DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother won’t stop getting plastic surgery. She’s 52 years old, and she’s done body sculpting, liposuction, lip fillers and Botox, and now she’s trying to schedule a complete facelift. She is starting to look unrecognizable and incredibly plastic. I beg her to stop and try to reassure her that she’s still beautiful and doesn’t need to keep going under the knife, but she won’t listen to me. I’ve been doing research lately, and I’m reading that she could potentially be addicted to surgery. How do I get her to stop destroying her face? I don’t think she can see how it’s only going to get worse. -- Plastic Mom
DEAR PLASTIC MOM: Sadly, there are many people, women in particular, who begin the process of using surgical and other techniques to “improve” their appearance and who fall under the spell of the changes. As you have seen, there’s plenty of research on the subject.
Alone, you may not be able to do much to get your mother to consider stopping her body alterations. You can recommend therapy. Perhaps you can suggest that your mother go to therapy with you to work on some issues that are bothering you. If she agrees to that, go for it. Explain that you are worried about your mother’s health and mental well-being, and it is affecting your own health. With the therapist as a professional support, lay it on the table. Express your concerns, and attempt to get your mother to talk about it.