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In the Eyeof the BeholderThe Pleasures and Perilsof Making People BeautifulBy Christopher RyanPhotography by Mark Harmel,Ken Krakow and Mark McDonaldWithin many physicians who provide surgical or non-surgical proceduresto enhance their patients’ appearance beats the heart of an artist.Whether these practitioners sculpt bodies through liposuction, alterthe shape of noses and ears, or erase unwanted tattoos, they are dedicated to helpingtheir patients look better and, therefore, feel better – at least about themselves.Unlike most artists, however, they believe they have succeeded most when noone can figure out what they have done. And, they must be doing something right.The number of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed inthe United States exploded from about 1.7 million in 1997 to almost 9.2 million in2011, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Women currentlyreceive about 91 percent of all cosmetic procedures. However, the number ofmen seeking cosmetic procedures increased 121 percent between 1997 and 2011.The amount of money spent on cosmetic procedures is more than a blip onthe economic screen. In 2011, the ASAPS reports, “Americans spent nearly $10billion on cosmetic procedures … Of that total, $6.2 billion was spent on surgicalprocedures; $1.7 billion was spent on injectable procedures; $1.6 billion was spenton skin rejuvenation procedures; and more than $360 million was spent on othernonsurgical procedures, including laser hair removal and laser of leg veins.”in 2011, non-surgical procedures accounted for 82 percent of the total procedures,but only 37 percent of patient expenditures. The other 63 percent wasspent on surgery, with liposuction, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty (tummytuck), blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) and breast lift making up the five most frequentlyrequested operations among women. For men, the top five were liposuction, rhinoplasty,blepharoplasty, breast reduction and facelift.Why Fight Nature?Physicians who perform cosmetic procedures recognize the pressure theirpatients face from a society obsessed with a certain definition of beauty.Julie Edween, D.O. (COM ’95), who is board-certified in facial plastic and cosmeticsurgery, has her office in the middle of Beverly Hills, Calif. A significantnumber of her patients would qualify as celebrities. She understands the pressureto fit a mold, but she has a more nuanced view of people’s motivations.“I believe people go for cosmetic surgery because there’s a big drive to look acontinued on page 12John Russell, D.O. (COM ’88) Julie Edween, D.O. (COM ’95) A. Daniel Toland, D.O. (COM ’80)10 WINTER 2012WINTER 2012 11