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More People Getting Plastic Surgery With a Partner
Friends and Relatives Come in Together to Share the Experience, Say Surgeons
July 5, 2006
 Elvia Rabinor said she hadn't seriously considered plastic surgery until her daughter, Lauren-Beth Kassinger, asked her about it.
"She called me and said, 'What are you doing this next week? How about getting your nose done?'" Rabinor said.
Plastic surgeons say this mother-daughter team is an example of a growing trend -- friends or relatives going under the knife together.
According to 2005 statistics released by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 34 percent of facial plastic surgeons reported an increase in patients getting plastic surgery with a partner.
Bonding Over Surgery
Kassinger was 28 when she had surgery in February 2003. She was a professional dancer and model working for Capezio, but she said she was always self-conscious about a small bump on the bridge of her nose and a droopy tip, which she inherited from her mom.
"I always had a little insecurity my whole life," Kassinger said. "And it just happened to be the right time in my life to do it. I didn't want to do it alone."
 Rabinor was 49 at the time and a dance instructor, and the tip of her nose drooped a bit more because of aging. Although the mom and daughter wanted similar things from their surgeries, they wanted slightly different noses in the end.
Both Kassinger and Rabinor said the experience brought them closer together.
"I actually was really excited about taking this step," Kassinger said. "I definitely am closer to my mom because of it. It is traumatic. It is a big change."
Be Prepared
Getting moral support, bonding with a friend or relative or going through the healing together are all reasons people might seek surgery with a partner, said Dr. Andrew Jacono, who performed their surgery and wrote "Face the Facts: The Truth about Plastic Surgery Procedures That Do and Don't Work."
There were 10.2 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2005, up 11 percent from 2004. And Jacono said that with so many TV shows about plastic surgery, the procedures are becoming demystified.
"It speaks to the popularity of cosmetic surgery," he said. "Plastic surgery can be very, very safe, and it's not something you have to be afraid of. ... Why not share the experience and comfort each other?"
But Jacono warned that people still need to take precautions before going under the knife, as any surgery can be dangerous, and healing can be long and difficult.
Jacono said the most important thing to consider before undergoing cosmetic surgery is the doctor. He said you should make sure the doctor is board certified and specializes in the particular procedure you want.
"Ask how many they have done, how many do they do on an average weekly or monthly basis," Jacono said. "Always be able to speak to lots of patients who have had previous procedures with the doctor, and be able to see literally hundreds of pictures of the type of work you are looking for.
"A doctor that does that kind of stuff regularly should be able to bring that to you."
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