Do laws in Texas, Virginia, and Alabama requiring women’s health clinics to provide hospital-type surgical facilities show how much these states’ legislators care about women’s health, as Texas’ Governor Perry and others have claimed? Or is the goal to limit women’s access to safe abortions, as Wendy Davis and many others have suggested? Whatever the reason, these laws, cloned from state to state, will result in few, if any, safe options for women seeking family planning services, screening, and other services, in addition to abortions.
If these legislators really want to help women, I hope they will take advantage of an opportunity to protect many more women, including many of their friends and loved ones, from far more dangerous medical procedures. While approximately 1 in 1 million women who undergo abortions during the first eight weeks of pregnancy die from the procedure, 1 in 50,000 women are dying from other, more popular elective procedures in clinics and doctors’ offices: cosmetic surgery.
These cosmetic surgery patients are at 20 times the risk of death, and they need protection, too. Every year, clinics perform cosmetic surgery on approximately 1.4 million women and 200,000 men, and perform an additional 13 million “minimally invasive” cosmetic procedures, such as facial injections to make wrinkles disappear and chemical peels intended to make skin look better.
As you can see, the numbers are staggering, compared to approximately 1 million abortions, many of which involve pills rather than surgery. Physicians tell us that abortion and cosmetic surgery are usually simple and safe procedures, but of course undergoing surgery always presents some risk. Cosmetic surgeons estimate that the invasive procedures and anesthesia involved in their procedures result in a death rate of 1 in 50,000 outpatient procedures.
This translates to approximately 100 cosmetic surgery-related deaths per year. In contrast, many abortions rely on pills instead of surgery, making them much safer, with approximately 12 women dying from complications of an abortion in a typical year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Women who have abortions later in their pregnancies have a death rate higher than 1 in 1 million–approximately 1 per 29,000 during weeks 16 to 20 of pregnancy.
- While this is tragic, later-term abortions still have a better safety record than pregnancy and childbirth, which is fatal for 1 in 7,700 American women each year.
And both are safer than liposuction, which is a fatal procedure for 1 in 5,000 women each year. Given the higher death rate from cosmetic surgery and the much larger number of women undergoing cosmetic surgeries and procedures, why is it that the legislators in Texas, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Dakota, and so many other states are so concerned about the safety of abortion clinics? According to abort73.com, an antiabortion website, there are fewer than 2,000 abortion providers in the entire country.
- This number compares to over 5,000 board-certified plastic surgeons, and thousands more men and women who perform cosmetic surgery but are not trained as plastic surgeons.
- Here’s something for legislators to consider: Any doctor or dentist in the U.S.
- Can call him- or herself a plastic surgeon and perform surgery on any patient, without telling the patient that he or she was not trained as a surgeon.) Last year, a plastic surgeon in Michigan wrote about the “Wild West” of plastic surgery, explaining that since plastic surgery is a lucrative business, “an increasing number of doctors are closing their traditional medical practices and opening cosmetic surgery centers.
These physicians learn the basics of plastic surgery through weekend courses, shadowing other doctors and even online webinars.” He explained that their procedures are performed in doctors’ “in-office operating rooms or at ambulatory surgery centers, where the credentialing requirements may not be as strict.” He concluded that “this influx of poorly trained cosmetic surgeons” has resulted in terrible cosmetic outcomes such as women with breast implants in their armpits and one woman with “shark-bite-sized divots all over her thighs and stomach after undergoing laser liposuction.” The plastic surgeon who was criticizing other plastic surgeons was talking about bad cosmetic outcomes.
He didn’t mention the death rates. Regulations can protect our health, but they need to make sense. Requiring hospital-style facilities for early abortions and not for cosmetic surgery just doesn’t. I think the comparison between abortion clinics and cosmetic surgery spas and clinics is enlightening. It would seem hypocritical for the Texas legislators not to do something about this, as Texas women undergo many more cosmetic surgeries and procedures than women in almost any other state.
