WASH POST: Plastic Surgeon Turns Author to Explain 'Mommy Makeovers'

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Bravo to Dr. Zuckerman for her sage comments!Taking a Kid's-Eye View Of Cosmetic SurgeryPlastic Surgeon Turns Author to Explain 'Mommy Makeovers'By G. BoodmanWashington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 22, 2008; HE05The hardcover book by board-certified plastic surgeon A.Salzhauer, published by Big Tent Books and available for purchaseonline, seeks to answer the insistent questions posed by some young

children: Why is Mommy's nose smaller? Where did her tummy go? Andwhat's with all those bandages? " I don't know whether to laugh or cry, " said Zuckerman,president of the nonprofit National Research Center for Women and

Families, after reading " My Beautiful Mommy. " " This is disturbing on so many levels, " she added. " For one thing, itperpetuates a completely unrealistic ideal " of female beauty: the

large-breasted, wasp-waisted, midriff-baring Barbie-doll look.Zuckerman, who says she is not opposed to all plastic surgery, notesthat the book's portrayal of postoperative recovery seems remarkablyshort: The mother is up and around soon after her tummy tuck, which in

real life can require a much longer recuperation. " And I'm sure there's a good reason the mother had to wear skin-tightpants and a crop top, " Zuckerman added, " but I don't know what it is. "

Salzhauer does. " Mothers, at least those in South Florida, do look anddress like that, " said the 36-year-old physician who hosts a Sundaymorning radio call-in show called " Nip Talk Radio. "

" Being a doctor, I can't deal with the political or philosophicalarguments " surrounding cosmetic surgery, Salzhauer said. " I have todeal with reality. " The book, he said, gives parents " a vehicle to

explain the plastic surgery process to their kids " who may be tooyoung to understand why a parent is choosing to undergo anappearance-altering operation.The bulk of his practice, Salzhauer said, consists of women between 20

and 40 undergoing what he calls " mommy makeovers " : breast implants,breast lifts and tummy tucks.Salzhauer said his interest in children's reactions to cosmeticsurgery was sparked by questions his daughter, who was then 4, asked

when he underwent a nose job several years ago. As the father of fouryoung children, Salzhauer said, " I read a lot of children's books " andrealized there was no book for 4- to 7-year-olds that could explain

why a parent who wasn't sick was having an operation.Many of his patients, he added, bring their children to plasticsurgery consultations and even postoperative appointments.Zuckerman questioned why the mother in the book has just a small

bandage on her perky new nose, not the black eyes that typicallyfollow rhinoplasty, and why she's up and around a few days after hertummy tuck, not lying in bed in a haze of pain waiting for her nextPercocet.

Then there's the appearance of plastic surgeon " Dr. , " wholooks like Superman. " It wasn't my idea, " said Salzhauer, who said itwas the illustrator's concept. " Of course, that's how I see myself

when I look in the mirror. " Ten percent of the proceeds from the book, he said, will be earmarkedfor children's plastic surgery charities. A Spanish-language versionis also available; Salzhauer hopes it will appeal to patients in Latin

America, where cosmetic medicine is also popular.-- Ilena's Personal Blog<http://ilena-rosenthal.blogspot.com>www.BreastImplantInfo.org Dr. Zuckerman's site