- 3 hours ago
A conversation on Black women, plastic
surgery and the right to take ownership of our own beauty
standards in the safest way possible.
surgery and the right to take ownership of our own beauty
standards in the safest way possible.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00My name is Brooklyn White, I'm Essence's Gen Z editor, and welcome to Nip Tuck Talks Owning
00:12Our Cosmetic Aesthetic. Before we get into it, I would like to say that cosmetic surgery is a
00:18conversation that a lot of people might be scared to have, but you know here at Essence we are super
00:22transparent and open to having those tough conversations. So before we dive into it,
00:27let's welcome our panelists. First up we have Ty Brown, who is a healing expert for the surgery
00:34process. Hello, hello, how you doing? Hey lady, I'm doing awesome, awesome. Thank you for having me. Of course, and then we have Dr. Kelly Bowman, who is our resident plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Hi. Hello, hello. I'm so excited to be chatting with you ladies today. Thank you for having us. Of course. So Ty, I want to start
00:55with you. Tell me about the pivot, because you started out as a massage therapist, and then you started to focus on the healing process with plastic surgery. So tell me a little bit about that pivot and why it was important to you.
01:06The pivot was super important to me because as I got into this industry and I was being blessed and nurtured and fed, I realized the disparities that still existed because so many people would come into this industry and they focused on what they had to get out of it instead of what they had to give back into it. And capitalism was leading the way.
01:25In spite of so many African-American and minority-based clients being botched because people weren't actually dying from this in massive amounts. They're just getting hurt. People overlooked it because there was a level of elective procedures that were connected to the experience with vanity. It was so disregarded amongst the healthcare and typically in the healthcare setting, minority
01:52women, African-American women are often disregarded when they're speaking up and saying something about their health. So it was important to me to be a part of making a difference. It was important to me to make sure that the things that I know we all needed to be able to have these journeys safely existed. And while they weren't there, I paused to be able to create them and have a lineage of success creating generational wealth for other providers that look just like us.
02:22to be able to thrive in an industry that's built around us.
02:27I love that. And then Dr. Bolden, what are some of the misconceptions that you've come into over the years about plastic surgery?
02:34So it's interesting that you ask about misconceptions with plastic surgery. I think we're at a point now where black women and black men in particular now are much more tuned into plastic surgery.
02:47But there still are several things that people think, you know, it's not uncommon for patients to come in and before we even get into the details of what they want to have done, they're constantly telling me how, you know, I, you know, I just, I need, I'm doing this because I have this happened or that happened, almost happens that they're having to qualify why they're there.
03:05A lot of people think that plastic surgery means that you're shallow or you're vain or you're unhappy with your, who you are, you have low self-esteem. And I think those are major misconceptions.
03:16When I talk to my patients about plastic surgery, I tell them, okay, what is it that you want just to make you feel a better version of yourself?
03:23And you'll hear a lot of plastic surgeons say things like that. But, you know, I think in our community, it's really important to just make sure that people understand that we're not out here trying to make you look like a different person or change who you are.
03:35But there are ways that you can just help yourself to become a better version of yourself. And that's probably the most, that's the biggest misconception is people thinking that plastic surgery is just a vanity thing.
03:47Right. And then Ty, since you are an expert in the healing process, what are some of the tips that you have for best practices for, you know, the post-surgery process?
03:56Well, tying into what Kelly said about the misconceptions, some of the greatest misconceptions that do circle around plastic surgery, most people under budget.
04:06And so they'll save money, but they usually don't save enough. And even if they do do the research for it appropriately, there's not enough numbers out there and enough education readily available for people to know that you have to also save and budget for the aftercare.
04:22And so I would tell people as tips to make sure you save 45% of the cost of your procedure plus the cost of your procedure.
04:31And then do due diligence around your surgeon, researching body counts, pass the aesthetics, make sure you're selecting a surgeon that works with your foundation because not every surgeon is good with every body type.
04:44And then also set aside enough time, resources and energy to accommodate the aftercare because you could spend $8,000, $5,000, $10,000 and then lose it just like that without having quality care to extend past that.
04:58As this industry continues to grow, I'm excited and hopeful that more publications will start to cover the essence and the needs of the minority community that is robust inside of these procedures so they can have proper education and knowledge past what's already there.
05:17And can I piggyback on that a little bit? Because I think what Ty brings up is so critical. It's uncomfortable to talk about finance and budgeting and things like that.
05:26But I think that what she said about don't under budget cannot be stressed enough.
05:31You know, when you think about certain things that you want to spend money on, you want to spend money on your plastic surgery.
05:37You don't want to go, you know, I know medical tourism is huge and that's probably a hot button topic that maybe I might, you know, touch a few buttons.
05:45But you really want to invest in this because it's not just the surgery itself that's huge, but it's your preoperative management.
05:53Have you been optimized? Are you in the best health before you have surgery? Then when you have your procedure, are you in the best hands for your body type, for your aesthetic, for your culture?
06:03And then after surgery, you can do, I can do the most amazing procedure. I can be perfect.
