A Tribute to Joan Rivers

The majority of America was surprised when Joan Rivers passed away last month at the age of 81. Filled with so much enthusiasm and vitality – and, not to mention, BOTOX® – most of us would never guess she was so far along in her sunset years. Her memorable comedic style was established on The Tonight Show and led to the many red carpet interviews and television appearances that catapulted her career.

Although her humor was controversial, her tendency to include herself in the brunt of her jokes was what won the hearts of many. Through the years, as her refusal to accept the signs of aging showed through her obvious plastic surgery results, she would often bash her “surprised” appearance without missing a beat. She once quipped, “I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware.”

Although her results were less than perfect, Joan Rivers was one of the few Hollywood women to proudly own her love for plastic surgery. She helped send a message that aging is inevitable for all of us, and we should not be ashamed to try to defy it.

“We’re in a society where looks count,” she told Barbara Walters in a 2014 ABC special, “and all the beautiful women lie and say ‘I’ve done nothing,’ and that is so unfair. I just wanted women to know, ‘It’s okay — do it.’

While it is unknown who performed Joan Rivers’ many plastic surgeries, we can learn a few things from her experience:

1. More is not always more

Ms. Rivers once joked that she had 739 procedures done. While this was obviously an exaggeration, there is no doubt she has had many plastic surgery operations. After any surgery, scar tissue develops beneath the skin that could make subsequent surgery more complex. Sometimes, further surgery does not give you the same result as the first. If you are considering revision surgery, seek an experienced plastic surgeon who is able to improve, but not cause an unnatural appearance.

2. Know your goals

While there have been many advances in plastic surgery, the procedure itself doesn’t guarantee a great result. As the patient, you must know what you want to achieve with the procedure and communicate that with the surgeon. The right surgeon will be able to assess your features along with your goals to determine if the results you want are possible.

3. Choose the right surgeon

Another important way to ensure natural plastic surgery results is to choose a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). This prestigious board requires physicians to have years of training and pass rigorous testing before receiving certification. The ABPS also limits credentialing to plastic surgeons who maintain an ethical standing in their field.

Dr. Spies is ABPS Certified in Plastic Surgery and has many years of experience performing cosmetic procedures of the face, breast, and body. His patients and peers regard him as a skilled plastic surgeon who delivers natural-looking results.