# Poll: Would you ever have Plastic Surgery? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 23, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095 "2011-07-23T18:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/1 "2011-07-23T18:32:47Z")
So at the gym today we saw this couple where the woman clearly has had plastic surgery. The skin is pulled way too taut and it just isn’t a good look. My question is does plastic surgery EVER look good? Or it it confirmation bias that the only ones I see are the botched cases? I can understand not wanting the wrinkles, etc as you get older, but shouldn’t you try for something like 5 years younger than you are, rather then 25 years? Is that what is causing that stretched taut skin look? It seems to me that if you could just shave a few years off that would look more natural. ie. If you are 50 go for looking 40-45 rather then 20-25. Or does the science of plastic surgery not allow for that type of minor modification or that type of precision. Would you ever consider plastic surgery? Or have you had plastic surgery? Personally I like the wrinkles in my face as they show I have enjoyed a good life but I am not super vain about things such as that. Just curious what others here have experienced. I will make the poll Non public so you can vote without revealing if you have had plastic surgery (unless you wish to discuss it in your response). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/2 "2011-07-23T18:35:49Z")
I would consider it if I were in an accident and needed things to be reconstructed, but as a way to improve my natural appearance, absolutely not. ---
**Author:** ![RoeCocoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@RoeCocoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoeCocoa)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/3 "2011-07-23T18:50:32Z")
It sort of depends on the exact definition of plastic surgery. Technically, fixing a deviated septum is a form of plastic surgery. When I had a bilateral breast biopsy as a teenager, a plastic surgeon performed the operation. If you mean _cosmetic_ surgery, I would consider it for reconstructive purposes-- if I’d had a mastectomy, broken my nose, lost an eye, etc. (If I could afford it, I’d get a different false eye for every day of the week-- different colors, vertical pupil, mirrored surface, the works.) I don’t even plan on dying my hair when it starts to go gray, so I don’t think I’ll want a facelift, liposuction, etc. when I’m older. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/4 "2011-07-23T18:51:05Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I would consider it if I were in an accident and needed things to be reconstructed, but as a way to improve my natural appearance, absolutely not. Likewise, and maybe not even then, depending. Mom was suggesting it to fix some surgical scars on my leg, but I told her I wasn’t a swimsuit model anyway, the scars weren’t that bad, and I didn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/5 "2011-07-23T18:54:05Z")
I voted No and No, but actually, now that I think of it, if I were horribly disfigured in a fire or other accident, then I probably would. I’ll hope the OP was thinking of reasons of vanity. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/6 "2011-07-23T18:56:31Z")
Good Point **RoeCocoa** I did mean Cosmetic surgery such as a face lift, or eye tuck, etc. I should have been more explicit and I agree if you ‘had’ to have it after some horrible accident than I understand it more. But I am thinking of the type where it is more vanity than necessary (realizing of course that in your mind it very well might be necessary!) But to be honest, I am more curious though if it ever looks good. I only know of bad examples but my suspicion is that I am only seeing the bad cases and thus confirming my bias. My father as he has gotten older has that drooping eyebrow thing, and I see signs of it in myself. I understand that this is a common cosmetic surgery and I can’t say I have ever seen someone who has had it done. So maybe that is a good example of good cosmetic surgery? I am very open to the concept that there is good cosmetic surgery out there but I just haven’t experienced or seen it myself. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/7 "2011-07-23T19:04:59Z")
I never thought I would, but somewhere along the line my nose got a little crooked. I’ve always been self-conscious of my nose, which is on a good day classical Roman and on a bad day a bit witchy. Now that it’s gone and gotten itself twisted, I feel no more need to learn to love it. As soon as I get some disposable income, I am replacing it with a straight, sculpted Sophia Loren nose. ---
**Author:** ![beartato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@beartato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beartato)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/8 "2011-07-23T19:07:06Z")
> [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > My question is does plastic surgery EVER look good? Or it it confirmation bias that the only ones I see are the botched cases? Of course it can look good. A subtle reshaping of the nose, for instance. Getting one’s ears tucked back. The small, subtle jobs that you could barely tell by looking at a photo comparison can be done well. But those are usually things that are hardly noticed by anyone other than the owner of those features anyway. I’ve often thought about getting my nose done. It would be a minor change - the tip of the nose could be narrower and shorter, in my opinion. If I had the extra cash. If I felt like taking a week off work. It’s unlikely anyone else would even notice. But I’d be happy. It’s not something I’m actively saving up for, or anything. The woman in my family seem to develop incredibly deep marionette lines - I won’t be happy to see those and may consider injectable fillers when it comes to that. But other than the potential minor nose job and much-less potential marionette line fillers, no. I am 100 percent against fucking around with anything on my face above the brows or around the eyes. No face lift, no botox, no way. That’s the kind of stuff that leads to that creepy look the OP describes. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/9 "2011-07-23T19:44:02Z")
