Jean-Claude Hagège, first-class cosmetic plastic surgeon!
Dressed to a tee in sporty attire with sparkling eyes, behind glasses, that immediately put you at ease, Jean-Claude Hagège, a famous cosmetic plastic surgeon is your guarantee for fresh new beauty. He has gained a fine reputation thanks to his reliable judgement coupled with human sensitivity reinforced by his great listening capacity and discernment. He has reformulated his concept as « SMIG » (Guaranteed Minimum Individual Threshold), referring to a beauty that he firmly believes should not be separated from facial expressions and emotions. Above all, Jean-Claude Hagège, a surgeon, passionate about this profession that he has exercised for a number of years now, always looks at his patients under a fresh angle in order to assess their real needs and potential. In his eyes, a woman’s beauty comes from knowing who she is, and being true to her own personality. He rids us of any guilt feelings we may have with our desire to stop the passage of time and to regain a fresh look. He has graciously accepted Luxe-Magazine’s invitation to openly tell us about his latest books and this new kind of «beauty» he professes.
What pushed you to become a plastic surgeon?
Passion ! I am a doctor at heart. When I first started out, I wanted to take care of « ill patients » and then I found myself attracted to cosmetic surgery and started branching off into that direction. I discovered that working in the area of the face interested me most.
I have always been intrigued by facial expressions and all the nuances our facial expressions can take on, that go much deeper than physical appearance and morphology. Moreover, this specialization is constantly evolving. It is never boring, because in addition to the rigour involved in every surgical intervention, there is an element of creativity and sensitivity related to each individual face or rather each personality, yes it is very much like the job of a top class fashion designer.
As a plastic cosmetic surgeon, member of the French and international plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgery Society, you have a realistic vision of women. What message would you like to pass on to women today, in this world where appearance has taken on «so much » importance ?
My message is simple. Women should not be so obsessed with the images they see on magazine covers. Rigid expressions, a perfect physique, but often without any expression, these faces do not reflect the true beauty of inner feelings and expressions which is the only beauty that attracts. True beauty is unique, a reflection of a person’s personality and emotions.
In the past, women turned to cosmetic surgery, as a last resort. Today, it has become much more commonplace in the lives of women. In your opinion, how has cosmetic surgery changed or evolved ?
There has been a change in our conception of beauty. We do not only try to conform to beauty ideals, but also facial expressions, to maintain mobile and lively facial appearance. Today’s woman is seeking to gain a glowing radiance, without losing her personality.
Is a face lift today, a simple ordeal ?
No. It would be wrong to believe that because the result is natural, a lifting is easier to perform technically. We are just not talking about some « small surgery job » here, rather a lifting requires precise gestures, respecting the channels, the tension directions, unique to each face, also taking into account the condition of the skin texture. It is a more complex act, that requires the perfect knowledge of the physiology of facial muscles and their movements and a broad experience to be able to enhance each expression, each smile, following a lifting.
What do you think of products to fill-in wrinkles ?
Yes, they have a role to play, under certain circumstances.
But I would like to correct a common falsehood. In no case is it possible to replace a lifting by filling-in wrinkle treatments. These products can be applied to wrinkles, but they will never remove skin excess, that is clear What is even clearer is that products that fill-in wrinkles cannot treat skin slackening and moreover if wrinkles are filled in, the patient runs the risk of getting a swollen face, that has lost all its expression.
What is the profile of the typical patient that comes in for a consultation ?
Thirty percent of the female clients come in for surgery to look like stars, or want to look twenty or thirty years younger, or even more if possible, whereas 70% are seeking surgery, just to get rid of something that bothers them about their face. Keeping their facial expression is a major concern to them. It is very important for these women to get rid of a physique which they cannot relate to and, yet they want to still maintain their facial expressions. They tend more to want to correct a flaw rather than pure beauty.
And what about men ?
Very few men come in for consultations, about 10% and those who do come in, do not have this connotation of beauty. They « confess » that their motivation is strictly professional. They want to be more « competitive » in the business world.
In general, what are the usual requests from women ?
In this order : A lifting, eyelids and nose. One of the most popular requests today concerns young women with problems at the neck level who are seeking a more pronounced oval shape of their face.
Are there any new surgical techniques ?
No, there are no revolutionary techniques. Progress is at a more personal level, and adapted to each face, rather than in surgical exploits where results are often too visible.
Do you ever refuse any requests ?
Yes, I would reject requests for two main reasons :
1-For physical reasons : if the request is not a reasonable one physically-speaking (for example, a woman who has a square and thick face wants to have a perfectly oval face)
Or if there is the risk of changing a patient’s expression, to obtain the results desired.
I explain the situation in such cases. Patients immediately understand the problem.
2 – I also refuse cases where the psychological investment is out of proportion with what the surgery can contribute.
Does a beauty benchmark exist?
Yes, there are standards, beauty benchmarks that are internationalizing.
