of cosmetic procedures they would seek should they beat out the competition, in addition to ideas for their wedding cake, dress, invitations and more.

According to an article in the Chicago Sun-Times, the show’s oldest contestant, Allyson, is a 33-year-old who plans to claim a wedding suited to her “old-school rocker chick” tastes and other prizes in the form of liposuction, a breast lift, a breast reduction and Botox, as well as some cosmetic dentistry, if named the show’s victor.

Before I was pregnant with my son, I was in the best physical shape of my life,” Allyson says. “I would love to get back to that and I’m sure [my fiance] would NOT mind some smaller perky boobies on me. I’m 33 and they sag down to my belly. What will happen when I’m 50? Will I have to roll them up and tuck them in my bra?”

Many women face the same troubling physical changes after undergoing the rigors of pregnancy and childbirth, however they are rarely so public as on reality TV shows.

The Sun-Times noted some particularly cringe-worthy scenes on Bridalplasty, such as the one where Allyson uses the spare tire of fat around her stomach to tell Dr. Terry Dubrow, the plastic surgeon featured on the show, “Help me, please. Suck me out.”

Dr. Dubrow is also shown using a marker to circle the problem areas on his topless patients, a scene that, according to the Sun-Times, calls to mind the behavior of a “sorority mean girl.”

“There is something beyond sensational with these cosmetic surgery makeover shows.  There is some indignity involved in the process,” says Owensboro cosmetic surgeon Dr. Gerald Edds.

Although, as Dr. Edds points out, there are certainly humiliating undertones present in Bridalplasty (and most other reality TV shows, for that matter), he like most critics acquiesces to the makeover competition, saying, “As long as the result is good and there are no complications, I suppose it is a win-win for both the ‘winner’ and the celebrity cosmetic surgeon.”

Tummy tuck surgery is an extremely rewarding plastic surgery procedure that can help both women and men with loose abdominal tissue and the dreaded stomach “pooch” reclaim their confidence.

The tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, procedure has historically been associated with a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery period that may prevent some patients from seeking this life-changing surgery.

The new and improved pain management technique uses nerve blocks, or long-acting local anesthetic injections placed precisely along an area where the back and side meet.  These nerve blocks do just what they imply—they dull the nerves in the area affected by the tummy tuck procedure to temporarily control pain.

In addition, improved pain management also makes it easier and safer for plastic surgeons to perform a tummy tuck at the same time as other surgical procedures.  This can be very helpful for patients who desire a mommy makeover, which restores upper body contours after pregnancy and includes breast lift and sometimes breast augmentation procedures.

Study results recently released by Dr. Lu-Jean Feng showed that patients who had a combination of nerve blocks in conjunction with tummy tuck surgery instead of typical pain management methods reported the following:

• Less time spent in the recovery room
• Less pain initially after tummy tuck
• Less pain after the first week of recovery
• Decreased use of narcotic pain medication
• Decreased nausea
• Faster return to driving and normal activities
• Less time required to reach a pain-free state

Patient before and after liposuction performed by Dr. Gerald Edds

An article discussing liposuction and liposuction alternatives was recently featured on MSNBC, as plastic surgeons from around the country weighed in to provide consumers with a comprehensive overview of cosmetic fat reduction procedures.

Owensboro liposuction surgeon and cosmetic surgery specialist Dr. Gerald Edds believes it’s important for patients interested in fat reduction procedures to understand the limitations of liposuction and learn about liposuction alternatives before choosing a procedure to sculpt their problem areas.

What You Can (And Can’t) Accomplish With Liposuction

Liposuction surgery can permanently remove stubborn fat deposits resistant to diet and exercise from a number of body areas, including the chin, neck, chest, back, upper arms, abdomen, hips, thighs, knees and ankles.

You will not lose weight as a result of having liposuction, and the procedure is not an effective solution for stretch marks or cellulite. In fact, liposuction procedures can often make cellulite look worse, especially in patients with skin laxity and poor skin quality.

Laser Liposuction

In recent years, laser-assisted liposuction procedures that claim to offer skin tightening in addition to fat reduction benefits have become increasingly popular in the media with the advent of devices like Smart Lipo, Slim Lipo and Cool Lipo.

“You don’t need laser lipo for someone with good-quality skin. It’s for an older patient who has lost elasticity,” says Dr. Barry DiBernardo, a New Jersey liposuction expert and laser liposuction pioneer.

Laser liposuction devices may offer patients with mild skin laxity some tightening benefits, however many surgeons argue the evidence of this is inconclusive and more dramatic skin tightening results can only be achieved via surgical excision of loose skin.

Tummy Tuck, Liposuction or Both?

According to surgeons who contributed to the MSNBC article, there is often confusion among body contouring patients as to whether liposuction or a tummy tuck is more appropriate for sculpting the abdominal region.

While liposuction is ideal for removing fat, tummy tuck surgery is ideal for removing stretch marks and excess skin on the abdomen such as that which forms following pregnancy. Sometimes the two procedures are combined when both unwanted fat deposits and loose skin and stretch marks are present on the abdomen or waist.

Non Surgical Fat Reduction

Non surgical fat reduction with devices like those made by Zerona or Zeltiq is new technology that at least initially appears to reduce inches and small fat deposits in patients, however no longer term data has been collected regarding the effectiveness of such procedures.

Non-invasive liposuction alternatives like lipodissolve and mesotherapy that purport to reduce fat by way of a series of injections are not FDA approved, and many plastic surgeons encourage patients to avoid these sometimes risky procedures.

Cohera Medical calls the new product TissuGlu®, and recently announced plans to move forward with clinical trials this November.  As explained in a recent press release, the adhesive bonds flaps of tissue together during tummy tuck surgery to reduce fluid accumulation and thereby, the chance of complications.

Most tummy tuck surgeries require placement of a special drain to remove fluid.  A method that uses surgical adhesive could, in theory, make drains unnecessary.

Cohera Medical CEO Patrick Daly explains, “This unique product will ultimately help surgeons address a critical need and improve patient care.”  In Germany, as many as 40 patients are expected to be enrolled in clinical trials to investigate TissuGlu’s  safety and efficacy.

About Abdominoplasty

The tummy tuck is a common cosmetic procedure designed to reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen, whether it is due to weight fluctuations, pregnancy, or aging.  See our homepage to learn more about how Dr. Edds performs this procedure right here in Owensboro, Kentucky.