How Does Race Impact Your Plastic Surgery Experience?

December 29, 2014 gartside Mommy Makeover

Whether you realize it or not, your race can affect your plastic surgery experience. Historically, people of certain races often opt for specific plastic surgery procedures. Additionally, individuals of certain races have certain ethnic features which may impact the effectiveness of a desired procedure. If you are considering any type of plastic surgery, Dr. Roberta Gartside is happy to discuss your options and how each procedure might be affected by features associated with your ethnicity.

Some plastic surgery procedures are commonly requested by individuals of a certain race or ethnicity. These include:  

  • Ear reshaping surgery and rhinoplasty are popular among individuals of Irish and European descent
  • Eyelid surgery and forehead reshaping are popular among individuals of Asian descent
  • Rhinoplasty is also popular among individuals of African American descent

There are also certain procedures that may be impacted by your race or ethnicity. In some instances, your ethnicity may impact the risks associated with your procedure. Examples of this include:

  • Laser hair removal works best on individuals with dark hair and light skin because the laser is more easily able to pick up the contrast between your hair color and skin color. Individuals with dark skin may not achieve the same level of results on their laser hair removal due to this issue. Similarly, people with fair skin and very light hair may also not get the most out of this procedure.
  • Older individuals who are of African American or Hispanic descent are at a higher risk of complications from plastic surgery (which may be related to a higher prevalence of preexisting medical conditions among these races)

There are plastic surgery trends that have existed for decades that are common among different racial groups. Dr. Gartside has extensive experience working with patients of all races who live in the Washington DC area, and she can recommend the most effective treatment plan to achieve your goals.

Please contact New Image Plastic Surgery Associates today to schedule a consultation. Dr. Gartside serves patients in Reston, Fairfax, and throughout the Washington DC area.