Limiting the risks of cosmetic surgery

Kanye West is a huge hip-hop and rap star known for his creative music, perhaps questionable comments, huge ego, and unfortunately plastic surgery nightmare. The young artist has never gone under the knife though, but nevertheless his story is far more tragic than a botched nose job or lopsided breast implant. In 2007 Kanye West’s mother, Donda West, died after receiving routine plastic surgery due to complications. The 58 year old had gone into receive a breast reduction and tummy tuck. The surgery lasted eight hours and afterwards she was pronounced fine and was to spend her recuperation time in her home, but unfortunately the next day the complications arose and tragically, she died.

Most plastic surgery horror stories cause people to grimace, laugh, or make jokes about the botched lips or mountain peak eye brows, but few horror stories bring on tears or feelings of sadness and utter pity. With such a common and glamorized procedure, with everyone doing it and most of them coming out smelling like roses, it is very easy to forget that often times, plastic surgery is major and invasive. There is anesthesia, scalpels and other surgical tools used just like in appendectomies, and even open heart surgery. Not everyone fares well after surgery. In the end, cosmetic surgery is real surgery with all the dangers and risks as any other invasive procedure.

Because of the West family tragedy, the governor of California has sign the Donda West Plastic Surgery Law, a law which mandates that all plastic surgery patients go through a health screening before they are operated on to ensure physical fitness for the rigors of plastic surgery. Unfortunately,Ms. Donda West was not screened and a perhaps preventable issue was not address. Fortunately her new law will help to save many lives.