Spending a million bucks to look like a million bucks...

I have some wealthy clients who know a healthy diet and exercise doesn't always 'hold back the years' and they resort to a little 'nip & tuck' (read: plastic surgery) to maintain their youthful appearance.

Many years ago, I was working for a custom millwork shop and assigned to work on a project for the new offices of a famous plastic surgeon. It was reported his first client scheduled in the new facility was actor Leslie Nielson. This happened shortly before he filmed The Naked Gun movie.

You can quote me on this: "Good plastic surgery is when people say you look terrific and scratch their head wondering how you look so fine and they don't."

I knew a local designer who really got his money's worth. They pulled his face tight... like a bongo drum! It was so strange, people often talked about it. He wore a full wig but his arthritic body appeared to be screaming in pain. You could see darkened age spots in his hands. I'm guessing he was in his 70's.

A boss I worked for was Scottish and had the trait of 'Jawls' where his cheeks drooped and eyelids also had excessive skin. His son had the same traits/characteristics and after graduating high-school had surgery to remove his baggy eyelids. The surgeon trimmed the extra skin at the fold line/wrinkle in his eyelids. Surgery... success.
Exercise made sweat drip into his eyes causing irritation. After surgery the problem was greatly reduced.

Maybe you've seen the real-life woman obsessed to look like Barbie, where the young woman had a Blepharoplasty... literally tightly pulling the skin around her eyes. Frightening to think someone so young would spend so much on looks... considering she was beautiful to start with.

I used to say, when turn 60 I'm going to have my 'bags fixed' a trait with me as long as I can remember, including baby pictures. I've heard all excuses why I have them... lack of sleep, allergy, hereditary. Instead of a trip to a plastic surgeon, I took a trip to China and that was a better investment. The idea plastic surgery has dropped so far down on my do list I'm not thinking about it anymore.

Everyone has reasons to justify plastic surgery. Not every surgery comes out as expected. There are hundreds of internet photos showing botched facelifts, many are of movie stars... people who can afford the best, unfortunately it turns out to be the worst.

I discussed with my wife if she wanted a boob job. We know it's expensive. I've got some of the money saved and I would have to take a bank loan for the rest. She doesn't want to go into debt over surgery, so my only suggestion is to get one boob done now and the other when we have more money.