Perhaps what’s going on in Texas and these other states has much more to do with women’s reproductive body parts than it does with women’s health. Even so, I believe that legislators can be persuaded to consider facts before they legislate. Originally posted on the Huffington Post,
What percentage of people regret plastic surgery?
Do you regret having cosmetic surgery? Many people regret having had cosmetic surgery, either because the outcome does not match the hoped-for image or because of complications. Research by Medical Accident Group found that 65% of people they polled regretted their surgery, though 28% were very happy with its results.
According to the poll, 83% of people who had had plastic surgery wouldn’t consider having any form of cosmetic procedure again.2,638 people aged 18 and over, from around the UK, all of whom admitted to having had cosmetic surgery within the past five years, were quizzed about the procedure(s) they’d had done and how they felt about the results.
All were initially asked about the type of surgery they had had to which the most common answers were ‘breast augmentation’ (31%) and ‘rhinoplasty’ (27%). Alongside this, the most popular cosmetic procedures included ‘liposuction’ (24%), and ‘eyelid surgery’ (16%).
The results didn’t match the image of how I thought I’d look – 33% Encountered complications – 24% Don’t feel the side-effects were fully explained –17% Feel less confident/comfortable now than before the surgery – 13% Regret spending the money and/or am now in debt as a result – 8%
Only one third of respondents, 32%, admitted to having undertaken extensive research into the procedure they were going to have before the surgery took place, with the remaining respondents stating they ‘relied fully on the advice/knowledge of the cosmetic surgeon’ (59%) or ‘relied on others who had already had the operation themselves’ (9%).
- Partner at Medical Accident Group, said: “It’s interesting to see that the majority regret having undergone cosmetic surgery because they weren’t happy with the results.
- It is always a worry with cosmetic surgery that the image you have in your head doesn’t match the image the surgeon has in their head, or even that something could go wrong and that the surgeon would have to change your surgery to deal with any complications that arise.
“We understand that some people feel that cosmetic surgery could change their life and give them the confidence they’re perhaps lacking, but we hope the results of this study show that, just because you’re not happy with your body now, doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be happy with it once you pay a lot of money to get it changed.
- There are many risks associated with what are often major operations and, unfortunately, we see the ones that go wrong.
- It is important that people consider whether to go through with a procedure very carefully and carry out thorough research into their surgeon or clinic.” Have you had surgery that went wrong, or left you long term problems? If so, Medical Accident Group can help.
We have a team of dedicated clinical negligence solicitors with experience in handling cases involving cosmetic surgery. If you believe you have a case, call the team now on or, : Do you regret having cosmetic surgery?
What is plastic surgery bad outcome?
More Than Skin-Deep – While bad aesthetic outcomes are certainly a great concern, there are larger issues at stake as well. Common complications following plastic surgery include infection, necrosis, wound separation, fluid collections or abscesses, and blood clots,
When recognized right away, many of these problems can be successfully treated. However, these and other problems can also become much more serious. When plastic surgery goes really wrong, the result can be permanent pain, disfigurement due to severe scarring or asymmetry, paralysis, or even death.
It’s a sad fact that people do lose their lives every day as a result of something going wrong during or after surgery, and plastic surgery is no exception. However, it is helpful to understand that death rates in plastic surgery are relatively low compared to death rates in surgery overall.
Is plastic surgery is a good choice?
– Plastic and cosmetic surgery are neither good nor bad. Both types of surgery have benefits and drawbacks. For example, plastic or cosmetic surgery may help improve a person’s confidence and mental well-being. However, surgery can also come with risks, and people may not be satisfied with the results.
Before undergoing cosmetic or plastic surgery, people should take some time to consider the risks and benefits of the procedures. If a person is considering surgery, it is advisable that they speak with a healthcare professional, look for surgeons with extensive experience and training, and have realistic expectations of the results.
