Plastic Surgery And Seniors

At the age of 77, Rita Gerson says she has no regrets about her careful decision to get a facelift, and a few other things, to improve her look.

Gershon said, “It takes the aging process away. And that’s what makes you happy.”

The grandmother of four, great-grandmother of two and cancer survivor says she wanted to go under the knife for a more youthful appearance. “It was just so I wouldn’t look so old at my granddaughters wedding,” she said.

Gershon underwent her first of three procedures nine years ago. She’s not alone. More seniors are getting cosmetic surgery to look and feel better.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2010 nearly 85,000 surgical procedures were performed on patients age 65 and up.

Scott Aaronson, a board certified plastic surgeon said, “I have a large percentage of patients in their 70s even 80-year-olds.”

Aaronson says the desert’s older population means he sees a lot of seniors. Some are looking for a late life. Others are still in the job market and want to appear more youthful. Still others want their external appearance to better mirror their health and vitality.

“They say, ‘I feel great. I want to look as good as I feel,'” said Aaronson.

Cosmetic options range from laser skin resurfacing to Botox for wrinkles. Seniors can get fillers for folds, pulse light treatments or stimulants to increase collagen production.

More involved surgical options include facelifts, eye lid procedures, liposuction and tummy tucks.

But what about the health risk for older patients, and the increased risk for life-threatening complications? Aaronson said, “What really matters is one word. That’s ‘safety.’ If they’re healthy, and they go through the scrutiny of the preoperative evaluation and the exam, and they’re in good condition, and they’re cleared by their medical doctor, then they’re a good candidate for surgery.”

There is an age at which someone can be too old for plastic surgery. But not for Gershon, who was able to get the look she wanted without regrets.

She hopes others will not let fears stand in their way. “Don’t let other people try to say, ‘Oh you don’t need it.’ That’s up to you,” she said.

It’s not for everyone, but cosmetic surgery can be life-changing. Gershon says she feels better about herself now that her outward appearance better matches the younger person she feels inside.