Aesthetic/Cosmetic Surgery and Ethical Challenges: The Social Media Era
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EDITORIAL
Aesthetic/Cosmetic Surgery and Ethical Challenges: The Social Media Era B. Atiyeh1 • A. Ibrahim1
Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2020
Discussing the paper entitled ‘‘Aesthetic/Cosmetic Surgery and Ethical Challenges’’, Mendelson [1] stated that ‘‘the central thesis of the review is whether aesthetic plastic surgery remains where it commenced, in the realm of the medical system where it was intended to seriously benefit patients, or whether it should cross into the commercial world, which contrasts in having the immediate focus on benefiting the business’’. He added also ‘‘the immense challenges from the media, consumer advertising, opportunist nonspecialist practitioners, and commercial interests are testing the traditional ethics under which plastic surgeons trained’’. The concerns Mendelson has raised more than a decade ago still hold today with the rapid expansion of non-core aesthetic plastic surgery disciplines such as ‘‘aesthetic medicine’’, ‘‘dermatologic surgery’’, ‘‘facial plastic surgery’’, ‘‘oculoplastic surgery’’, ‘‘aesthetic gynecology’’, and even now ‘‘oncoplastic surgery’’. Aesthetic plastic surgery is evolving rapidly and plastic surgeons are being confronted with new technological and conceptual challenges in addition to fierce competition from plastic surgery colleagues as well as from a multitude of non-plastic surgery practitioners that have gained expertise in fields traditionally served by plastic surgeons [2]. These challenges are rapidly gaining in severity with the exponential increase in promotion and marketing
& B. Atiyeh [email protected] 1
Beirut, Lebanon
strategies on the various electronic platforms and social media by non-plastic surgeons [2]. The specialty of plastic surgery encompasses a wide and diverse breadth of clinical expertise including both reconstructive and aesthetic procedures. Unfortunately, diversity in clinical proficiency and practice has been confusing, and the role of plastic surgeons in patient care has not been completely perceived, particularly by primary care physicians who are a fundamental source of patients’ referral and of information [3]. As subspecialization continues and overlap of clinical practice with other specialties increases in the fields of aesthetic medicine and facial aesthetic surgery, plastic surgeons are at notably greater risks of not being considered as primary care providers and specialists for many procedures. This state of affairs most probably is a reflection of publicity, aggressive marketing, promotion, and education by other practitioners [3]. Aesthetic plastic surgeons are compelled in order to maintain a competitive edge, to keep their promotional, marketing, and educational activities commensurate with those of their competitors [3]. To prevent noncore practitioners from monopolizing communication, plastic surgeons must be urged to keep engaging with patients online [4, 5]. Failing to do so may lead those patients to seek
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