The Plastic Surgeon as a Beautifier

CHAPTER IX

THE PLASTIC SURGEON AS A BEAUTIFIER

AS a rule the plastic surgeon is mainly called
- upon to operate on members of the theatrical
profession, women whose actual, visible beauty is
one of the greatest assets in their convincing
presentation of roles in which youth and loveliness
are a first requisite. Or, again, the plastic surgeon
comes to the aid of the grande dame, the ambitious
society woman who refuses to allow the passing
years to undermine her established reputation as a
beautiful woman of the world. Plastic surgery is
a very real, a very difficult development of
constructive surgery, and as such deserving of all
respect. But those among its exponents who have
a name charge large fees, and in general, any process
of constructive surgery is usually expensive in
money, time and suffering.

FACE-RAISING

One of the greatest actual triumphs of plastic
surgery is the "face-raising" or "face-lifting"
process, which does away with wrinkles, mouth and
eyelines and sagging cheeks by literally "lifting" off
part of the old face and replacing it. It is an infinitely
tiring and somewhat painful process as a rule.

A cut some three inches long is made from the
temple to the ear. A triangular strip of skin is
removed. Then the skin of the face is drawn
together, and stitched carefully, so as to show no
scars. After three days have passed, the stitches
are taken out, and when the wound has healed
(usually within ten or twelve days) no trace of
them is to be seen.
The majority of women prefer and wisely so, "to
grow old gracefully," to rely on bathing, fresh food
and air, exercise and self-control to retain a living
charm of attractiveness and appeal, without the
more radical "skinning" processes of the plastic
surgeon.


OTHER PLASTIC SURGICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The operation for harelip does not properly fall
within the province of the plastic surgeon. Any
good surgeon can perform this operation successfully.
But often, where a nose is shaped in such wise as
actually to disfigure the wearer, the plastic
surgeon can work wonders. Bone grafting has,
especially since the World War, reached a high
level of development. It is common for the plastic
surgeon to "rebuild" the nose—and he can make it
either Grecian or Roman to suit the wearer's fancy
—by removing part of the bone, and inserting a
piece better calculated to please. Malformation of
the mouth, ear disfigurements, scars of every kind
(these usually treated by skin graft) birthmarks,
crow's-feet and 6aggy eyes, all yield to the touch
of his scalpel.

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