Mommy Make-over: Breasts
August 22nd, 2011
Most of the women that come to me for consultations about breast surgery following pregnancy complain that their breast size or shape has changed. Physical changes may occur even in the absence of breast-feeding. Click on Documentary Film “Restoring Jennifer” at the top of the page to see the personal story of a young woman’s journey to restore her figure.
Patients often report that there is reduced fullness on the top of their breasts, just above the nipple, along with a general dissatisfaction in loss of breast size. The decreased fullness may be interpreted as sagging or a loss of “perkiness.”
 The most common concern that I hear is the complaint of overall diminished breast size after pregnancy.
Augmentation mammoplasty or breast enlargement surgery is the primary procedure that is used to restore breasts following pregnancy. According to the The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), about 312,000 breast enlargement surgeries were performed last year, making it the most requested cosmetic surgery. However, there are no specific statistics about how many women chose the surgery as part of a “Mommy Make-over.â€
The Halo Effect: Power of First Impressions
August 4th, 2011
Are first impressions important? Do attractive people have an unfair advantage? According to the halo effect, while not a fair or necessarily an accurate assessment, first impressions are indeed very powerful. When people receive positive visual messages and cues from a pleasing appearance, they will assume that other aspects about you are equally as positive. This compounding effect is referred to as the halo effect.
Solomon Asch, the human behaviorist who is considered an early pioneer of social psychology is well-know for research in this area. The results of his famous study suggest that attractiveness is a central trait, so we take it another step further to presume all the other traits of an attractive person are just as attractive and sought after. The linking of disconnected traits is the basis for making first impressions and why they are so hard to overcome.
As silly as it seems, results from a more recent study by Bryn Mawr College confirms his earlier research. As a cosmetic surgeon, I make a living helping people improve their appearance. I do believe in the notion that when you look good, you often feel better, but I find it fascinating that the perceptions of appearance and physical beauty also involve the unconscious. I’ll think twice now about running up to the grocery store in my dirty gardening clothes, lest I be judged too harshly!
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