Requests for cosmetic surgery, a lifting for example, coming from Eastern European women, the United States or even from developing countries, are requests related to beauty standards.
There is also the « French exception » when it comes to beauty. Paris, which has always been the international centre of beauty has its own beauty standard. It is all about smiles, looks and a certain lifestyle. It is a striking beauty with an element of humour and a certain distance from reality. Likewise, women seek cosmetic surgery in France for different reasons. French women are not seeking a result that conforms to commonly accepted beauty standards, above all they want to keep their own expressions, their own personality, because their attractiveness comes from their uniqueness. They ask surgeons to « get rid of what bothers them ».
You make everything sound so easy, but do your patients ever show any hesitation or fears ?
Yes, first of all, any anaesthesia involves a risk, an accident rarely happens, but it does happen, just like as in many other walks of life. It is up to the person to decide for themselves. But the most important fear is that of change, that of no longer being able to see oneself, after a face-lift without any expression.
I always say « the worst enemy of a lifting » is a rigid face without any expression.
A comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and muscular movements that condition the nuances of our expressions enable such results to be avoided. Those kinds of liftings should never happen today.
What do you think women are looking for ?
These women are seeking « S.M.I.G. Beauty » as I put it in my book, this is the guaranteed minimum individual threshold, that cosmetic surgery can reasonably support today, in the goal of removing what is bothering a person, without falling into any excess and to have an acceptable appearance.
You are working at the heart of the pursuit of beauty on a daily basis. What is your prognosis for beauty in the future ?
Beauty that is only expressed by appearance, no matter how perfect one is, is mute and a meaningless message. We are living in the beginning of this century at a time of a deep change in the image of beauty. We are moving away from a mass beauty standard that is imposed and traditionally conforms to the golden number, to an individual and unique beauty that is no longer dictated by a unique standard. Beauty that does not compare with others, but that enchants, amazes ; an inner beauty, that reveals feelings and emotions and radiates a person’s face. I dare hope that soon it will be said « we are not born beautiful, we become beautiful ».
What is the role of the surgeon ?
He becomes an intermediary who helps a woman be reconciled with herself, and to find her true beauty, her own individual charm.
What is the best time to resort to cosmetic surgery ?
There is no such thing. A young girl of 17/18 years old who is not happy with the shape of her nose, should not wait for the age when complexes run rampant, before undergoing surgery. The same goes for bags under one’s eyes. A young woman of 25 years of age who has bags under her eyes, could have them removed at that age. For the others, it depends on the needs and the desires of a woman.
Is there an age limit ?
No. The only limit is a person’s physical condition and their health (diabetes, cardiac condition …)
And what last piece of advice can you give your female readers ?
Don’t be « obsessed » with beauty standards. Beauty is all about your real true emotions, so dare, smile, smile, that will make you more beautiful or even more beautiful than a lifting, and moreover a smile does not age. Love, be real, dare, without fear of being out of step, that is the deep meaning of beauty today.
Passion ! I am a doctor at heart. When I first started out, I wanted to take care of « ill patients » and then I found myself attracted to cosmetic surgery and started branching off into that direction. I discovered that working in the area of the face interested me most.
I have always been intrigued by facial expressions and all the nuances our facial expressions can take on, that go much deeper than physical appearance and morphology. Moreover, this specialization is constantly evolving. It is never boring, because in addition to the rigour involved in every surgical intervention, there is an element of creativity and sensitivity related to each individual face or rather each personality, yes it is very much like the job of a top class fashion designer.
As a plastic cosmetic surgeon, member of the French and international plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgery Society, you have a realistic vision of women. What message would you like to pass on to women today, in this world where appearance has taken on «so much » importance ?
My message is simple. Women should not be so obsessed with the images they see on magazine covers. Rigid expressions, a perfect physique, but often without any expression, these faces do not reflect the true beauty of inner feelings and expressions which is the only beauty that attracts. True beauty is unique, a reflection of a person’s personality and emotions.
In the past, women turned to cosmetic surgery, as a last resort. Today, it has become much more commonplace in the lives of women. In your opinion, how has cosmetic surgery changed or evolved ?
There has been a change in our conception of beauty. We do not only try to conform to beauty ideals, but also facial expressions, to maintain mobile and lively facial appearance. Today’s woman is seeking to gain a glowing radiance, without losing her personality.
Is a face lift today, a simple ordeal ?
No. It would be wrong to believe that because the result is natural, a lifting is easier to perform technically. We are just not talking about some « small surgery job » here, rather a lifting requires precise gestures, respecting the channels, the tension directions, unique to each face, also taking into account the condition of the skin texture. It is a more complex act, that requires the perfect knowledge of the physiology of facial muscles and their movements and a broad experience to be able to enhance each expression, each smile, following a lifting.
What do you think of products to fill-in wrinkles ?