Certainly it can look good. You never notice most cases, because it look natural. And Plastic Surgery is much much more than cosmetic nose jobs, facelifts, and booboplasty. Reconstruction of scars and early rebuilding right after trauma, skin revision and skin tumor removal, finger and hand repair, etc. ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/10 "2011-07-23T19:59:21Z")
I would consider it but I have many other more urgent needs and desires at the moment. Actually there is one minor thing about my face that I would get fixed. And of course it can look good. You only notice the badly done stuff. When I was in med school I encountered an elderly patient who looked about 20 years younger than the age given in her chart. When I examined her I noticed that she’d had some very good work done. But short of an actual medical exam you couldn’t tell. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/11 "2011-07-23T20:03:04Z")
> [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > My question is does plastic surgery EVER look good? Or it it confirmation bias that the only ones I see are the botched cases? It doesn’t ever look good on old women trying to look 25 at 50, but for most people it is hardly even noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/12 "2011-07-23T20:03:22Z")
I had to stop and think about the possibility of reconstructive surgery after a disfiguring accident, but even there, I think I’d rather own the look. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/13 "2011-07-23T20:07:39Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Certainly it can look good. You never notice most cases, because it look natural. So on those cases where it is noticeable is it because they tried to do too much? Or just a bad surgeon? This lady I am talking about had that super taut skin that looks too stretched. Was this likely because she tried to look way younger than her age as opposed to just shaving a few years off? You seem to see it a lot on famous people with a fair amount of money. I would think of anyone they could afford a good cosmetic surgeon, but those are the folks that tend to populate web sites with bad cosmetic surgeries. Again it is because they are famous that they are on those sites, but there tends to be lots of examples of poorly done facelifts, nosejobs, etc. And those sites are not going to show those famous folks with good jobs so it is very likely confirmation bias on my part! So it is because they tried to do too much or is it because they had bad surgeons? I agree that a good surgery I would never notice but it seems a famous person would be able to afford the best wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/14 "2011-07-23T20:08:33Z")
> [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > My question is does plastic surgery EVER look good? Or it it confirmation bias that the only ones I see are the botched cases? Sure, cosmetic surgery can look good - but the _point_ (outside of Hollywood) is for it to look _natural_. Unless you know to look for very subtle signs no, you won’t see the really good results. That’s sort of the _point_, to make it look completely natural, so much so that you won’t know surgery (or other procedure) has been done unless you’re told it has been. (I chose to interpret your question in regards to _cosmetic_ surgery, rather than plastic surgery done to repair defects, scars, trauma, or surgery performed in such a way as to minimize those possibilities. For example, most surgery done on the face for any reason is done by a plastic surgeon, even if it has nothing to do with vanity, simply because there a perceived need to minimize scars and trauma to the face.) > [@](#): > > Would you ever consider plastic surgery? I think it’s unlikely I’d ever have cosmetic surgery, but I won’t rule it out completely. If I did, though, I think it would be for a very limited goal. For example, my mother had bags under her eyes and xanthomas and she had those removed. I always thought the results were really good, didn’t look too tight or unnatural, and made her feel vastly better about herself. But what was done was very minimal, she didn’t go for a massive face lift, just for correcting one particular thing she didn’t like and was self-conscious about. That seems very reasonable to me. Likewise, correcting a crooked nose, or having a scar revision, or things of that nature. It’s like missing teeth - you can certainly live while missing several teeth, even continue to eat food, but no one seems surprised if someone gets dental work done to replace a missing tooth, much less several. Getting rid of a crook in your nose, pinning back batwing ears, dealing with broken blood vessels, bags under the eyes… it’s not that huge a surgery, it does make people look better, and I think if it bothers people enough to go through the expense and pain of surgery then why not? It’s their face and body. On the other hand, I’ve seen facelifts that remind me of dental “grills” - obviously fake, gaudy contrivances that make actually interfere with functionality. That strikes me as nuts. Then again, a lot of stuff people do strikes me as nuts. I just keep my opinion to myself in public. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/15 "2011-07-23T20:10:58Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It doesn’t ever look good on old women trying to look 25 at 50, but for most people it is hardly even noticeable. Again that is good to know! That was what I always thought the purpose of it was, to subtly fix a minor flaw, etc. But the only cases I saw were so bad that I was left wondering why anyone would consider it. Good to know that there are lots of cases out there where it was successful and you just can’t tell. I was worried it was like a toupee or combover or something that it never looked good. It is good to know that ‘if’ I ever needed it that it can look good. But I doubt I see myself ever doing it, I like the way I look now, wrinkles and all. ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/16 "2011-07-23T20:13:15Z")
