Breast Implant Industry Urges Women to Stop Objectifying Themselves

The BBC reports:

A website where women can raise cash for breast implants using personal photos is unsafe and degrading, say UK cosmetic surgeons.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) says this is frightening and potentially dangerous.

Consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS President Douglas McGeorge said: "This is a wholly inappropriate way to proceed with what should be a serious decision made by a fully informed patient.

"The site's promise that there are 'no right or wrong' cases is frightening—clearly there is no proper medical assessment of candidates, which at best could lead to disappointment, at worst, to someone's health being endangered."

Adam Searle, consultant plastic surgeon and former president of the BAAPS, said: "This is really quite shocking. The invitation for women to post suggestive photos, sell personal items and chat with strangers over the Internet in exchange for a breast augmentation is just plain degrading."

British surgeons claim the site is "dangerous," but the very classy myfreeimplants.com is just a networking tool. (It's an "online community!") The business model, premised on connecting men willing to pay for surgery and women willing to beg for it, bears little relation to the safety of a particular procedure. It's the doctors' responsibility to inform potential patients of risk, not the responsibility of the poor schlubs paying or the proprietors of the site affording them the opportunity. Of course, the surgeons won't be paying dues to BAAPS–they're all licensed stateside–which may explain some of the Brits' pursed-lip disapproval.