 Editorials
from David Williams (Editor)
Editorials from BL#1 and BL#2
Editorials from BL#4 and BL#6
Editorials from BL#7 and BL#9
Editorials from BL#11 and BL#12
Editorials from BL#13 and BL#17
Editorials from BL#18 and BL#20
Editorials from BL#21 and BL#22
Editorials from BL#23 and BL#24
Editorials from BL#25 and BL#26
Since the launch of Body Language national and regional newspapers,
magazines and television programmes have contacted me with motives
verging on the sly. Most enquiries begin earnestly, asking about treatments
and results. But the line of questioning often leads to requests for
names and telephone numbers of people who have had operations that
went horribly wrong. The journalists or their editors have usually
made up their minds about cosmetic surgery beforehand – that
it's bad – and then select their examples accordingly. Their
efforts are far more sinister than absurd tabloid stories such as
The Sun's "Freddie Starr ate my hamster", because the distortion
of the truth is far less obvious and the "facts" much more plausible.
Of course, not all operations and treatments go as planned. Yet among
experienced surgeons, this is the exception – not the rule.
What makes news is the exceptional: the unpredictable, the
unusual the extraordinary. When an operation "goes right", you will not read
about it in a newspaper or magazine. To a news reporter this is a non-event.
Without question, bad practices must continue to be reported, but in a responsible
manner aligned with society's real interests.
What must be recognised is that increasing numbers of consumers
desire cosmetic surgery procedures. The real goal must be to improve the overall
standard of surgery and increase competition to make procedures better and less
expensive so that more people benefit. Eventually cosmetic surgery will be seen
as helping people to lead more fulfilling lives – which is why most choose
cosmetic surgery in the first place. In time, value and quality will gain in
importance as consumer issues just as they have done in other sectors.
Body Language International is a new publication that aims
to be the most informative and entertaining cosmetic surgery magazine.
The main thrust of the editorial will always be directed at cosmetic
surgery procedures and developments, but reconstructive surgery will
also be covered when the skills and imagination of surgeons, other
medical practitioners and scientists manifest themselves in a tale
worth telling.
Although there are a number of plastic surgery magazines
published, these are produced for specialists with medical jargon, or for consumers
but with too obvious a commercial slant, making procedures sound – at worst – like
an uncomfortable day trip.
Body Language will try to exorcise jargon where it can
and present the facts in a layperson's English that can be understood without
frequent reference to medical books. Body Language will also discuss procedures
in a balanced, responsible manner.
First issues are always the most difficult to produce,
mainly because it is hard to gauge which subjects and presentation readers will
be most responsive to. One decision that was made early on, though, was to give Body
Language an international projection. As news and developments in cosmetic
surgery are happening around the world – and as communication is indeed
global – it was thought that international coverage would be the best way
forward. This is reflected in our news as well as in the articles themselves.
Your comments are always welcome. Write to us to let
us know what you particularly like or dislike about Body Language. All
letters are read and those that are particularly enlightening will be published
in future letters pages.
Comments on the Body Language website and magazine can be emailed
to the Editor, david@bodylanguage.net
Letters may be published in a letters page of the website and/or magazine.
Emails with file attachments will not be accepted. |
