Strangest Plastic Surgeries

1. Prenatal plastic surgery

In Beverly Hills, cosmetic surgery is not just for those outside the womb. On 2007, Rhonda Hackensakis, joined many other Californians who are opting for controversial pre-natal surgeries. Her rationale? "I don't want my own child to have to wait thirty years like I did. We've seen sonogram pictures that show she's likely to have a sizeable schnoz, too. Why should she suffer from it when the science and technology now exists to make kids still more perfect little human beings, ready to take on the world the moment they emerge, and not predisposed to all the insecurities that result from something like that. If it makes just one kid more confident, it'll all be worthwhile." Doctors breaked and reconstructed the fetus' nose while still in the womb, using new tools designed by a husband-wife team of surgeons, Guy and Nicole O'Gist. "After surgery," says Guy O'Gist, "we plop the baby back in the womb to cook for another dozen weeks or so, where embryonic fluids smooth those surgical lines that might be seen if done outside the womb."

2. Six-Pack Surgery

The technique, called abdominal etching, is a kind of precision liposuction. The doc sucks out the fat that's standing between the patient and, if everything goes well, the six-pack. The suction six-pack costs between $4,000 and $7,000 and is only suitable for certain patients.

The procedure takes an hour or two. But pain can persist for days afterward. Swelling can last for weeks or even months. (The after picture was taken a little over a year after the surgery.) And there can be complications, such as infection and bleeding.

3. Facelifts for Dogs

Is Fido in need of a face-lift? Go see Edgado Brito, who is advancing the practice of pet plastic surgery in a land with a worldwide reputation for making people beautiful by any means. Brazilians have long been known for their penchant for cosmetic surgery, and Brito has been adapting those techniques for use on animals. "Plastic surgery is good for dogs!" said Brito, 45, a Doberman breeder who has worked as a veterinarian for 20 years. He can make protruding ears droop and uses Metacril to straighten bent ears. He uses Botox to fix inverted eyelashes. He has even tightened the mammillae of a couple of female dogs, whose owners wanted to show them after they had given birth. Simple surgeries usually cost from about $100 to $200. In Brazil, the United States and Europe, pet plastic surgery is increasingly in demand, despite objections from animal rights activists and some dog breeders.

4. Pointy Ears

New York plastic surgoen Dr. Lajos Nagy created a surgical procedure to make human ears pointed, like a mythological creature. "Ears becoming pointed as a result of plastic surgery not only enhance the attractiveness of the face, but also improve the experience of listening to music." says his website. Dr. Nagy is planning to introduce the method in Hungary.


5. Tongue bifurcation

Tongue bifurcation involves splitting the tongue with a laser to create a snake-like fork. One may argue that this is not any more deforming than rhinoplasty to reshape the nose or silicone breast implants to reshape the chest. But it does not conform to routine notions of aethestics for most people.

6. Growing Horns

It is now possible to change the shape of almost any part of your body, with implants that are placed just beneath the surface of the skin. Surgical metals are inserted under the subcutaneous tissues, usually by non-medical personel. Risks of a procedure like this include movement of the implant, severe infection, and nerve damage. Is it worth going through all this to look like a character from Krull?


7. Revirgination: Hymen Surgery

Through a surgical procedure called hymenorraphy, health care providers recreate the hymen by piecing together its remnants. Surgery can also include inserting a gelatin capsule filled with a blood-like substance that will burst during intercourse, simulating bleeding. If there is not enough hymen left, or if the woman was born without one, part of the vaginal wall is used to recreate this thin tissue. The procedure, considered relatively simple, is performed on an outpatient basis. In some countries, women will be seen several weeks after the procedure to follow up on any resulting physical effects and emotional issues. Hymenorraphy is generally illegal in countries where cultural traditions place great emphasis on the bride's virginity before marriage. The procedure, however, is still performed illegally, and at a high cost. When it's done illegally, standards of cleanliness, training, and the reputation of the health care provider are additional things to worry about. Some women may also have to worry about securing up to U.S. $2000.00 for the procedure (though it can often cost much less, even as low as U.S. $100.00, in some parts of the world.)