What's the first thing that pops in your head when you hear the words ‘Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgeon'? If you're anything like me you conjure up images of facelifts, botox, and boob jobs. So I really didn't hold out much hope for Skin Decisions as it's fairly obvious that this show is based around cosmetic surgery.
However, I'm pleased to say that I was very surprised by the premise of this show. There are two medical practitioners – Dr. Sheila Nazarian, a cosmetic surgeon, and Jamie Sherrill, a renowned nurse who performs non-invasive therapies. Both strive for a more natural and balanced approach to the work that they do, avoiding a lot of the assumptions and cliches about the industry they work in.
Skin Decisions features two patients in each episode. The idea is that depending on what those clients want, they will either need plastic surgery or not. Inevitably, one patient will need surgery and the other will benefit more from Nurse Jamie's treatments.
The surprise is the patients chosen to go on the show. All have genuine issues as a result of past traumas or ordeals and it's easy to see why the majority would seek out medical help. From a woman who survived being shot nine times by her ex, to a young man who was severely scarred from a car crash, each has been tormented by the visible scars left behind. Those are some of the most shocking cases but there is also a woman who gave birth to quadruplets who wants to fix the damage to her body as well as a dancer who's stomach muscles never retracted following the birth of her children.
There are one or two that appear slightly more superficial but even then, past events have played a significant part in their lives. For whatever reason these women and men want help, they certainly get it on Skin Decisions. The results are amazing and you genuinely cannot fault the skills of Dr. Nazarian and Nurse Jamie. So from that point of view, it is a fascinating show.
Clearly the people getting helped are not paying for the treatment and the cost is never mentioned. That's one of the few downfalls of the show. It's easy to watch somebody go under the knife and get a tummy tuck, a boob life, and endless amounts of laser treatments that turn back the hands of time. But at what cost?
Despite the sophistication of the production, Skin Decisions is a make-over show. It may not be as shallow as 100% Hotter, but the idea is the same.
