Plastic surgery continued. An interview with a plastic surgeon. As I mentioned in my last post, I teach English to a man called Tony who is one of Natal's top plastic surgeons. Over the course of our 40 hours together we've talked a lot about his profession. I confess to having a lot of unresolved questions about Tony's choice of career and I've tried to put that to him off and on over the weeks and months. Rapport with Tony hasn`t been easy but after 3 hours a week together over several months we have become something like friends. Here are excerpts.

D - Tony, how do become a plastic surgeon?
T - You go to medical school, work in general practice and then train to be a plastic surgeon.

D - Have you operated on anyone famous?
T - A Brazilian actor (my friend) and the president of Portugal.

D - If you were married, would you let your wife have plastic surgery?
T - Of course, why not?

D - Do you agree with Ivo Pitanguy that your job is to restore well-being to people by giving them the appearance they want?
T - Yes.

D - Don`t you think that the solution to a problem like that, though, is pyschological and not physical? Shouldn`t we all be content with the body God has given us?
T - If I meet a person who wants plastic surgery for unhealthy reasons or has expectations way beyond what I can do then I won`t operate.

D - Do you find your job stressful?
T - Yes, very stressful.

D - Why?
T - Because my clients have the highest, impossible standards. And my standards are even higher.

D - Is there an optimum age for plastic surgery?
T - No, we operate on people of all ages although its easier with younger skin.

D - Would you undertake cosmetic surgery on children?
T - Yes.

D - Would you undertake cosmetic surgery on teenage women who maybe aren`t at ease with their bodies yet and perhaps don`t know what`s really best for them?
T - (shrugs shoulders). Yes.

D - Don`t you think that with all of Brazil`s problems with poverty and the inefficiency of your national healthcare system that producing so many plastic surgeons who operate on aesthetics is a waste of talent and a distraction from the real medical problems of your country?
T - No. I think there are many people who suffer from low self-esteem. We need more plastic surgeons.

D - What is beauty, anyway?
T - Beauty is created by our capitalist society. It is different across all societies and is changed every day so that people buy more cosmetic products.

D - Er, are you not saying that...
T - Yes, it`s a contradiction. I admit that my job only exists because of capitalism even though I am against this form of social organisation.

D - So, in a perfect world where everyone was content with their bodies and their appearance we wouldn`t need cosmetic surgery?
T - That`s right.

Post-script. As a Christian I cannot endorse all of Tony's conclusions or contradictions. Equally, I cannot judge him. For, although spending my money on plastic surgery for my wife is an idea that disgusts me (and fortunately it disgusts my wife) I can hardly say I am free from reinforcing unhealthy social norms concerning image. I am also a victim of capitalism's construction of beauty and often feel insecure about my appearance although never to the extent that I would want to change it under a surgeon`s scalpal. This is a complex area, but even so, I have to go to God with my one request - teach us the secret of contentment in all circumstances.

Brazilians and Plastic Surgery. There is really so much to say about this I don't know where to start. It may explain why I`ve left it late in my time here in Brazil to try and write something that makes sense of Brazilians undying fascination with aesthetics and feminine beauty. Brazilians love plastic surgery; especially, but not only, women. I think I always though plastic surgery was for the slightly mentally unhinged, people with too much money and not enough sense. But, here in Brazil people I know, trust and respect want plastic surgery, and some have even had it.

One man who has done more for plastic surgery in Brazil compared to any other is Ivo Pitanguy. I read an article about him as preparation for the CELPE-Bras exam I did a few months back. He calls himself a restorer of well-being, bringing together the image people want for themselves and the reality. Here is a great article over at Brazilmax.com about his work and why plastic surgery is so popular in this country. Pitanguy is the father of plastic and cosmetic surgery in Brazil and has numerous world-renowned clinics and schools, and he has treated the rich and famous from Europe and North America.

He shot to fame in a story which should be made into a film, if it hasn`t already. A fire in a circus in 1961 caused a tent to fall on 2,500 spectators. Pitanguy worked for weeks in an emergency capacity operating on skin wounds and burns. It was there, he says, that he realised that physical appearance was critical to living. He saved the life of a young burn victim, successfully grafted new skin onto the boy's body and the lad recovered and went on to be a plastic surgeon learning at Pitanguy's own school. For Brazilians, a story like that puts Pitanguy in a category along with all the greats this country has brought to the world. Pitanguy to his credit is a philanthropist and offers cheap or free surgery to the poorest of the poor.

But, not all are so quick to praise him. "He's not talented. He's just lucky". So says one of my students, a quiet, reflective private English learner who is also a plastic surgeon and a very important one at that. Tony Maloney (as we call him) fixes the problems other plastic surgeons make. He is 40 but aims to retire when he's 45 having made his fortune. Then, in his own words, he can stay at home, read and watch films. More on Tony's views of plastic surgery tomorrow...