Are T.V. Shows Giving People The Wrong Idea About Plastic Surgery? With A Poll Question...

If this season of "Dancing With the Stars" is any indication, maybe so! The latest uproar about whether or not Priscilla Presley saw an unlicensed surgeon (as reported by people magazine) seems to have preoccupied many peoples time. Like we don’t have American Idol to watch – C’mon people! :0)

T.V. shows such as Extreme Makeover (ABC), The Swan (FOX), I Want a Famous Face (MTV), Plastic Surgery: Before and After (TLC), Dr. 90210 (E!), Miami Slice (Bravo) and others are all the rage lately but the real question is are these shows having a negative effect on the public by not promoting or not promoting hard enough, how imperative it is to see a board certified licensed surgeon?

I found this over at CosmeticSurgery.com:

Unqualified medicos

According to Robert Kotler, M.D., another plastic surgeon featured on “Dr. 90210,” the effect of the programs is to drive more people to make appointments at plastic surgery offices. Consequently, more unqualified medicos enter the booming surgical rejuvenation marketplace, Dr. Kotler says.

“As a result, I’ve seen the number of people needing corrective surgical procedures increase markedly,” Dr. Kotler says. “Correcting shoddily done cosmetic surgery is far more difficult and expensive than getting it right the first time.”

Another burden: the shows attract the attention of “eternal” plastic surgery patients who are rarely satisfied with any outcome at all. Consequently, surgeons are trained to screen for people who suffer from what is known as “body dysmorphic disorder,” an obsession with an imagined or slight defect on their bodies. Professional plastic surgery societies reckon anywhere from seven to 15 percent of people seeking a retooled body part are afflicted with the disorder. Surgeons try to steer them to psychiatrists and psychologists. Opposed to that are the best candidates for surgery who only want more self-confidence with one procedure or perhaps a repair on a loathsome body part like a crooked nose or sagging eyelids.

Personally I don’t understand how anyone could put their trust in someone who wasn’t licensed, certified, recommended or ordained by the plastic surgery gods on high when it comes to your body!

I realize money and time play a role here but I’m curious…