AbbVie’s Allergan Aesthetics is sponsoring a new docuseries by The Aesthetic Society that looks to the positive impact on life after aesthetic plastic surgery.
The series, “Beyond the Before & After,” follows the lives of four patients after receiving plastic surgery for predominantly aesthetic reasons. There remains a stigma around these procedures, with some seeing them as done for reasons of vanity rather than necessity as they are not typically deemed medically required.
There are also cases of plastic surgery addiction that can come from body dysmorphia, and as with every surgical intervention, there remains risk of infection and in rare cases severe injuries.
But this new series aims to dispel some of that cultural stigma, showing that plastic surgery can enhance the way people feel about themselves and in turn help boost their self-esteem and reduce certain mental health conditions.
In the latest Beyond the Before & After we hear from Sandi Marx, a grandmother, whose plastic surgery story saw her undertake a facial rejuvenation surgery to help her feel both young again and more confident as she continues her career as a comedienne in her mid-60s.
“I’ve got my old self back,” said Marx. “My first [comedic] performance post-surgery was like a heightened experience. It felt like a celebration.”
We also see two mothers in one story who received so-called “tummy tucks” after childbirth and Jesse, a young professional who had nose surgery and says it “eliminated the shackles that were holding me back.”
And lastly, there is Angel who had a breast augmentation. She said that in her late 20s “she still felt like a kid because she still looked like a kid,” according to her story, but having the breast surgery made her “feel like an adult woman.”
There is a wide range of stories highlighted from across different ages, genders and reasons, showing the varied need for surgery.
The series is “supported” by AbbVie’s Allergan Aesthetics, though the release does not state what involvement the company had with the content.
“The decision to undergo an aesthetic procedure is a highly personal one and having a trusted relationship between patient and plastic surgeon can make the surgical experience incredibly empowering," said Carrie Strom, president of Global Allergan Aesthetics and SVP of AbbVie, in the release.
“We are proud to continue to sponsor The Aesthetic Society with their effort to portray these real-life stories of patients pursuing positive changes in their lives.”
Allergan Aesthetics, snapped up by AbbVie and spun out as its own company three years ago, markets the blockbuster Botox cosmetic and medical treatment, but also sells other aesthetics products, including Kybella, Alloderm and CoolSculpting.