Medicine, health and other such topics have been favorite viewer TV fare, but somewhere along the line the American public became fans of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery programs.

In fact, we had a nice run of episodes on “Dr. 90210”. (You can still see our Dr. 90210 episodes here.)

Current TV plastic surgery programs can still illustrate some of the most common missteps cosmetic surgery patients haven taken while looking for, say, a nose job or face and neck lift or more.

Examples include:

1. Skip the larger-than-life cosmetic plastic surgeries. For instance, huge breast implants can deform the shape of the breasts. Or massive implants could later cause back and shoulder pain. What usually happens in the future of extreme rejuvenation procedures are yet more surgeries to repair new problems.
2. Cheap plastic surgery rates: Cosmetic plastic surgery is an area in which the old saying, “You get what you pay for” is true. Some surgeons offer huge discounts only to attract more patients. However, if those surgeons don’t have many patients, there’s a reason. So, more botched plastic surgery procedures can come with bargain basement prices.
3. By the same token, the plastic surgeon is not always at fault in surgeries that do not go perfectly. Post-surgical complications often crop up, but well-trained plastic surgeons are quick to recognize and treat them. For example, breast augmentation cases may have fluid collection and swelling or allergic reactions. So carefully read the potential risks information in your surgeon-supplied handouts; that should tell you not 100 percent of every nose job, neck surgery or eyelid lift goes perfectly.
4. What if a surgeon says “no” to your cosmetic surgery request? Best advice here: take the surgeon at his or her word. It often happens when a patient is obsessed with an off-the-wall procedure to look like the exact double of a movie or T.V. star…. or even a comic book character! Going ahead with such procedures usually causes more problems, expense, dissatisfactions and corrective surgery in the future. Actually, the nay-saying surgeon is being ethical by turning down a pricey procedure because it will in all likelihood put you in jeopardy later on.
5. Don’t go overseas for plastic surgery. The worst Catch-22 there is if you have a complication or serious setback after coming home. Any U.S. plastic surgeon from whom you seek relief (READ: costs much more $$) will need the foreign surgeons’ medical records of your procedure. The U.S. has strict protocols for cosmetic plastic surgeons who must pass difficult boards for certifications while showing they are competent and knowledgeable in their field. Other nations have different, lower standards for plastic surgeons.