If someone thinks they may have BDD or another mental health condition, it is important that they address this condition before undergoing cosmetic surgery.
What is the lowest risk surgery?
American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline – In a joint effort, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) produced a guideline for preoperative cardiovascular evaluation for noncardiac surgery.
- The guideline incorporates clinical predictors and functional status into the preoperative risk-assessment algorithm (),
- The guideline was updated in early 2002 with an emphasis on optimizing the assessment of cardiac risk without subjecting the patient to unnecessary intervention that would otherwise not be indicated.
Patients are stratified according to major, intermediate, or minor “clinical predictors” of increased cardiac risk. Those who have had coronary revascularization within five years or a favorable result on coronary angiography or cardiac stress testing within two years may proceed to surgery without further cardiac evaluation. Recommendations for preoperative testing are based on the clinical predictors identified by the patient’s history and physical examination ( ), Major clinical predictors include unstable angina, recent MI, decompensated congestive heart failure (CHF), significant arrhythmias, and severe valvular disease.
- The presence of major predictors may justify a delay or cancellation of elective surgery or warrants preoperative coronary angiography if surgery is still deemed necessary.
- Intermediate clinical predictors include mild angina, previous MI, compensated or previous CHF, diabetes, and renal insufficiency.
The presence of intermediate predictors warrants careful assessment of the patient’s functional capacity when deciding whether preoperative cardiac testing is needed (),, Minor clinical predictors include advanced age, abnormal results on electrocardiography, rhythm other than sinus on electrocardiography, poor functional capacity, history of stroke, and uncontrolled hypertension.
- Patients who have minor or no clinical predictors do not require further cardiac testing unless functional capacity is poor.
- Poor functional capacity is associated with increased cardiac complications in noncardiac surgery.
- A patient’s functional capacity can be expressed in metabolic equivalents (METs).
, One MET equals the oxygen consumption of a 70-kg, 40-year-old man in a resting state. Surgical procedures are classified as high, intermediate, or low risk. Emergency surgery is considered a high-risk procedure and is associated with significantly increased risk compared with elective surgery.
Other high-risk surgical procedures include aortic surgery, peripheral vascular surgery, and anticipated prolonged surgical procedures associated with large fluid shifts or blood loss. Intermediate-risk surgical procedures include orthopedic, urologic, and uncomplicated abdominal, thoracic, or head and neck surgeries.
Examples of low-risk surgical procedures include endoscopic and dermatologic procedures, breast surgery, and cataract resection.
Which country is best for surgery?
7. Costa Rica – Medical Tourism Index Score: 71.73 Costa Rica is a popular destination for medical tourism, with a reputation for high-quality healthcare and affordable prices. Many people travel to Costa Rica for medical treatment because of the country’s reputation for excellence in areas such as cosmetic surgery, dentistry, and fertility treatments, as well as for alternative or complementary therapies such as acupuncture and herbal medicine.
What country does the most surgery?
The Top Five Countries – Without further ado, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) survey of 2018, the top five countries that perform the most cosmetic surgeries and procedures are as follows:
| Position | Country | Total procedures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 4,361,867 |
| 2 | Brazil | 2,267,405 |
| 3 | Mexico | 1,043,247 |
| 4 | Germany | 922,056 |
| 5 | India | 895,896 |
In total, the United States of America and Brazil accounted for 28.4% of all of the cosmetic procedures – surgical and non-surgical – in the world in 2018. However, while Brazil and the USA were fairly equal with the total number of cosmetic surgeries performed (just under 1.5 million procedures each), there were stark differences when it came to non-surgical treatments such as Botox, fillers and chemical peels.
What’s the longest ever surgery?
The most protracted operation reported lasted for 96 hours and was performed on 4-8 February 1951 in Chicago, Illinois, USA on Mrs Gertrude Levandowski (USA) for the removal of an ovarian cyst. During the operation her weight fell 280 kg (616 lb / 44 st) to 140 kg (308 lb / 22 st).