Cosmetic and Elective Surgery thread...

[Tenbatsuzen]

I was having a discussion, and I was wondering if LASIK surgery counts as cosmetic surgery.

It's obviously an elective procedure. And you're doing it to feel better about yourself, and not have to wear glasses.

I don't need LASIK now, but I might in the future - both my parents and my brother wears glasses... however my vision is still excellent *knock wood*

It makes me wonder why people are so negative against elective procedures that are designed to make people feel better about themselves...

I still, to this day, can't understand why people are so accepting of liposuction and nose-jobs, yet breast implants, people are extremely (and vocally) negative about it.

I've dealt with people before when the subject of plastic surgery is broached, they immediately get ultra-hyper about how fake tits suck, and when confronted if they've ever actually seen or felt an augmented breast in person, they have no response.

I'm a big fan of going to any means necessary to get the results that make you happy, whether it's dieting, surgery, what-have-you. I'd like to start a debate, especially since I am an example of undergoing a radical body change, why people are so anti-surgery and anti-change.

There's a very good answer to "Why you can't be happy with yourself?" - and the answer is, we aren't accepting of ourselves, and only when we can accept ourselves, that's when will be happy. That's why we chose to undergo this route.

Comments? Additions?



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[TooCute]

I doubt that anyone gets LASIK because they don't like the way they look in glasses. It is because glasses are annoying to wear (reflections and glare, nevermind just doing active things) and keep track of.

I don't wear contacts because I don't like the way I look. I wear them because I see better with contacts than glasses and they don't interfere with everyday activities like glasses do.

I would get LASIK if I could afford it and if there were studies on whether it has any effect on your eyes if you go into areas with very low pressure (eg mountaineering). Contacts are a pain in the ass when doing things in windy situations; they dry out a lot and it can be dangerous if it happens in the wrong situation.

Re: cosmetic suregery in general - there is already a thread about this: http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/viewmessages.cfm?topic=26833&forum=52&messageid=433673

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[phixion]

I'm a big fan of going to any means necessary to get the results that make you happy,


so rollin a thick blunt is okay then?

goodshit!!!!

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[Tenbatsuzen]

Contacts are a pain in the ass when doing things in windy situations: they dry out a lot and it can be dangerous if it happens in the wrong situation.



I'm not a big fan of contacts because I get seriously wigged out when something gets near my eye. A year ago, I went to one of those executive clinics where they do one-stop shopping for an all-inclusive physical. Since it was geared towards people in their 40's, one of the tests was a cataract test.

This test is basically a tube put RIGHT IN FRONT of your eye while your head is locked into a machine and a puff of air and stuff is blown into your eye.

It freaked me out so much I told the nurse to stop it because I couldn't deal with something so close to my eye.

Of course, LASIK is where they take a FRIGGING STRAIGHT RAZOR and slice your eye open, then use a FRICKING LASER and weld your eye shut.

Needless to say, I won't get LASIK until they get to the point where they can knock your ass out to do it.

Another hilarious hypocrisy is BOTOX. No, it's not OK to have your breasts enlarged, but it's OK to have SNAKE VENOM INJECTED DIRECTLY INTO YOUR FACE.




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[Arienette]

i, too, get really freaked out by things being near my eye. i doubt that i could ever wear contacts for that reason. i wear glasses in school and when watching tv and stuff, but otherwise i get by alright (although i think my boyfriend might disagree, he may be getting a little annoyed at always having to read things to me when i can't see them). if my eyes worsen to the point where i have to wear my glasses all the time, i would definitely consider getting lasik surgery. i don't consider it cosmetic surgery, for the reasons toocute mentioned. it's fixing a medical condition; it's not something strictly aesthetic.


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This message was edited by Arienette on 4-18-03 @ 8:20 PM

[SuperClerk]

I have a lot of skintags. What gets me, even though the dermatologist I saw said that they should be removed now or else risk possible chance of them becoming cancerous, my insurance still will not cover the proceedure.

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[Tenbatsuzen]

What are "skintags"?



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[IrishAlkey]

What are "skintags"?

They keep the blood in your body.

I know this because, if you pick one, you will bleed to death.

I guess they're skin corks.

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[Snoogans]

so rollin a thick blunt is okay then?


