"This image-based society has a huge impact": cosmetic plastic surgeons held a trade show in Monaco

This week, more than 600 cosmetic surgeons and doctors were able to exchange and compare their expertise at the 37th congress of the French Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (SOFCEP).

A learned society founded in 1987, it organizes annual conferences in various cities across France. This year, the event took place in Monaco, at the Grimaldi Forum.

His theme? "Art and manners." Because there is no standard method that suits all patients, and because being a cosmetic surgeon means, above all, taking into account each person's uniqueness.

"It's not the technique that we adapt to the patient, it's the patient and their requests that make us choose the technique. This is precisely what makes our profession so beautiful. We always have to create an individualized program that allows us to adapt perfectly to the person we have in front of us," begins Dr. Eric Plot, plastic surgeon in Paris and president of this 37th SOFCEP congress.

Fake injectors: a real danger

And to best meet expectations, practitioners agree on one key point: continuing education. "That's the goal of our conferences. Of course, we have the basic knowledge provided by our university curriculum, but we continue to train daily because techniques are constantly evolving."

Be up to date. All the time. But techniques aren't the only things cosmetic surgeons must keep a close eye on.

There are many abuses related to this field. For several years, the emergence of "fake injectors" has worried professionals. "It's an extremely difficult phenomenon to understand. These are people who, without any knowledge, arrive at an Airbnb with two suitcases and inject whatever they want. They are a type of "fake injector," but you can also find a young woman on Instagram who will "teach" you in a video how to inject lips without gloves, with bad products," explains Bérengère Chignon-Sicard, a cosmetic surgeon in Nice, who also works on the SOFCEP vigilance commission.

In 2022, a young woman from Var suffered complications, including the onset of necrosis in her nose, after an illegal injection given in the middle of the night... in an Airbnb.

And while social media contributes greatly to the spread of this kind of dangerous practice, it also has an influence on patient demands.

Under the influence...and under injection

Communication: this is the word that comes up most often from the experts' mouths. "The most complicated thing about social networks is that people arrive at the office with the impression that they know everything, that they know everything. They almost don't explain to us which brand of prosthesis to use, which way to go ," says Dr. Eric Plot. "When I set up, listening was different. People came to learn. It's a good thing that now they are informed, but sometimes they are poorly informed, and that can be a problem."

The omnipresence of social media also creates constant aesthetic pressure, especially among young women.

"In a consultation, out of 20 patients, there are perhaps 10 to whom I will say no. We are there precisely to set limits," emphasizes Dr. Bérengère Chignon-Sicard.

Many women, in their pursuit of perfection, forget their natural beauty and facial harmony. "I want them to retain their charm. And that's why there are often long discussions and a certain intimacy that develops during consultations. The goal is to find out if it's a justified request, where this complex comes from, does it go back to childhood... I really try to understand my patients. I put them in front of a mirror and ask them what they don't like. Then it's up to me to analyze whether it's justified or not."

“Normalizing beauty is something that is not normal.”

Beauty standards have always existed. That's for sure. But in recent years, women have become increasingly demanding of themselves.

"This image-driven society has a huge impact. Many of my patients are very hard on their appearance. I think that before even wanting to change anything, women need to hear that they are beautiful," says Dr. Adriana Guzman, a cosmetic surgeon in Paris.

She emphasizes the profoundly therapeutic role of her profession: restoring confidence, easing unease, and reconciling the image we have of ourselves with the one we project. But without ever denying who we are.

"We shouldn't strive for perfection at all costs. Normalizing beauty isn't normal. It would be so boring if everyone looked the same. We can want to be a better version of ourselves while still valuing diversity."

Another trend that worries practitioners is instantaneity. The desire for immediate transformation, without hindsight. "Some people want everything, right away," professionals observe.

The legal 15-day reflection period that governs all cosmetic surgery procedures then becomes a precious time: one in which we can restore meaning to the process, explore real motivations, sometimes deconstruct surreal expectations and lay the foundations for a sincere bond between the patient and the surgeon.