Picture it: Sicily, 1920.
Wait, no. Wrong show.
Picture it: America, 2020. You’ve just graduated from the police academy and are ready to embark on your dream career. At your graduation party, your mom takes the mic and announces to all in attendance that she is gifting you a tummy tuck to get rid of all your unsightly loose skin.
Hopefully, this isn’t your reality. But for Brittani Cooper, it really was.
Yes, that’s right—her mother gave her the gift of plastic surgery, in front of all her closest friends and family, distant relatives and a national TV audience.
Listen, Plastic Surgery as a Gift Is Great
Gifting plastic surgery can be great or terrible, depending on your approach. Make sure your gift sends the right message.
Or, like, it can be. Gifting plastic surgery is trickier than your typical gift-giving. It has the potential to say, “Hey, I love you. Now here are your flaws — go fix yourself.”
But just because it has the potential to go there doesn’t mean it needs to. With the right approach, gifting plastic surgery can be the perfect option this holiday season. So, how can you make this work?
Let the Recipient Lead
Has your parent, friend or partner (or internet stranger) mentioned to you that there are specific procedures they want to get? This is a sign that plastic surgery might be a good gift for them.
Just keep in mind that this depends on how often they bring it up and whether or not that interest is just casual. Plenty of us will look at ourselves in the mirror on a bad day and declare we want lipo and then be over it in a few hours. Giving someone lipo because they offhandedly mentioned it months ago is likely to go over like a fart in church.
But, if they have talked about it seriously, looked at pricing online and even researched plastic surgeons, chances are good that your gift will be well received.
Gift the Consultation, Not the Procedure
There are two reasons for this. First, pre-paying for a specific procedure tells the recipient that you see their flaws and have decided what needs to change. Even if this is the exact procedure they have mentioned, it comes off as controlling and critical.
Secondly, unless you are stellar at vetting plastic surgeons or the recipient already has settled on one, you could be forcing them into getting their procedure from someone they aren’t actually comfortable with. It’s a gift with strings attached, which no one wants.
Instead, prepay for consultations with perhaps three of the top plastic surgeons in your area. If you want to cover the full procedure as well, just add a note letting them know that.
When in Doubt, Go Med Spa
If you aren’t sure whether or not someone would actually be interested in plastic surgery for themselves, but you know their image means a lot to them, give them a med spa gift certificate instead. This doesn’t carry the same connotations as plastic surgery since it’s seen as more of a pampering experience. And if the recipient already gets regular treatments like injectables, prepaying for those is a safe bet.
Basically, mind your gift-giving etiquette, be smart about it and all should be well.
Oh yeah, and don’t do it in public or for the cameras.
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