Brides-To-Be Win Surgical Makeovers on New Reality Show ‘Bridalplasty’

Posted on December 7, 2010 | by

A new reality show series on E! has brides-to-be competing not only to win their dream wedding, but also a plastic surgery makeover to help them prepare for the big day.

Each of the women questing for the ‘Bridalplasty’ prize has a wish list of cosmetic procedures they would seek should they beat out the competition, in addition to ideas for their wedding cake, dress, invitations and more.

According to an article in the Chicago Sun-Times, the show’s oldest contestant, Allyson, is a 33-year-old who plans to claim a wedding suited to her “old-school rocker chick” tastes and other prizes in the form of liposuction, a breast lift, a breast reduction and Botox, as well as some cosmetic dentistry, if named the show’s victor.

Before I was pregnant with my son, I was in the best physical shape of my life,” Allyson says. “I would love to get back to that and I’m sure [my fiance] would NOT mind some smaller perky boobies on me. I’m 33 and they sag down to my belly. What will happen when I’m 50? Will I have to roll them up and tuck them in my bra?”

Allyson’s sentiments reflect how many women feel after undergoing the physical rigors of pregnancy and childbirth, and although many plastic surgeons may not agree with the show’s blend of reality TV chaos and medical procedures for ethical reasons, they can certainly see where Bridalplasty contestants are coming from.

“Mixing reality TV and plastic surgery has always made me uncomfortable. However, I do appreciate that there is a lot of excitement and anticipation when planning a wedding and everyone wants to look their best,” says Boston plastic surgeon Dr. Fouad Samaha.

Dr. Samaha specializes in the breast enhancement and body contouring procedures that he says many women seek before their wedding day.

“Our brides-to-be who planned ahead have had mostly breast enhancement and liposuction procedures, allowing enough time for healing so that they look great on the big day. We have also performed a lot of procedures on mothers-of-the-bride (including breast procedures, abdominoplasty, liposuction, etc.) and getting the right injectables always adds the finishing touch,” says Dr. Samaha.

An important point from Dr. Samaha that Bridalplasty contestants and other women planning surgical makeovers before their weddings would do well to consider is that plastic surgery requires brides to plan ahead. If Allyson gets everything on her extensive plastic surgery wish list, she would need every minute of the four-month recovery period allotted after the show to bounce back from surgery before her big day, provided there are no complications.

As the contestants of Bridalplasty work toward trumping their opponents in the quest for the wedding and body of their dreams, viewers may find themselves wondering where the future grooms are in all of this. If they are like Dr. Samaha’s patients, they’re probably not standing idly by while their fiancées do all the work and get all the work done.

“Many grooms get Botox,” says Dr. Samaha, “to make sure that they lose any frown lines and look as happy to be there as they feel.”