What if your spouse gave you a plastic surgery certificate?
How would you react if, on Christmas morning, your husband handed you a gift certificate in the amount of $10,000.00, redeemable only by the plastic surgeon of his choice, along with a note that read, "Honey, I'd really love to fondle your breasts again without having to bend down. Love, your husband of twenty-two years, Charles."
"The American Society of Plastic Surgeons estimates its members performed 10.2 million cosmetic surgeries at a cost of $9.4 billion in 2005. That's a 38 percent increase in the number of surgeries since 2000." Little surprise then, that according to an article in the Baltimore Sun, plastic surgery is fast becoming the new gift of choice among couples.
I'm 100% in favor of a little nip/tuck, not to mention the occasional injection. I just can't shake the fear, however, that plastic surgery gift vouchers only add to the long list of possible complications that every procedure already carries.
Let's say, for instance, you get your husband Abdominoplasty for Hanukkah, and he dies on the table before either of you even get the chance to enjoy his new love-handle-free body. How do you explain that one to the in-laws much less the kids? And what if, another hypothetical, some poor schmuck out there surprises his girlfriend with a little black jewelry box for her big 3-0. She cries, smiles hugely, thinking of course it's the four-carat engagement ring she's been expecting for three years now. Only, when she opens the box, she discovers it's not a ring at all, but a Rhinoplasty (nose job) gift certificate. Poor soft-brained guy honestly thought he was "doin' good," that she'd really like it. His now ex-girlfriend thought otherwise...
Although ASPS does not currently have guidelines regarding gift vouchers, many doctors feel the certificates should be fully refundable in the event either the doctor or patient decides against the procedure. If I had a vote, I'd say all refunds should go to the certificate holder, and not the one who initially forked over the cash. Sure, I'd love to be that type of woman who can say, straight faced, that she'd rather be surprised with an all expense five-start trip to Fiji. But since I don't look all that great in a bikini these days, if given the option, I'd take the voucher, "reshape" my midsection, and save the fun-in-the-sun vacation for next holiday season, when I'm ready to hit the beach.