06:08But if you don't take care of yourself after surgery and do the appropriate things, it can be all for naught.
06:14So I think the budgeting piece is so critical and just understanding that it's a time and investment that you have to make.
06:21Now, we offer virtual consultations as well and a lot of providers inside of this industry that have been around for quite some time.
06:28They are resources that you can tap into to make sure you're moving according to safety guidelines and best practices for your body as well.
06:37Yeah, and I also want to welcome Dream Doll to the stage. I'm super excited to have her here. Hello, hello.
06:45Hi, hi, welcome.
06:47Welcome, welcome.
06:49Hi.
06:50Hey, Dream Doll. How are you doing?
06:52I'm fine.
06:53So to dive right into it, you've been open about having plastic surgery.
06:57So what is some of the work that you've had done and what was that experience like for you?
07:01I would say I started having surgery maybe like 23 and then I did my breasts, I did BBLs and it's really addictive.
07:15I know I heard you say BBLs.
07:16Yeah.
07:17Yeah.
07:18Plural.
07:19They were multiple things.
07:20Yeah, because you know it goes away sometimes so you have to do a little refreshment.
07:24You look phenomenal though.
07:26I don't know if anybody told you that when you walked in.
07:28You look wonderful.
07:29Yeah.
07:30Dr. Bolden.
07:31For people who may not know, what is a BBL?
07:33So a BBL, BBL stands for Brazilian Butt Lift and essentially what it is is we take fat from
07:38another part of the body.
07:39It can be from wherever you'd like the fat to come from.
07:42I think probably most traditionally we take it from around the trunk.
07:45But you take fat from another part of the body with liposuction.
07:48We process the fat and then we re-inject it into the butt and the hips to give you a nice
07:52fuller look and a better aesthetic.
07:54Yeah.
07:55And then Dream Doll, because you've been so open, have you ever felt like people were trying
07:59to downplay your beauty or criticize you because of the work that you've got done?
08:04And how do you deal with that?
08:06Well, we can't care about nobody's opinions in the first place.
08:11But I did it for me, so whoever don't like it, you know, I don't really care.
08:16But I just feel like it's just so popular now, like it's really normal for somebody to have
08:22something done, whether it's your lips or just some type of filler or some type of change.
08:29Because a gym can't fix everything, you know?
08:32Yeah.
08:33And then Dr. Bolden, you really specialize in different types of skin types when it comes
08:37to plastic surgery.
08:38So what made you want to focus on that specifically?
08:41So I, you know, I did general surgery before I did plastic surgery.
08:46And then through all of my training, I trained in Houston, I trained in Atlanta, I trained
08:51in Baltimore, and I'm now in D.C.
08:53And the one thing that I saw repeatedly in every single community was that women of color
08:58in particular were getting underserved.
09:00And it really went beyond their socioeconomic status.
09:03It was just sort of what we see in medicine in general, is that women and people of color
09:08tend to be underserved, underlooked, or overlooked, and not receive some of the state-of-the-art
09:14treatments or, you know, getting kind of marginal care.
09:17So at this point in my career, I knew that I wanted to at least specialize in skin of color.
09:24Because it makes a difference.
09:25You know, when you're talking about plastic surgery, you're talking about scars, we're
09:30talking about placement of scars.
09:32Because while, you know, I think it's great that we're open about plastic surgery, you don't
09:36want it to be obvious all the time that you've had plastic surgery.
09:39And people of color tend to scar.
09:41So understanding skin care, understanding how to conceal scars, understanding, again,
09:47the aesthetic of different cultures is really important.
09:50I was trained on a lot of Eurocentric aesthetics.
09:54And it doesn't look right on, you know, people of African descent, people of Asian descent,
09:59people, you know, people of Arab descent.
10:01And so by the, you know, I work at a company or, you know, my partner and I have a practice
10:06that focuses on skin of color.
10:08And that's exclusively what we do day in and day out.
10:11And you can actually see the difference.
10:13You know, you see our patients tend to do a lot better than other patients in the community.
10:17Yeah, and then to pivot to you, Ty.
10:19I know that, you know, for different procedures, the timeline may be different.
10:23But what does the healing process look like time-wise for certain procedures?
10:27I have a habit of comparing or referring to the body as a canvas.
10:32And over the years, our canvases have changed from our diets, our lifestyle choices.
10:38We're not as active as we used to be in the past.
10:41But with the inclusion of manual manipulation and post-operative massage,
10:47clients are actually healing at a faster rate in contrast to the decline of the quality of the canvases.
10:54It used to be before we had the integration of massage,
10:58it would take clients typically between six to nine months to start healing.
11:02But as our treatments have progressed and our post-operative care approaches have progressed,
11:08clients typically are going to heal within about two to three months.
11:12And then the healthier they are, the better foundation they'll have,
11:15the less expensive their post-operative treatments will be.
11:19We usually encourage clients to try to start with pre-op care, changing your diet,
11:24changing your sleep, your activity levels, detoxing the body.
11:29And that will help on the back end have a smoother journey with less complications,
11:34and they'll heal substantially faster.
