'Vengeance surgery' on the rise in the US

(Benko Zsolt)

An extensive story on beauty and fashion blog StyleList confirms what we already know: women use plastic surgery to boost their self-esteem. But what's interesting is this: apparently, it's also the new 'rebound' activity after nasty breakups.

Apparently, 'having something done' makes many women feel better about themselves after their divorce than a younger, hotter guy ever could.

"One third of my patients are immediate post-divorce cases," Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon Dr. John Anastasatos told StyleList. "The effects of plastic surgery are not only skin deep; they have a profound emotional and psychological uplifting effect. People feel reborn after."

One woman who went for post-divorce intervention is 50-year-old Natalie, who had to attend her ex-husband's wedding to his new wife, given family obligations including their common daughter being freshly engaged. "I can only imagine the stories he'll be telling people about me," she is quoted as thinking before the ceremony. "I want to walk in there and be there for my daughter, and I want to sit in that room with confidence and be very proud ...."

"I often see patients electing to have cosmetic surgery to regain self-esteem when they have been psychologically or physically abused," confirms Washington, D.C. cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Hema Sundaram. "I think it's an issue of taking control of at least one aspect of your life when you have been powerless in other aspects. ...[t]here is also the issue of being 'back on the market!'"

Even more interestingly, cosmetic surgery also seems to be used for empowerment before the breakup. "It's common in my practice to see women who seek plastic surgery while contemplating divorce or separation," states New York plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Tornambe. "Often, they say that the surgery helped build their confidence to take the final step to leave their spouse. Now they feel confident enough to get back out to the dating scene."

But Dr. Richard Baxter, based in Washington, warns that the wonders of surgery mustn't be overestimated. "There is no question that surgery helps self-esteem and confidence when it's done for the right reasons," he says. "[But] while we expect people to feel better about themselves as a result of 'having a little work done,' it can't fix a failing relationship or promise specific changes in their lives."

And New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Zubowski adds: "When someone tells me they've just had a divorce, I make sure the motivation is from within and not because they were led to believe by an ex that they were ugly, inferior or had a bad feature, and I turn down plenty of patients.

"If they legitimately want to move on with their life and improve something, that's a go."