Cosmetic Surgery

[Montrose1100]

Ok, so in 2008 I plan to get some things done. Specifically getting porcelain veneers. Does anyone know anything about them? I've been searching online for a while, but I was wondering if anyone had some consumer report on this issue.

Or if anyone else has thought about this, or any other cosmetic surgery. I would also really love to get my ears pulled back a little, perhaps a small nose job, and some kind of skin laser scar fixer.

Or is this just silly, it shouldn't matter whats on the outside, but whats on the inside?

[TheNiche]

Or is this just silly, it shouldn't matter whats on the outside, but whats on the inside?

If you have to ask, you probably already know the answer.

[dalparadise]

Based on what I saw when you were speed walking through my neighborhood a few years ago, I'd say, get the work done.

[travelguy_73]

Ok, so in 2008 I plan to get some things done. Specifically getting porcelain veneers. Does anyone know anything about them? I've been searching online for a while, but I was wondering if anyone had some consumer report on this issue.

Or if anyone else has thought about this, or any other cosmetic surgery. I would also really love to get my ears pulled back a little, perhaps a small nose job, and some kind of skin laser scar fixer.

Or is this just silly, it shouldn't matter whats on the outside, but whats on the inside?

It isn't silly at all. If having this work done (by a competent professional, please) makes you feel better about yourself and increases your confidence level, then do it.

[nativehou]

It isn't silly at all. If having this work done (by a competent professional, please) makes you feel better about yourself and increases your confidence level, then do it.

I agree. If you don't feel good about your smile, and you don't want people to look at your mouth when you talk, it really affects your own sense of well-being. I got braces at age 30 -- it was totally worth the cost and the effort.

[Mark F. Barnes]

My Sister had the Porcelains done, and they look great. About 60% of the great teeth you see in Hollywood are the same thing. Just please do the research for a competent person to do them. There are butchers out there that do lousy work, remember you get what you pay for. If you try to go cheap you will regret it 9 times out of 10. I'd say the same goes for your other elective surgeries you are considering, do the research and pick your surgeon carefully.

Best of luck to you.

[editor]

If I won a contest where I got the free surgical procedure of my choice, I'd have my bellybutton removed. Boy THAT would freak people out at the pool.

[westguy]

I don't like the idea of someone filing my teeth down to stubs. I've had that done for a crown, but I wouldn't do it unless it is necessary. Go for the braces or retainers, and you won't be stuck with a lifetime of dental work and anxiety.

[Montrose1100]

Well I wouldn't get the complete set, just a few. I also re-thought the ear & nose thing...

I have fangs, and the ones infront of them are set back, and one of my front teeth is kinda crooked.

[TheNiche]

I have fangs, and the ones infront of them are set back, and one of my front teeth is kinda crooked.

Yeah, I've got fangs too, and that's something that needs to be corrected once my dental insurance kicks in because it can lead to medical complications in the future. Talk to a dentist, as it may only be that wisdom teeth or molars are causing crowding of all the others, and that extracting a couple would releive some of the pressure from the rest.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Imperfect teeth give a person character. They're not that bad.

You wouldn't want to look like this native Houstonian:

[musicman]

Based on what I saw when you were speed walking through my neighborhood a few years ago, I'd say, get the work done.

lol

[Fringe]

Just get you some grills:

Grills

[Jeebus]

Well I wouldn't get the complete set, just a few. I also re-thought the ear & nose thing...

Just get the the teeth fixed & go see a dermatologist. Anything beyond that and you're getting into Jacko induced vanity area of no return.

[Montrose1100]

Yeah, I've got fangs too, and that's something that needs to be corrected once my dental insurance kicks in because it can lead to medical complications in the future. Talk to a dentist, as it may only be that wisdom teeth or molars are causing crowding of all the others, and that extracting a couple would releive some of the pressure from the rest.

I've had my two bottom wisdom teeth removed already...

Jeebus - i've seen many dermatologists, and nothing has worked. Not Pro-activ, not accutain, not the face wash you can buy at the drug store. Its kinda off and on, usually when I'm stressed out its bad, but some days i'm fine.

[rps324]

Geeeeeeez, some of y'all are kind of.....candid!

If there were a plastic surgery technique to improve tact, I think a couple of you all could stand to go!

Montrose how old are you btw? Aren't you just starting college?

If you would really like to get some cosmetic dentistry done for whatever reason, then I so go ahead and do it.

Edited December 17, 2007 by rps324

[satriela]

Montrose,

You look perfectly fine to me. Honestly. What makes you think you need ANY work done?

[Montrose1100]

Geeeeeeez, some of y'all are kind of.....candid!

Well I think Dal is just saying that because the fact that I'm asking something like this is stupid, immature, and shallow. Perhaps his way of showing he has a sense of humor.

Montrose,

You look perfectly fine to me. Honestly. What makes you think you need ANY work done?

Thanks satriela, but I'm just self conscious, and unhappy with the way I look.

[musicman]

Thanks satriela, but I'm just self conscious, and unhappy with the way I look.

a really good friend just had it. she wore size 2 pants and thought she was fat. i told her to see a therapist first cause sounded like self esteem issues.

[Montrose1100]

a really good friend just had it. she wore size 2 pants and thought she was fat. i told her to see a therapist first cause sounded like self esteem issues.

