Cosmetic Surgery Talk Over Lunch
Last week I was invited to lunch to celebrate a friends 44th birthday. In total there were 7 of us (all women) ranging in age from 38- 44. We had planned to have an extended lunch because we all had to be at the nearby schools gates at 3:20 to pick up our children.
After sitting down at our table the talk turned to cosmetic surgery, which is a little different from the usual conversations centred around diets and how much someone had lost and / or gained. To ensure anonymity in this article, I’ll refer to my contributing companions as Lady A, B &.C.
Lady A, a very well groomed individual, had recently had a tummy tuck. She told us that having children had left her with a lot of loose skin, which diet and exercising were unable to rectify. She was very pleased with the result and was happy to pay the financial as well as physical price (pain). Her only regret was that she ‘hadn’t done it years ago’. The reason for the delay? Fear of pain, disfigurement or death.
Lady B then entered the conversation. She informed us that she had ‘AA’ breasts. She said that she had thought of having implants, but decided against it because if something terrible happened, her young daughters life would be adversely affected. She had therefore taken the decision to live with the size of her breast and count her blessing that she was alive and healthy.
Lady A then said that breast augmentations were not as straight forward as everyone imaged; adding that her augmentation had been more painful than her tummy tuck during the recovery period. This was the first time that my suspicions that she had undergone breast augmentation was confirmed. Later when I mentioned it to my husband, he said that he had believed that to be the case, because her breasts were ‘large and high’.
‘I have also had a tummy tuck’ said lady C (whose birthday we were celebrating). This was news to me! ‘I’m not happy with it, because it left me without a waist. I am thinking of having it redone ….’ Lady A added ‘we went to see my surgeon yesterday’.
‘What’s your surgeon like’ I asked hiding my surprise. ‘Well’, came the response, ‘she’s Asian, petite, attractive and she’s told me that she will never have surgery’.
‘Yet, she’s happy operating on everyone else’? I couldn’t help asking.
‘Cosmetic surgery is about personal choice’ responded Lady A, adding ‘I’m thinking have having my wrinkles done’ She then proceeded to stroke the areas around her eyes.
‘Mmm …I’m not sure that’s a good idea’, said Lady B. You look great as you are. People need to know when to stop’.
At that moment Lady C dissolved into fits of laugher. It took several minutes for her to compose herself. She then went on to tell us about a club she occasionally visits in London; a club that is normally attended by the wealthy. ‘A few weeks ago I was at the club with a friend', she chuckled ‘when in walked 3 women. They were all middle aged, with white blond hair and the tightest facelifts you have ever seen. Their skin was so tightly stretched that if one was talking, it was impossible to know which one is it was, due to the fact that non of their faces or mouths moved! With that she collapsed into another fit of laughter. We all laughed at the strange mental image her words created, an image which was both amusing and horrific at the same time.
‘Your right’, lady C concluded. ‘When it comes to cosmetic surgery, you must know when to stop’!.