Plastic surgery: Myths and misconceptions
Pop culture, Hollywood and the Kardashians might suggest that plastic surgery is all about vanity, but Dr. Arko Demianczuk is eager to shatter that myth. A board-certified plastic surgeon at Vancouver’s False Creek Healthcare, Demianczuk often sees women whose abdominal muscles remain separated after a C-section. Their strength suffers, they have compensatory back pain, and no amount of yoga, Pilates or physiotherapy will help. In these cases, Demianczuk can surgically repair and reconnect the muscles. “We see a substantial improvement in their core strength,” says Demianczuk, “and then the lower back pain actually goes away.” The procedure is both cosmetic and reconstructive – and it changes women’s lives for the better.
Demianczuk could share hundreds of other stories that debunk the “vanity myth,” but the most common misconception is that plastic surgery is dangerous. That’s not true, he says. Plastic surgery is safe if patients consider four key elements: the surgeon, the facility, the anaesthesiologist and their suitability for the procedure.
In North America, many different practitioners offer cosmetic services, says Demianczuk, but these may not be trained plastic surgeons. They could be a dentist who offers Botox, a gynecologist who performs liposuction, or a nurse who injects fillers. True plastic surgeons complete years of specialized medical training and are certified by independent professional bodies, such as the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada and the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgery.
It’s equally important to choose the right location. “You want to have your surgery at an accredited facility,” says Demianczuk, “because that ensures the highest standard of care.” False Creek Healthcare, for example, is licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. Accredited facilities will also employ board-certified anaesthesiologists for surgeries that require general anaesthetic, says Demianczuk. Finally, the patient needs to fit the procedure. Smokers, people who are obese, or those who have heart and lung disease, or poorly controlled diabetes are not good plastic surgery candidates.
As for other persistent myths, Demianczuk says breast implants do not cause health problems, such as breast cancer or Multiple Sclerosis, and they won’t rupture or contaminate breast milk. The fourth-generation breast implants developed around 2000 are solid, silicone prosthetics that allow women to safely breast feed and don’t require replacement. “They no longer leak,” says Demianczuk, “which is a big change from the older implants.”
The idea that plastic surgery is only for women is also false. About onethird of Demianczuk’s patients are men, who often seek body contouring in the chest and abdomen. Others have stubborn, isolated fat pockets that exercise and healthy eating simply can’t eliminate. Older men often request eyelid surgeries, subtle facelifts and neck contouring, says Demianczuk, who adds that the gender myth persists because “men usually don’t tell other men they had a plastic surgery.”
Finally, there’s a stubborn perception that plastic surgery is a shortcut for people who are lazy, unmotivated and yes, vain. Demianczuk refers back to abdominal repair surgery, which he compares to fixing a torn Achilles tendon. In that case, “you wouldn’t tell someone to try harder or go to the gym,” says Demianczuk. The same logic applies to baggy eyelids, uneven breasts, or any other physical characteristics that can be safely enhanced through plastic surgery. “People want to look on the outside how they feel on the inside,” says Demianczuk. “It’s all about confidence.”
To learn more about False Creek Healthcare Centre’s plastic surgeries and how their team of plastic surgeons can help you, call 604-739-9695 or visit falsecreekplasticsurgery.com