Yes, they have a role to play, under certain circumstances.
But I would like to correct a common falsehood. In no case is it possible to replace a lifting by filling-in wrinkle treatments. These products can be applied to wrinkles, but they will never remove skin excess, that is clear What is even clearer is that products that fill-in wrinkles cannot treat skin slackening and moreover if wrinkles are filled in, the patient runs the risk of getting a swollen face, that has lost all its expression.
What is the profile of the typical patient that comes in for a consultation ?
Thirty percent of the female clients come in for surgery to look like stars, or want to look twenty or thirty years younger, or even more if possible, whereas 70% are seeking surgery, just to get rid of something that bothers them about their face. Keeping their facial expression is a major concern to them. It is very important for these women to get rid of a physique which they cannot relate to and, yet they want to still maintain their facial expressions. They tend more to want to correct a flaw rather than pure beauty.
And what about men ?
Very few men come in for consultations, about 10% and those who do come in, do not have this connotation of beauty. They « confess » that their motivation is strictly professional. They want to be more « competitive » in the business world.
In general, what are the usual requests from women ?
In this order : A lifting, eyelids and nose. One of the most popular requests today concerns young women with problems at the neck level who are seeking a more pronounced oval shape of their face.
Are there any new surgical techniques ?
No, there are no revolutionary techniques. Progress is at a more personal level, and adapted to each face, rather than in surgical exploits where results are often too visible.
Do you ever refuse any requests ?
Yes, I would reject requests for two main reasons :
1-For physical reasons : if the request is not a reasonable one physically-speaking (for example, a woman who has a square and thick face wants to have a perfectly oval face)
Or if there is the risk of changing a patient’s expression, to obtain the results desired.
I explain the situation in such cases. Patients immediately understand the problem.
2 – I also refuse cases where the psychological investment is out of proportion with what the surgery can contribute.
Does a beauty benchmark exist?
Yes, there are standards, beauty benchmarks that are internationalizing.
Requests for cosmetic surgery, a lifting for example, coming from Eastern European women, the United States or even from developing countries, are requests related to beauty standards.
There is also the « French exception » when it comes to beauty. Paris, which has always been the international centre of beauty has its own beauty standard. It is all about smiles, looks and a certain lifestyle. It is a striking beauty with an element of humour and a certain distance from reality. Likewise, women seek cosmetic surgery in France for different reasons. French women are not seeking a result that conforms to commonly accepted beauty standards, above all they want to keep their own expressions, their own personality, because their attractiveness comes from their uniqueness. They ask surgeons to « get rid of what bothers them ».
You make everything sound so easy, but do your patients ever show any hesitation or fears ?
Yes, first of all, any anaesthesia involves a risk, an accident rarely happens, but it does happen, just like as in many other walks of life. It is up to the person to decide for themselves. But the most important fear is that of change, that of no longer being able to see oneself, after a face-lift without any expression.
I always say « the worst enemy of a lifting » is a rigid face without any expression.
A comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and muscular movements that condition the nuances of our expressions enable such results to be avoided. Those kinds of liftings should never happen today.
What do you think women are looking for ?
These women are seeking « S.M.I.G. Beauty » as I put it in my book, this is the guaranteed minimum individual threshold, that cosmetic surgery can reasonably support today, in the goal of removing what is bothering a person, without falling into any excess and to have an acceptable appearance.
You are working at the heart of the pursuit of beauty on a daily basis. What is your prognosis for beauty in the future ?
Beauty that is only expressed by appearance, no matter how perfect one is, is mute and a meaningless message. We are living in the beginning of this century at a time of a deep change in the image of beauty. We are moving away from a mass beauty standard that is imposed and traditionally conforms to the golden number, to an individual and unique beauty that is no longer dictated by a unique standard. Beauty that does not compare with others, but that enchants, amazes ; an inner beauty, that reveals feelings and emotions and radiates a person’s face. I dare hope that soon it will be said « we are not born beautiful, we become beautiful ».
What is the role of the surgeon ?
He becomes an intermediary who helps a woman be reconciled with herself, and to find her true beauty, her own individual charm.
What is the best time to resort to cosmetic surgery ?
There is no such thing. A young girl of 17/18 years old who is not happy with the shape of her nose, should not wait for the age when complexes run rampant, before undergoing surgery. The same goes for bags under one’s eyes. A young woman of 25 years of age who has bags under her eyes, could have them removed at that age. For the others, it depends on the needs and the desires of a woman.
Is there an age limit ?
No. The only limit is a person’s physical condition and their health (diabetes, cardiac condition …)
And what last piece of advice can you give your female readers ?
Don’t be « obsessed » with beauty standards. Beauty is all about your real true emotions, so dare, smile, smile, that will make you more beautiful or even more beautiful than a lifting, and moreover a smile does not age. Love, be real, dare, without fear of being out of step, that is the deep meaning of beauty today.
Février 2009
