It is my pleasure and honor to join in partnership with Imagine Your Health. I will be contributing articles that honestly and realistically educate you about deciding on, having, and recovering from cosmetic surgery.  I view my job as helping you to find the truth.

I have worked closely with the cosmetic and plastic surgery community in San Diego for over 20 years. My book, Cosmetic Surgery: Before, Between and After is often used by surgeons to manage their patients' expectations during the entire medical experience.

Qualifications

You might be wondering about my qualifications. First, you should know that I am an aesthetician/ skin care specialist and master makeup artist who has worked with cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery patients for over two decades. I've seen the good, the bad, the ugly, and just about everything in between. I am a patient partner as well as your advocate. Most importantly, I've had cosmetic surgery. 

The experience of undergoing cosmetic surgery and my experience working with other patients are what qualifies me to aid you in your approach towards cosmetic surgery. I have heard strange justifications for having surgery and have seen surgical results that were frightening. I have worked with patients who've loved their new face or body and those who regretted having surgery at all. I've worked with psychiatrists and psychologists to help patients with dangerously low self-esteem overcome poor physical self-images that have nothing to do with reality. I've spoken at conferences and led workshops explaining the balance of medicine and makeup.

My hope is for you to be Bold in your quest. Informed of your choices. Responsible for your decisions.

Supporting Statistics 

If you are considering having a cosmetic procedure, you are not alone.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the number of cosmetic procedures performed in a single year rose to 5.7 million in 2000, a 25% increase in over the previous year. In 2000, 89% of cosmetic procedures were performed on females (down 1% from 1998) and 11% on males. According to the most recent ASAPS consumer survey, of 1000 American households: 61% of women and 63% of men said they approved of cosmetic surgery and would not be embarrassed if people outside their circle of family and friends knew about it. 18% said that they viewed it more favorably than they did a decade ago, with baby boomers approving most. The ASAPS further reported that baby boomers between the ages of 35 and 50 accounted for 43 percent of the total number of cosmetic procedures--more than any other age group.

Postoperative Care Assistance

Many major magazines that publish articles dealing with cosmetic surgery seem to skim over the tough reality of healing.  My desire is to make it easier for you and your loved ones than it was for my family and I following my own surgery. Even with all my years of experience, plus countless hours spent with numerous types of health care professionals mapping and creating the healing alternatives I was going to utilize, I still needed to send my poor hubby to the store at least six times in the first 36 hours after my own surgery. From this exasperating experience, I developed a desire to create a comprehensive kit of postoperative tools to ease and assist anyone in their recovery. Trust me, you'll need them all.

My future columns will tell you what you need to know to help you get the specific results you want from your own cosmetic surgery. These columns will be straight from the hip, like your best friend talking to you. 

My hope is for you to be:

• Bold in your quest.
• Informed of your choices.
• Responsible for your decisions.