11:36But the roundabout is between two to three months.
11:39Thank you so much for sharing that insight.
11:41And then Dream Doll, as someone who's had plastic surgery,
11:44what do you think people should know when they're researching, you know, in the very beginning?
11:48Where should they start?
11:49I feel like people don't know that they hurt, you know, the healing process.
11:54I always compare, like, the massager to, like, it ran over by a car.
11:58And that scares people, but I feel like people just think, like, oh, it's just like, you just turn your guts up.
12:05But no, it actually really hurts.
12:09And I think that, I'm glad that you said that because a lot of people,
12:14and that's another misconception you asked about that earlier,
12:16a lot of people think plastic surgery is kind of like bubble gum surgery.
12:19You know, you come in, you go home the next day, you're back up at it.
12:22This is real surgery.
12:24You have to do the preparation.
12:26You are going to hurt.
12:27I tell my patients, one week, don't even plan to have company
12:31because you're probably going to have a narcotic requirement or at least something.
12:35My patients frequently will tell me the same thing.
12:38I'll say, how are you feeling?
12:39They'll say, I feel like you hit me with a truck.
12:41Yeah.
12:42And I think people don't realize that.
12:43And I don't say that to discourage you.
12:45Again, it goes into the preparation and the aftercare, the procedure.
12:49I love to think that I'm the most important part, but really, it is about your preparation
12:54and your aftercare in addition to the surgery and just kind of having, being prepared
12:58and knowing what to expect will make the journey much easier.
13:01Yeah.
13:02When I first meet people, whether it's provider, surgeon, or a client,
13:06one of the first things I do is I'll assess and then adjust their expectations
13:10to make sure that we're moving all on the same realistic accord
13:13of what is possible throughout their entire journey,
13:16which will help them have an easier, more enjoyable procedure from start to finish.
13:20But we'll romanticize the results and not realize it's real-life surgery.
13:25It does hurt.
13:26You're not going to get off the table snatched.
13:27And you're on God's time at this point.
13:29And you have to allow your body to go through the natural processes
13:32of returning to homeostasis and healing.
13:34Yeah.
13:35And I think that's really important to kind of level set before you start
13:37so people know what they're getting into.
13:39Yeah.
13:40But my last question is, what do you want people to stop saying about plastic surgery?
13:45Like, what's the number one thing that you want people to kind of wipe from their minds
13:48when they're thinking about plastic surgery?
13:50I'll start with you, Dr. Bolden.
13:52Gosh, one thing.
13:54Ugh, I have too many.
13:56I think probably the thing that I would want people to stop saying the most is,
14:01again, that it's about vanity.
14:04I think that, you know, yes, there is the component of wanting to look better,
14:09but just embracing plastic surgery as a way to just kind of improve on what you already are.
14:14You're phenomenal to start.
14:15That's what I tell all of my patients from the start.
14:17You're phenomenal to start.
14:18It's just a matter of just kind of maybe doing a little tweaking here and there to make you feel better.
14:23And then you, Ty?
14:24My response would be that I would like it to be removed from the list of naughty words
14:30that you have no problem with someone chasing their body dreams in the gym or in the kitchen.
14:35This is just an alternative to enhance their already existing beauty.
14:39And from a mental health standpoint, so much research is done in the shadows
14:43because people aren't able to chase their body goals on their terms in public,
14:47and it winds up leading down a negative path.
14:49So I would love to infuse more love and compassion around someone using plastic surgery
14:54to enhance what's already there so they can move to a place of learning to love what they see in the mirror
15:00no matter what's looking back at them in the mirror.
15:02And you're starting from a place of affirming and positivity
15:07instead of having negativity surrounded by plastic surgery.
15:10Because they're going to do it anyways.
15:11And I'll tack on to that.
15:12All the mommies out there, we all know there's certain things that happen to our body.
15:17You can kill it in the gym 24-7.
15:20Certain things are just not going to go away.
15:23So for all the mommies out there, don't worry.
15:26We've got you. We can help you.
15:27Yeah, and then you dream doll.
15:29What is one thing that you want people to just stop saying about plastic surgery?
15:32Just outright.
15:33Um, no.
15:34You guys covered everything.
15:36I'm here listening too.
15:38I'm like, okay.
15:39Alrighty.
15:40Well that was Nip Tuck Talk.
15:41Nip Tuck Talk.
15:42Own Your Cosmetic Aesthetic.
15:43Again, thank you so much to our panelists for joining us today.
15:46Please give them a round of applause.
15:47They shared so much insight and wisdom.
15:49Thank you for having us.
15:50This is great.
15:51Thank you for having us.
15:52This is wonderful.
15:53Of course, of course.
15:54And providing the platform for us to speak about such a taboo topic.
15:56You know how we do at Essence.
15:58Well again, thank y'all so much.
15:59I know.
16:00We were saying we could talk about this forever.
16:01So next time.
16:02Next time we'll have to do more.
16:03Next time.
16:04But thank y'all so much for being here.
16:05And again, thank the panelists.
16:06All right, y'all.
16:07Have a good day.
16:09Bye.
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