DIY Liposuction Is Trending and Plastic Surgeons Are Not Amused
It's clear to anyone who has paid even the slightest bit of attention to beauty and fashion trends that we have entered something of a "skinny epidemic." With the rise of weight loss drugs like GLP-1s (which, to be fair, are FDA-approved and safe to administer from the comfort of your own home), thin is in, and it's seemingly easier than ever to lose a few extra pounds. But looking for black market injections as a shortcut to lose fat, even if it's being touted as "DIY liposuction," is taking things a step too far.
"Social media has made plastic surgery seem accessible, has made it seem easy, and, most importantly, has made it seem unproblematic," explains Melissa Doft, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York. "But...people die from plastic surgery. These procedures should never be thought of cavalierly. We all want to look better, but we have to think about the risks and make sure that we are making good choices."