LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Fitness: Plastics (As In Surgery) |
by Rick Moore |
Many of you may remember the movie, The Graduate, where Benji (Dustin Hoffman) was approached by a businessman and given one word of advice with regard to a career, "plastics." We should have all taken that advice. Then again, many of us are doing just thatinvesting in plastic surgery. I had a discussion with James, a wonderful client of mine, about who has, who hasn't, and who is in need of plastic surgery. No, it wasn't a vicious attack on a particular person, but I was told that it's rumored that "such and such" has had pec implants, "so and so" has had liposuction, and "what's his name" has had calf implants. My, how far we men now go to improve our appearances. We used to accuse women of being so vain. Look at us now. Just what is plastic surgery, anyway? The definition is "the surgical specialty concerned with the correction of disfigurement, restoration of impaired function, and improvement of physical appearance." The actual term "plastic" refers to the molding and shaping of body tissues, whether it be bone, fat, muscle, cartilage, or skin. Believe it or not, it's been performed since before the time of Christ, when Hindi physicians performed surgical reconstruction of the nose (Rhinoplasty). Actual modern techniques originated in the post-World War I years by surgeons repairing the wounds and disfigurements of combat veterans. So, guys, why are we seeking out doctors to perform plastic surgery? Well, because society places such high values on looking both fit and young (how true). Men of all ages are requesting plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons. And what do we guys look for? Well, for starters, rhinoplasty (for a more balanced nose), a rhytidectomy (a face lift), and liposuction (for a slimmer waistline) top the list. In fact, it's ironic that on an episode of The Simpsons this week, the bartender Moe had complete facial cosmetic surgery. It changed his whole outlook on lifewe're talking a cartoon herebut it is an issue many men are facing. Once thought of as a procedure that only the very rich or famous Hollywood stars had done to "rejuvenate" themselves, men are seeking out face lifts to improve their attitudes and their appearance. Here's a fact you probably didn't know: the male facial skin has a richer blood supply than female facial skin. Male faces bleed more during surgery and are at greater risk for forming a temporary collection or pooling of blood under the skin after surgery. Also, more scarring that may result from surgery may be more difficult for men to hide, since we don't wear make up (well, some of us don't) or style our hair toward our faces, as do many women. I saw a face lift performed on a TLC program called, "The Operation." Honey, it ain't pretty. The surgeons peeled the patient's facial skin right off her head before doing a few nips and tucks. It was really very gory and not for the weak of stomach. A word of warning. Alcohol causes the areas of treated facial skin to become very noticeably red and flushed. Therefore, you are advised to give up all alcoholic drinks for about 4 weeks or more after surgery. And guys, do we ever love liposuction. It's a hot ticket at the surgeon's office, where most of these procedures are done. The more complicated surgical procedures are done at a hospital. As men ageand believe me, we aren't getting any youngerwe tend to accumulate areas of fat around the abdomen. We also call these areas "love handles." (Who ever thought of that name?) Anyway, because we want what many think of as the ideal look and shape, we can also have the surgeon work on the breast area to treat a condition known as gynocomastia. Many overweight men, and some professional bodybuilders, may have this conditionfatty tissue accumulates around the nipple, giving the appearance of a female breast. Other fatty areas on the male body are the chin and the neck. The only cure is surgery. Liposuction on men is usually very effective. Why? Because men retain their skin elasticity longer than women, and areas of fat beneath the skin of men tend to be firmer and more vascular than those in women. Men who have loose, hanging skin, as well as areas of excess fat, may have surgical skin removal in addition to liposuction. Another procedure we go for is hair replacement which can be a long and drawn out process. It requires multiple surgical procedures and long recovery intervals. You may be looking at 18 months to two years, or even more, for a natural-appearing hair replacement. Remember, we want this to look all-natural, and not as if we're wearing a dead cat on our head! Now we come to the latest in cosmetic proceduresmuscle enhancing surgery. Men who consider cosmetic muscle enhancement should keep in mind that these procedures are still relatively new. They should seek a board-certified plastic surgeon who has all the training necessary to perform the procedures. One of the more popular procedures is abdominal etching, a new liposuction technique that creates a muscular, rippled appearance in the ab region. No kidding, it's for real! We can also have calf implantssometimes used to create cosmetic fullness in the lower leg. You often read in muscle magazines about one pro sniping at another pro bodybuilder, claiming he's had calf implants. Gentlemen, gentlemen! Let's not quibble over this. Either they have or they haven't. Another eye-opening procedure men are opting for is pec implants, used to "bulk out" existing chest and pectoral muscles of healthy men. Have we gone too far? You be the judge. With all the cosmetic procedures now available to us, it may be possible to build the "$6 Million Dollar Man" after all. See you at the beach. Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Visit his club, Rick's Fitness & Health in Milton. He's on the Internet at http://www.ricksfitness.net, or cal 302-684-3669. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 9, July 14, 2000 |