I want DU's opinion of this article

[AnOhioan]

http://www.cleveland.com/medical/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1171793867262820.xml&coll=2&thispage=1

I have previously taken a live and let live attitude towards cosmetic plastic surgery. If someone wnated a facelift or a tummy tuck I fgured no harm no foul. It is not something I would do but I was not going to judge those who did.

This article takes cosmetic surgery to a new low (no pun intended) in my opinion.

Just wanted the thoughts of the DU community....is this type of surgery taking the concept too far?

A sentence in the article states this this procedure has been performed on a young lady of 14. Is there an age limit below which such surgeries swhould be discouraged or made illegal? Should insurance cover the cost of such procedures? (The article indicates the interviewees procedures are not covered by insurance, they are considered "boutique" procedures.)

[dogday]

1. Ok, I am officially sick to my stomach

from this shit... Not the OP's fault, it is just that this has gone way to far....

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. when our nation is seemingly fixated on one dead and one insane celeb,

is it any surprise that so much stress is placed on perfecting one's looks?

Obviously, this is just nuts, but I have no doubt that it will be popular and profitable.

[blondie58]

3. unbelievable

and these woman could have saved a ton of $$$, had they just done their Kegel exercises diligently. Why they could have saved enough to have had that boob job or the rhinoplasty!

Personally, I try not to be judgemental, but I honestly feel sorry for so many of these people. It isn't what you have on the outside, but what you have on the inside that makes you complete and fulfilled. Our society is very shallow.

[mcscajun]

4. The principle is not new, just the technology used in this case.

As to the issue of "boutique", it's not the procedure that's boutique. One practice was cited as a "boutique" practice; they did not accept insurance.

If there are medical reasons for the procedure (many times there are, as in a woman whose vaginal structure has been weakened during bearing many children) insurance will cover part or all of the conventional procedures already available; as mentioned in the article, some insurance plans will cover some of this new procedure as well. Like any laser procedure, it's expensive; unlike other laser procedures, this one is cloaked in secrecy, and that bothers me; it also was an issue for doctors mentioned in the article.

The relevant paragraphs to me were these:

"It's totally a gimmick," said Dr. Mark Walters, head of urogynecology at the Cleveland Clinic. "All they've done is repackaged existing gynecological operations that have been in practice for over a hundred years, given them new names and charged their patients more money for them."

-snip-

Some doctors criticize the secrecy. If the procedure makes such a difference in women's sex lives, they ask, why not share the surgical techniques with everyone?

Miklos has a concise answer: "We're running a business."

-snip-

In fact, no scientific data back up claims that LVR increases a woman's sexual pleasure, so the American Urogynecology Society will not formally endorse it. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology refused to comment.

While there are plenty of legitimate reasons to have such a surgery, conventional or laser, the promotion of this process "Feel feminine again" seems like it's just one more case of the continuing commercialization of medicine, and that it's capitalizing on a woman's insecurity.

No details were given on why a 14-year-old girl might need such a surgery, but if it's not necessary, I'm against it, no matter who's paying for it.

[ganeshji]

5. The doctors site mentioned is slightly ridiculous.

"Improve your genital image"
No, thank you. As the authority on my vagina, I've got an iron-fisted grip on my genital image, so to speak.

[MilesColtrane]

6. They also do "hymen restoration".

Good Lord, wait til fundamentalist parents hear about this.
Maybe that's why they're located in Georgia. $$CHA-CHING!!

[Divernan]

7. Let's hear it for Born Again Virgins!

Praise The Lord! It's a Miracle! What a great graduation gift!

[dogday]

8. The gift that keeps on giving..... eom