Dr 90210!

I was just wondering if anyone out there is a fan of the television series Dr 90210. For those of you who don’t know much about this series, here’s the basic information - Dr. 90210 is a reality television program that is broadcasted on Foxtel’s E! Channel (well that’s in Australia anyway, I’m not sure about other countries). The program takes its viewers inside the professional and private lives of a group of wealthy plastic surgeons based in Hollywood, California. The basic format of the show is that the patients are first shown having a consultation with their doctor, before they go into surgery (yes the surgeries are also shown and at times these can be quite graphic. So if you have a weak stomach and can’t handle the sight of blood and guts [literally!] then I suggest you either don’t eat anything heavy before or during the show, or that you look away while the patients are being sliced and diced! Haha, I’m seriously not exaggerating! Some patients for example who are overweight, actually get large chunks of their insides cut out all to look toned and trim in their swimmers.) The patients are then shown having their post surgery consultation with their doctor before being interviewed one last time after they have fully recovered.

If you are a fan of such shows as Extreme Makeover and Nip/Tuck then you will most likely love Dr 90210. And while I am not the biggest fan, I think it is quite entertaining especially with the way it takes the viewers inside the private lives of the doctors, particularly the main doctor, Dr Robert Rey. The audience are taken inside Dr Rey’s million dollar mansion and are able to see his private life with his children and wife Hayley. Overall though, I think the most appealing aspects of this show for most viewers would be its glamorous Hollywood setting (due to the obsession in today’s society with the Hollywood / celebrity lifestyle) and perhaps a general interest in wanting to see people transform or improve their image for the better. Society today is very much fixated on beauty and image, so I think it’s safe to say that the show would definitely be the right cup of tea for a number of TV viewers.

(Dr 90210's Dr. Robert Rey)

(Dr. Rey's wife - Hayley)

There are however a few things that I would like to point out that I don’t particularly like about this show. The Hollywood setting and the attractive/very wealthy doctors (with their flashy cars and luxurious houses) all help to glamorize the plastic surgery industry. This in turn, may make plastic surgery seem all the more appealing to viewers who are considering going under the knife and ultimately encourage them to do so. The name Dr. 90210 is also significant, as the area code of Hollywood is 90210. The title therefore implies that the doctors can make their patients look like the celebrities that inhabit this famous postal address. This can create a false sense of hope with patients (who have watched the show) wanting to have surgery in order to emulate their favourite celebrities.

I also find it quite alarming to see how many attractive people actually go on the show to ‘fix’ a number of their physical ‘flaws’. It’s almost like they have Body Dysmorphic Disorder where they see a flaw that clearly isn’t there or isn’t that noticeable and the doctors are more then willing to operate on them. This is definitely the case with some of the recurring patients like Tabitha Stevens. This woman describes herself as a "plastic surgery junkie" and has spent thousands of dollars on chin and cheek implants, botox injections, liposuction (even on her pinky toe!) and a number of operations on her nose and breasts. If you ask me, the doctors should recommend she gets some proper counseling instead of letting her go under the knife time and time again.

Furthermore, I think it is also of concern that the main doctor, Dr. Rey does not have board certification in plastic surgery. According to Dr. Mark L. Jewell, the president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/16/fashion/thursdaystyles/16skin.html) it is “an optional credential that many plastic surgeons consider the gold standard of achievement in their specialty”. Dr. Jewell also stated that while it is legal to work as a plastic surgeon without board certification, “the certification process is however the only good measure we have of a plastic surgeon's training, ability, safety, care, professionalism, ethical behavior and conduct."

I was also a bit shocked by an advertisement poster that I recently saw for the show. On the advertisement there was Dr. 90210 written in large white letters across the middle of the poster and in front of this text was a young woman with blonde hair standing knee deep in a swimming pool with her bare back and legs exposed. Her body was tanned and toned, and she was wearing nothing except a skimpy pair of white underwear. There was also text directly above the woman stating “If you weren’t born with it, buy it”. The background consisted of a simple blue sky coupled with a few palm trees.

(A smaller version of the advertisement which does not include the "If you weren't born with it, buy it" text.)

Personally, I think the “If you weren’t born with it, buy it” text is quite outrageous because it explicitly states that physical beauty is no longer a product of genetics, it can be bought. This strongly conveys the idea that cosmetic surgery will allow patients to obtain any physical attribute that they desire. It also supports the idea that if you’re not happy with the way you look physically then you can use plastic surgery as an easy fix!

The woman’s slim and toned body also reinforces the gender ideology of what women should look like, or aspire to become - blonde, tanned and skinny (haha, how typical!). The woman is used to represent physical perfection, and the text strongly conveys that if you weren’t born looking like this genetically blessed individual (even though she is incredibly airbrushed!!!), then you should have cosmetic surgery in order to emulate her.

(Another advertisement that I found for Dr 90210. This one uses the phrase "Beverly Hills. Where everyone accepts plastic.")

Personally, I’m not against plastic surgery. I think that by all means if it is needed to help in terms of reconstructive surgery (eg for accident / burns victims) or people who just genuinely lack self-esteem / confidence because of a certain physical trait then it’s definitely worth doing. I do not believe however that it should be used as a way of improving ones appearance if there isn’t anything wrong in the first place (as the saying goes, “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!”) and I also don’t think people should do it just to look like a certain celebrity or what society deems to be attractive or beautiful. I think people should learn to embrace who they are and what they were given by the man upstairs, instead of feeling that they have to have major surgery in order to be accepted and seen as attractive. I think it is our differences that make people both unique and beautiful, and to be honest I think the world would be pretty damn boring if everyone had the same look. Imagine if there were millions of Brad Pitt’s and Pamela Anderson’s walking around, I know I would get bored of people very quickly!

Overall though, the television show Dr 90210 is quite entertaining and I do recommend that you watch an episode or two and make up your own mind about it. I also think it’s an alright program to watch as long as you view it as entertainment and don’t take it too seriously. If you are however contemplating having plastic surgery, all I can say is please don’t let TV shows like Dr 90210 be your source of inspiration. While everything appears glamorous and simple / easy on the silver screen, there are a lot of risks associated with plastic surgery and you should definitely do your homework before deciding whether it’s the right thing for you.

Until next time, keep smiling.