Several factors influence a patient’s decision to choose a plastic surgeon and have the procedure, especially their before and after images. But what you see isn’t always what you get, and some doctors modify their pictures with amazing results. Unfortunately, photoshopping of surgical (and non-surgical) results has been going on for years, and the unethical lure of fake images with bait-and-swap hooks has become widespread because they are easier than ever to work with. “It’s tempting to idealize results with small changes everywhere, but that’s wrong and unethical,” said California plastic surgeon R. Lawrence Berkowitz, MD, Campbell.
Wherever they appear, the purpose of the before-and-after photos is to educate, showcase doctors’ skills, and draw attention to surgery, said Chicago-based plastic surgeon Peter Geldner, MD. While some doctors use a variety of tricks and techniques to acquire images, knowing what to look for is half the battle. Proper postoperative imaging will help you avoid being scammed and become an unhappy patient, or worse, ineffective. Consider this your ultimate guide to avoiding the pitfalls of manipulating patient photos.
Unethical doctors practice unethical practices, such as altering before and after photos to enhance results. This does not mean that board-certified plastic surgeons will not correct their appearance, as some do. Doctors who change photos do so because they don’t give good enough results, says Mokhtar Asaadi, MD, a plastic surgeon in West Orange, New Jersey. “When a doctor alters photos to fake dramatic results, they are cheating the system to get more patients.”
An easy-to-use editing application allows anyone, not just dermatologists or plastic surgeons, to correct photos. Unfortunately, even though a change in image may attract more patients, which means more income, patients end up suffering. Dr. Berkowitz talks about a local dermatologist who strives to promote himself as the most qualified “cosmetic” face and neck lift surgeon. A dermatologist’s patient who underwent cosmetic surgery became Dr. Berkowitz’s patient due to insufficient correction. “His photo was clearly fabricated and seduced these patients,” he added.
While any procedure is fair game, nose and neck fillers and surgeries tend to be the most modified. Some doctors reshape the face after surgery, others correct the quality and texture of the skin to make imperfections, fine lines and brown spots less visible. Even scarring is minimized and in some cases completely removed. “Hiding scars and uneven contours gives the impression that everything is perfect,” adds Dr. Goldner.
Photo editing brings the problems of distorted reality and false promises. New York-based plastic surgeon Brad Gandolfi, MD, said the makeover could change patients’ expectations to an unattainable level. “Patients presented images processed in Photoshop and asked for these results, which created problems.” “The same goes for fake reviews. You can only deceive patients for a limited time,” added Dr. Asadi.
Doctors and medical centers that display work they do not own promote images provided by models or companies, or steal photographs of other surgeons and use them as promotional results that they cannot replicate. “Aesthetic companies are doing their best. Using these images is misleading and not an honest way to communicate with patients,” Dr. Asadi said. Some states require physicians to disclose whether they are showing anyone other than the patient when promoting a procedure or treatment.
Identifying Photoshop images is difficult. “Most patients fail to detect falsified results that are misleading and dishonest,” said Dr. Goldner. Keep these red flags in mind when viewing images on social media or the surgeon’s website.
At NewBeauty, we get the most trusted information from beauty agencies straight to your inbox.