I never knew that wasnt ok....i guess thats just me

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[FiveB247]

I actually have a friend who went for cosmetic surgery. I think it's a bad way to feel better about yourself. People should be happy with themselves, whether, fat, ugly, pretty or skinny. Diets are one thing that are helpful...but I think any un-necessary surgery is overboard in any circumstances....especially for self image or beaty purposes. But thats just my opinion.

[TheMojoPin]

Of course, LASIK is where they take a FRIGGING STRAIGHT RAZOR and slice your eye open

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[Geppetto]

I'm all for doing what ever you want to be happy with yourself. We live in an age where you can look however you want. Most people who are against these changes are the ones who can't afford them or are to lazy to put forth the effort. If a person is over weight and they don't care thats fine. But for some people its a lot easier to say you accept yourself as you are than it is to just jog. I know this sounds like a different subject but its not, its about changeing something your unhappy about. People think nothing of dyeing there hair so they shouldn't care if someone wants to be thin or wants bigger breasts. How can anyone be against bigger breasts?

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[silera]

I'm not against bigger breasts but I'd rather not shell out 5K and go through 3 weeks of intensive pain to increase the size of them, when they're not really necessary for my health or well being. Losing weight, eye surgery, etc., all improve your quality of life and health in many ways. Women have breasts to feed their children. When I gave birth, mine grew to 34DD's both time, so they really don't need to be big to begin with.

I think breast and nose surgery, and liposuction (vs stomach stapling) all get negative reactions because they just seem like very vain propositions. However, whatever floats your boat. I've seen beautiful breast jobs that make me consider doing it, I'm just a punk and poor to boot.


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[reeshy]

Are these boobs nice enough????

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This message was edited by reeshy on 4-19-03 @ 9:43 AM

[fiestygal]

LASIK is elective surgery...cosmetic is sorta the same thing BUT would be liek a nose job ( for vanity reasons), breast enlargement, tummy tuck, etc.

I support elective adn cosmetic surgeries...my theory ifs if you know it will make you feel better about yourself GO FOR IT...

i had a breast reduction when i was 18...and i could never be more happy...

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[FUNKMAN]

I have a lot of skintags. What gets me, even though the dermatologist I saw said that they should be removed now or else risk possible chance of them becoming cancerous, my insurance still will not cover the proceedure.


i had 3 skintags removed about 6 months ago, along with a cist on my neck...

The nurse at the Dermatologist's office comes in and just snips them off with some snips or scissors and rubs some medicine on them. All you get is a little pinch and I guess the medicine controls the bleeding because they didn't bleed much.
If you make an agreement with the Doctor that the skintags have gotten infected, then the insurance may pay for it. That's what I had to say about my cist inorder for the Insurance to cover it.
The skintag removal shouldn't be too costly, i'm just not sure what I was charged at the time...

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[TooCute]

I'm not a big fan of contacts because I get seriously wigged out if something gets near my eye.

Doesn't make it cosmetic.

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[Geppetto]

i had a breast reduction when i was 18...


Oddly I am opposed to breast reduction that just seems like mutilation, that and big breasts make me giddy.

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[Thebazile78]

I doubt that anyone gets LASIK because they don't like the way they look in glasses. It is because glasses are annoying to wear (reflections and glare, nevermind just doing active things) and keep track of.

Perhaps we agree that not liking the way you look in glasses, being 'wigged out' by something getting too close to your eye AND the annoyance/inconvenience factor of glasses are all factors to influence research into getting LASIK.

I wear glasses myself. I also wear contacts. One of my favorite sports to participate in is swimming.

You can't swim in contacts or glasses. Those of you who do not swim competitively may not realize that you actually do need your eyes to swim a straight line (in a pool; that's what those lines at the bottom of an Olympic pool are for), to properly gauge your strokes (in backstroke), turns (in ALL strokes if you're doing more than 1 lap/length), and, to find your way to the starting block. If you have difficulty reading your lane number, it holds up the heat (and the match).

In addition, if you are either a lifeguard or a WSI (water-safety-instructor) you need to be able to see a decent distance to do your job properly. Would you want a lifeguard with my uncorrected vision ? No. Trust me. . . Jaws woulda had you for a snack by the time I saw you.

But, the point I'm trying to make is that a procedure like LASIK can be BOTH a cosmetic and elective -type surgery, despite the fact that it is rarely done for solely cosmetic reasons.