I never thought I would, but I’ve been thinking about getting a breast augmentation. There are a few women I know who have had it done and you would never know unless you knew them beforehand or they told you. My breasts are too small for my body frame in my opinion and I would want to increase the size just enough to balance things out and have my clothes fit better. Plus after having a baby and breastfeeding, they’ve lost some of their perkiness. I don’t want to be known as “the chick with the huge jugs” I just want people to think, “hmmm, she looks really good lately, but I can’t put my finger on what’s different.” I’m still in the thinking about it stage and haven’t yet found the guts to have a consultation so who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/17 "2011-07-23T20:13:22Z")
I am all over using technology to make yourself look better, but I think there are always times where people need to be careful. Just like I think that naturally slightly tan people look good, and horrid orange leather tan people look like ass, I don’t think it’s that hard to distinguish between people who have had nice work done to make their bodies look slightly better/younger and people who just need to accept that they’re never going to be 16 again, and not all wrinkles need to be exterminated at first sight. If I had the money and time, I would transplant all of my stray facial hairs back into my eyebrows where they bloody well belong, I’d get my nose straightened, repair a few chickenpox scars on my face, and I’d get my chin/jawline fixed so I don’t have a permanent double chin. All of these are things that I’m currently “fixing” with my makeup, hairstyle, and clothing choices, so I don’t see any difference between that and actual plastic surgery except for the up-front cost. I highly doubt anyone other than myself and perhaps my two best friends and husband would ever notice I actually did anything, but I would feel MUCH better about my appearance. I can’t think of anywhere else on my body that I’d want to change - I like all my scars and random bumps and discolorations, and I even have other scars on my face I’d want to keep. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/18 "2011-07-23T20:15:41Z")
I’d have a mentoplasty (“chin tuck”) surgery in a heartbeat, if I didn’t have anything better to spend the money on. It’s the only damn thing about me that’s changed since before I stopped getting ID’d buying beer. (At ~35.) Maybe if I just bought less beer over the last twenty years, I’d have enough socked away to have it done without blinking… but then, I wouldn’t need it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/19 "2011-07-23T20:22:51Z")
> [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > So on those cases where it is noticeable is it because they tried to do too much? Or just a bad surgeon? Could be either or both. Really, a good surgeon is supposed to steer you away from bad effects, but believe it or not some people _like_ that look and _want_ that look. > [@](#): > > This lady I am talking about had that super taut skin that looks too stretched. Was this likely because she tried to look way younger than her age as opposed to just shaving a few years off? Or it could be that’s what she actually wanted. > [@](#): > > You seem to see it a lot on famous people with a fair amount of money. I would think of anyone they could afford a good cosmetic surgeon, but those are the folks that tend to populate web sites with bad cosmetic surgeries. Again it is because they are famous that they are on those sites, but there tends to be lots of examples of poorly done facelifts, nosejobs, etc. And those sites are not going to show those famous folks with good jobs so it is very likely confirmation bias on my part! > > So it is because they tried to do too much or is it because they had bad surgeons? I agree that a good surgery I would never notice but it seems a famous person would be able to afford the best wouldn’t it? Sometimes it’s bad surgeons - really, the potential bad outcomes of plastic surgery can be horrific and require reconstructive surgery. Sometimes, it’s bad choices on the part of the patient. Some people _want_ a certain look that to the rest of us looks utterly bizarre. Here [are](http://listsoplenty.com/pix/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Crazy-body-art-Lizard-Man.jpg) [three](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XFCLHpKTmOc/TcLoY1tHdBI/AAAAAAAABdM/K-WCnVFlIl0/s1600/catmanDennis%2BAvner.jpg) [examples](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3018/2880801243_b4c6df4b16.jpg). Those people _wanted_ to look like that. A lot of surgeons won’t do work like that, but if you look around enough you can find someone, sooner or later, who will. Obviously, you notice the strange ones and poorly done ones first. Do you notice that Sylvester Stallone had reconstructive surgery? (He has a paralyzed facial nerve that used to make one side of his face sag - not good for an actor. It was fixed early in his career). Do you notice Iman has had extensive reconstructive surgery on her face? (Due to a car accident where the bones of her mid-face where shattered - her nose and eye sockets have had work done that I can see if I look hard because it was once pointed out to me, but I doubt the average person will notice it. She _might_ have had other work done, but a lot of people misunderstand that she saw a surgeon not for vanity after her car accident but to give her decent and functional face again.) ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095/20 "2011-07-23T20:24:23Z")
I’d have a tummy tuck, if I had the funding for it, since my abdomen has never regained (and never will) its original flatness after having 4 kids. I’d also go for some lipo around the thighs. I don’t think I’d mess with my face, though. I like it as is. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-ever-have-plastic-surgery/590095.md?page=2)