Aesthetic Surgery Reality Television Shows: Do they Influence Public Perception of the Scope of Plastic Surgery?

Abstract

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Plastic Surgery: Beware the Candle Burning at Both Ends

“…There seems to be a strict association of plastic and aesthetic surgery, with respondents believing they are equivocal rather than aesthetic surgery being a significant but not all-encompassing slice of the field. This can likely be attributed and directly related to the media’s focus on cosmetic surgery 3,27–29…”

“…In addition, romanticization in the media presents plastic surgery as only aesthetics, excluding the significant work in reconstruction. 3 More concerning is that the absence of scope of practice regulation has allowed providers to take advantage of this lack of knowledge for personal gain, frequently marketing themselves as "cosmetic" specialists while practicing outside their field of training. 4,5 This combination of the public's ignorance and the failure of legislative/regulatory bodies to protect the well-being of patients by limiting providers from practicing outside their field frequently leads to delays in referral and ultimately worsened outcomes.…”

A Nationwide Analysis Evaluating the Safety of Using Acellular Dermal Matrix with Tissue Expander-based Breast Reconstruction

“…In March 2021, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety communication cautioned against the use of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) products in breast reconstruction and reiterated that the FDA does not approve ADM use in breast surgery (1). However, despite its off-label use, ADM is becoming increasingly popular (2,3). Considering the new FDA safety communication and ADM's consistent utilization, we sought to evaluate a nationally representative large group of patients through the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to understand the trends of ADM use in tissue expander placement for breast reconstruction from 2012 to 2019.…”

Plastic and aesthetic surgery among medical students: A cross-sectional study

“… 4 With that being said, television is considered a source of information to the public, which has influenced their perception about the specialty in a way that focuses only on its aesthetic aspects. 5 As a result, due to the poor perception of plastic surgery’s true scope, many studies have attempted to assess the perception of both the public and the medical professionals. 6 – 9 …”

“…4 With that being said, television is considered a source of information to the public, which has influenced their perception about the specialty in a way that focuses only on its aesthetic aspects. 5 As a result, due to the poor perception of plastic surgery's true scope, many studies have attempted to assess the perception of both the public and the medical professionals. [6][7][8][9] Due to the difficulty for getting acceptance in plastic and reconstructive surgery residency program in Saudi Arabia, colleges of medicine in universities play a crucial role in helping their students to understand the diversity of the branches and operations that plastic surgeons are involved in through proper delivery in the curriculum and doctors' demonstration.…”