Well I don't think I look bad, I just want to look better. Which is i'm sure why everyone gets plastic surgery.

[dbigtex56]

Thanks satriela, but I'm just self conscious, and unhappy with the way I look.

I swear, youth is wasted on the young. You look fine!

Saw a show the other day contrasting original photos with the retouched ones that are printed in magazines, and the differences were startling. These create such unrealistic expectations of perfection.

[lockmat]

Saw a show the other day contrasting original photos with the retouched ones that are printed in magazines, and the differences were startling. These create such unrealistic expectations of perfection.

No kidding. Ugly people are everywhere. Just look around.

Edited December 17, 2007 by lockmat

[musicman]

No kidding. Ugly people are everywhere. Just look around.

maybe the city will hire you to place signs.

[lockmat]

maybe the city will hire you to place signs.

lol, what? I was just kidding.

What kind of signs would I be putting up?

edit: just saw the sign. pics don't show up at work.

Edited December 17, 2007 by lockmat

[dbigtex56]

No kidding. Ugly people are everywhere. Just look around.

Pretty is as pretty does.

[lockmat]

It won't let me copy the text. Sucky.

I know better, but I'm naturally more judgmental of someones looks before I get to know the person. The last couple years, I've started acting like a woman, or more like we should be, I guess. But personality definitely plays into whether I think the person is attractive or not. This pendulam has a better chance of swinging when the person is closer to average looking rather than really good or bad looking. But it still affects the ugly and the beautiful, but to a lesser degree I think. A great personality can make someone average very attractive.

[TheNiche]

It won't let me copy the text. Sucky.

I know better, but I'm naturally more judgmental of someones looks before I get to know the person. The last couple years, I've started acting like a woman, or more like we should be, I guess. But personality definitely plays into whether I think the person is attractive or not. This pendulam has a better chance of swinging when the person is closer to average looking rather than really good or bad looking. But it still affects the ugly and the beautiful, but to a lesser degree I think. A great personality can make someone average very attractive.

Back in college, I developed a theoretical economic model based upon game theory describing the general nature of human mating. And in traditional environments like the college campus that I used as an example, the first means of filtering the wheat from the chaff were almost always perceptions of physical attractiveness.

Its hard to get away from that tendency, too, because if your optimal outcome is a function of many factors, of which physical attractiveness is one part and personality is another part, out of n parts where n>2, then even if the personality is ultimately more important, the moment you lay eyes on someone for the first time you have something on the order of a 98%/80% idea of what they look like clothed or naked, respectively, but the conclusions you can draw about their personality based upon their appearance may only have a 30% chance of being accurate. ...these percentages of course vary greatly among individuals, but they serve to illustrate my point, which is that imperfect information can lead an individual to initially screen out less attractive persons (even possibly the statistically normal) that may otherwise be perfect for them on the basis of much greater certainty regarding a trait that is considered of secondary importance.

The full general model was of course much more technical and exhaustive than the part of it that I've provided above, but I hope you all get the gist of it. And I'm not meaning to be 'that guy', which cries out about how cruel a world it is or anything. Econ students like to assume that all of society is acting rationally, and my model was no different. These are the actions of a rational person seeking to maximize their net benefit. When an individual is fed through the full model, perfect pairing is a statistical anomaly.

I think that it is generally valid, but that's why I refer to it as my general model. However...the world is not full of rational people, but with an approximately normal distribution of partially-rational people, many afflicted with a broad variety and varying degrees of mental illnesses. So! There is a caveat. The optimization of a mate-seeking strategy should account for those irrational actions and abnormalities to the extent that they are predictable. The most rational people within society will adapt the general model into a specific model applicable to their specific needs within an irrational society. And within the specific model, rules and approaches will change.

[ArchitecturalPRGirl]

Teeth are a very important characterisitc, in the business world and in your personal life. In the business world, people won't take you seriously if you don't have nice teeth. It's true. Have you ever seen a powerful executive with bad teeth? No. Success and looks are a stereotype that goes hand in hand. I can remember a group of people I once over heard talking about how gorgeous this girl was but when she smiled it killed the whole thing. I think that's sad so I say whatever makes you feel better you should do. Just like when women start to age, they feel less attractive and the men their age start looking at younger women. Self confidence is so important and whatever avenue you take to get it is each person's personal choice. Just do your research and go to well-known doctors.

Ok, so in 2008 I plan to get some things done. Specifically getting porcelain veneers. Does anyone know anything about them? I've been searching online for a while, but I was wondering if anyone had some consumer report on this issue.

Or if anyone else has thought about this, or any other cosmetic surgery. I would also really love to get my ears pulled back a little, perhaps a small nose job, and some kind of skin laser scar fixer.

Or is this just silly, it shouldn't matter whats on the outside, but whats on the inside?

[crunchtastic]

lol. so, to sum up Lockmat and Niche with easy anecdotal evidence:

I'm an average looking person. My personality has historically worked very well for me, enabling me to often punch a higher weight where I might not otherwise have rated. And accounting for the irrationality of the marketplace, yep, crazy men are drawn to me like dead on Elvis. So, yeah.

[crunchtastic]

Just like when women start to age, they feel less attractive and the men their age start looking at younger women.

Bravo for perpetuating what an entire generation of women fought to get out from under. Do you do PR for plastic surgeons also?