Life Imitates Art: Venezuelan Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery is more popular than ever among both sexes, in the States and abroad. Latin American countries have maintained a long, public love affair with plastic surgery, with a growing number of women turning to breast implants to achieve a shapelier, more feminine look. While everyone’s idea of physical beauty is unique, a recent piece in The New York Times highlights the pervasiveness of cosmetic surgery in Venezuela – where women are faced with a culture of enhanced physiques fueled by beauty pageants and a little help from their plastic surgeon.

In fact, plastic surgery is so fashionable there that one who has undergone breast augmentation is often referred to as “an operated woman.” There is no stigma attached to breast enhancement, and ladies freely speak about their surgeries with friends, families and strangers. The role of physical beauty became somewhat of a national obsession in the 80’s, after Venezuelan contenders won the Miss Universe crown on three separate occasions.

Plastic surgery promotes a successful image, says local anthropologist

The jury may be out on whether Venezuelan women have more plastic surgery than their American counterparts, but the consensus is that cosmetic procedures can help patients project a more successful image, according to anthropologist Ms. Gulbas.

“There’s this notion in Venezuela of ‘buena presencia,’ ‘good presence,’ ” Gulbas told The NY Times, adding, “That communicates that you have certain aspects that say you are a hard worker, a good worker, an honest person…There’s a virtue associated with looking a certain way.”

The demand for procedures runs the gamut from nose jobs and tummy tucks to butt injections and breast implants. In a world where art typically mimics life, Venezuelan shop owners found themselves in the opposite position, ordering mannequins with bulging bosoms and exaggerated curves. One mannequin factory owner, Eliezer Álvarez, said that after he began producing enhanced versions of his mannequins, sales began to skyrocket as the models embodied what local women either already looked like or aspired to be. With more rounded buttocks and D-cup breasts, these mannequins have been forced to evolve to keep up with plastic surgery trends.

The country’s apparent penchant for beauty pageants and cosmetic enhancements isn’t without its critics. Local media have spotlighted cases where women have been harmed by unlicensed plastic surgery clinics, but this concern is no different than anywhere else in the world.

Many women would argue that they have plastic surgery not to conform to societal pressures, but because it provides a renewed sense of self confidence and helps them feel their best.

Thinking about breast enhancement in NY?

If you’re yearning for a more voluptuous bust line and are considering a little nip and tuck, Dr. Thomas Loeb ranks among some of the best cosmetic surgeons in New York for all types of breast enhancement surgeries – including lifts, reductions, the correction of asymmetric breasts and augmentation with either saline or silicone implants.

For a thorough breast surgery consultation about the risks, recovery process and expected results of breast enhancement in NY, please call our Fifth Avenue office to schedule a one-on-one consultation today: 212-327-3700.