As Elective Surgeries Rise it Is Important to do Your Homework
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began two years ago, many individuals sequestered themselves indoors and substituted face to face meetings with zoom calls that required us to peer into faces on a screen, including our own. Countless hours of looking at ourselves provided an opportunity to examine ourselves more closely and to consider improving our appearance. A little extra time and stimulus money, the opportunity to recuperate while working from home and mask requirements that hid some procedures provided enough encouragement that more Americans underwent invasive and noninvasive elective cosmetic procedures during this period than ever before.
According to the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Databank, in 2020 the use of neurotoxins increased by 54% from the previous year while the use of fillers increased by 75%. In fact, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “11% of women surveyed indicated they are more interested in cosmetic plastic surgery or non-surgical procedures now than before COVID-19.” This rise in demand is now known as the Zoom Boom.
However, the increased number of individuals making the decision to seek elective medical procedures highlights the importance of carefully considering the potential risks of both invasive and noninvasive procedures. The increase in demand is likely to continue in the near term as mask mandates ease and people resume face-to-face activities with others. Americans are increasingly trying to address issues surrounding their outward appearance.
With the recent resumption of elective surgeries, potential patients must ensure they’re asking the right questions, weighing appropriate options and identifying the risks and benefits associated with the procedure or treatment. Before making a final decision, it’s important to do your homework.
It’s no secret that all medical procedures, whether elective or not or invasive or noninvasive, carry the risk of possible side effects. LASIK eye surgery, for instance, is a popular elective medical procedure that uses laser technology to improve vision. According to Mayo Clinic, the procedure’s possible side effects range from temporary double vision to extremely rare cases of vision loss. However, despite these risks, it remains one of the most common elective surgeries in America, with a 99% success rate and over 10 million Americans receiving the treatment since its FDA approval in 1999. At the end of the day, it comes down to how much the individual wants to address the issue, the possible risks of the procedure as well as the promised benefits. In this case, over 10 million Americans chose a chance at seeing clearly without the assistance of glasses or contacts. Doctors are ethically and lawfully bound to disclose the risks of any treatment with a patient, so that at the end of the day the patient can make an informed choice.
Far too often, individuals assume that noninvasive medical procedures have zero associated risks. For example, a recent cover story appeared in People Magazine featuring the 90’s supermodel, Linda Evangelista, who recently filed a lawsuit claiming the noninvasive elective procedure known as Coolsculpting left her with a rare side effect that rendered her unable to work. CoolSculpting is an outpatient procedure for individuals who wish to lose stubborn fat in certain parts of their body by effectively freezing and killing targeted fat cells. CoolSculpting has been approved by the FDA and can be performed in a physician’s office and the individual can usually resume normal activities right away. Like LASIK, it carries a range of risks, like swelling and bruising, and rare side effects, like paradoxical adipose hyperplasia where the fat multiplies rather than dies.
Even for noninvasive elective procedures, patients must recognize side effects exist and can happen. That is why doctors are required to provide an informed consent form that sets out the risks and benefits to review before the procedure. This ensures everyone is on the same page beforehand. It’s critical that patients take ample time to discuss and ask questions about the procedure with the individual administering the treatment, as well as reading their consent form carefully before signing. Even the most tried and true procedure carries some form of risk, to say otherwise would be a lie.
The choice to pursue a given treatment is a deeply personal decision between the patient and their doctor. Whether it’s to improve one’s physical appearance or create more convenience in their daily life, there is no correct reason to pursue an elective procedure. But with proper consultation and education, patients can make empowered and appropriate decisions for themselves that should minimize unexpected outcomes.
Vickie Yates Brown Glisson is the former Kentucky Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and a nationally recognized health lawyer.