Certain procedures, like breast reductions (NOTE TO ALL THE GUYS: remember that we can't take our boobs off at the end of the day, so some of us, if they're big enough, develop other kinds of medical problems, like lower back pain and circulatory issues, kinda like being pregnant but all the time), can fall under the same category - there's a pre-existing medical need for the procedure and it'll make the person in question look/feel better.

And then we come to the purely elective for aesthetic reasons. . . I wish we could all be more accepting of this form of personal expression. It may sicken me to hear about the woman who's having her body sculpted to be like Barbie (no joke, you can probably find a million links on the net) or Michael Jackson, but it's something they feel the need to do, so they do it. . . and have the CA$H to do it.

If I had that much money and nothing better to do with my time, sure, I'd have a few nips & tucks here & there. . . but I'm still living like I'm in college - poor and poorer - so it won't be any time soon.



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[TooCute]

I don't think people are so much sickened by the actual fact of copsmetic surgery, but the society that makes people feel that they need it.

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[sexy bastard]

i wanted to get lasik surgery for a very longtime for two reason
1. i hate wearing glasses and feel very self concious about wearing them
2. to help correct my vision.

unfortunately with alot of researching i have found that lasik surgery is not permanent, its more of a prolonged setting. although it ischeaper then getting new glasses and frames every year, butsooner or later your vision starts to become impaired again. also when itcomes to lasik many insurances dont cover it fully or partially because in many cases it is still seen as cosmetic.


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[swiss miss]

Id do laser eye surgery, but i swaer, no matter how many times they say it doesnt hurt, im still sheepish about it. Didnt Op get them done? Oh yea....What they can do wit breats now is AMAZING....a "friend" of mine just had them where they went IN thhrough her belly button, so there is NO scaring that you can see. She paid over $9,000.00 to have them done, and she looks AWESOPME. She was a solid B and went up to a full C. They havnt dropped yet, and still they look Great. If you want a GOOD job they are about 8-10 grand now, and i got names of doctors for gals who are considering.

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[SatCam]

I've considered Lasik sergergy, but I dont like the thought of dealing with lasers, plus, they say your not even suppose to get those damn lasers near your eye. WTF! I wont wear contacts because the fact of putting somthing against my eye just freaks me out.

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[hyperspace]

what about a guy getting a manboob surgery? not me...i have this friend see and...

[Thebazile78]

the society that makes people feel that they need it

Uh-huh.

I don't think it's so much an overarching "society" thing as it is a "socialization" thing.

We are, to a certain extent, socialized in the United States, to feel that thinner/younger, etc., is the ideal image we should mold ourselves to. . . however, there are some of us who are fortunate enough to be happy with our "out-of-the-box" body, that is, the body our genes dictated that we have.

Whose standard of "beauty" am I following? If I look to Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, I see women built like me. Peter Paul Rubens painted women who look like me, as did Rembrandt. I am only recently coming to terms with my body type and embracing it for what it is. . . and getting over my body-consciousness. I neither know nor care where it came from or where I got the idea that I wasn't anyone's "ideal", but I'm not about to blame "society". I could look to my parents, who have both struggled with their weight and body types through my entire life. My mother is a compulsive dieter while my dad is a yo-yo dieter. This, more than an amorphous "society", has had an impact on my eating habits, food choices and other lifestyle decisions.

I personally get frustrated when I can't feel comfortable with my body type, which is why I really hate shopping for new clothes. I have heavy hips and legs. That's the way I was blueprinted genetically. Sure, I could get plastic surgery, but it wouldn't change my genes. It also wouldn't be a lifestyle fix, just an aesthetic one. I don't need that.


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[spoon]

I actually had it done four years ago and couldn't be happier. My vision was 20/550 and 20/575, in other words dependent on my tacts and glasses. Even four years ago the procedure was simply, fast and painless. I was in and out of the office in just under an hour. I could see amazingly well right after the surgery, and went out for sushi and played pool that night. The worst of it is the slight "halo effect" that results at night during the healing process (lasted about 2-3 weeks). Other then that, you have to resist rubbing your eyes even though you have that sand/eyelash in your eye feel for a few days after the procedure. You even have to wear protection during sleep so you don't rub your eyes unkowningly. Today my vision couldn't be better and I would highly recomend the procedure.

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