Having a sculpted body doesn't come cheap, either. Here are just some of the expenses (rarely covered by health insurance) involved:
- surgeon's fee (anywhere from $1500 to $4000)
- anesthesiologist's fee (averages $350 to $400 per hour)
- surgical facility (variable, but hospital charges average $1500 to $1800 per day)
- medications ($200 to $400)
- additional charges for an assistant surgeon, treatment of complications, blood test or X-rays, and use of equipment (variable)
Was the Surgery Worth It?
"I lost about three pounds--total," says Tara, now a freshman at a New York City college. "I'm probably the only one who really notices the difference." True, her thighs now look like those of, well, name your favorite actress on the WB. But the procedure didn't do everything Tara had hoped it would--namely, make her any happier. "It was a short-term, superficial kind of gratification," she explains. "But at the end of the day, I'm still the same person with the same issues."
"A good cosmetic surgery procedure can enhance self-esteem, but it can't give you self-esteem if you don't have it in the first place," says D'Amico. As Tara discovered, the obsession with thinness and the distortion of body image, doesn't go away after surgery. It only goes away when you start to focus on yourself as a whole person.
"When you try to achieve the unattainable, you tend to become even more obsessed because no matter what, you're never satisfied," says Tara.
Liposuction Guidelines
If you're considering having liposuction or any type of cosmetic surgery, D'Amico offers the following guidelines:
- Don't have liposuction to satisfy someone else (a boyfriend, a parent). You have to want to do it for yourself.
- Choose a board-certified plastic surgeon who performs the procedure in an accredited hospital or facility.
- Have realistic expectations about the outcome, and discuss what results are possible with your surgeon. If your surgeon pressures you to book a surgery right away, doesn't answer all of your questions, or brushes off your concerns, run.
- If possible, arrange for two consultations prior to surgery: one to discuss all of the risks and benefits, as well as issues such as cost, anesthesia, scars, and recovery time, and a second consultation to go over any remaining questions and review the procedure again.
