Wayne Newton Plastic Surgery

Introduction to Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is a specialized branch of surgery dedicated to the reconstruction of facial and body defects due to birth disorders, trauma, burns, and disease. The term “plastic” derives from the Greek “plastikos” or the Latin “plasticus,” which both mean to “form or mold.” The history of this specialty can be divided into two fields of interest: reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery. Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed to correct functional impairments caused by burn or traumatic injuries such as facial bone fractures and breaks, lateral canthal tendons, and to repair congenital abnormalities like cleft palates or cleft lips. Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is performed to change appearance in otherwise normal structures or people for psychological rather than healthcare reasons. Further categorized as a surgical specialty, plastic surgery demands a thorough understanding of other surgical specialties.

Ancient societies paid particular attention to the face because it was an individual’s distinctive feature. Therefore, when surgery was performed, it was largely performed on the face. This was the region of the body to which attention was directed. The nose was a common part of the anatomy in need of repair and restoration, but early work aimed at operating on the face in terms of sustaining trauma not so much beauty and aesthetics. Sir Harold Delf Gillies is traditionally associated with performing one of the first trans-occlusive palate plasty for a war wound in 1915 and slightly later in 1928 performed deep fascial slinging of the paralyzed face. He is best known for reviving the need for the restoration of war wounds in the face and head. At about the same period, progression was also made in Germany and France mainly by Jacques Joseph of Berlin in developing surgery to correct the deformities of the nose and modern body contouring. Thereafter, large strides were made in the mid-part of the 20th century. John Howard Gillies and Dioctene Gilles worked at specialized hospitals to develop reconstructive plastic surgery and will always be remembered as pioneers in burn care and advancing reconstructive surgery. Lord Harold McIndoe, as he was later crowned, was one of the most famous and greatest plastic surgeons of the 20th century. More than 1500 pupils and over 200 appointed consultants graduated from the Honor McIndoe definition of a plastic surgeon: a man who can repair most things; often with his hands; always with brain and heart. He was direct, blunt, and forthright; his behavior was often unconventional. On top of his historic mention, he was a very colorful person and a pioneer in cosmetic and restoration.

Definition and History

Plastic surgery is defined as a specialized branch of surgery dedicated to the reconstruction of facial and body defects due to birth disorders, trauma, burns, and disease. It is a diverse surgical specialty dedicated to the restoration of form and function. It can encompass reconstruction aimed at correcting the form and function of structures or aesthetic enhancement to change form and shape. Reconstructive plastic surgery consists of craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, microsurgery, and the treatment of burns. While reconstructive surgery aims to reconstruct a part of the body or improve its functioning, cosmetic or aesthetic surgery aims to improve the appearance.

Plastic surgery stems from a rich historical background and was first formally introduced to the world in ancient India, approximately 600 B.C. Commencing as a primitive form of skin grafting, reconstructive surgeries were later used to repair broken noses and ears in ancient Rome. Among the first documented instances of rhinoplasty, where skin was grafted from the cheek to the nose, was performed in the 16th century by an Italian surgeon. The next century witnessed the development of skin grafting and reconstructive surgery for missing palates. The 18th and 19th centuries marked the era of anatomy. Despite developing an understanding of anatomy and the development of asepsis, the fate of plastic surgery was grim with a lack of anesthesia and technology. Techniques were very restrictive compared to the broad variety of applications in cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgery. The pioneer plastic surgeon of the French Revolution designed and stitched new noses for disfigured soldiers. In the U.S., there came a renaissance in facial surgery in the 1920s. Performed the first modern facelift in 1901 that evolved into modern techniques. The differentiation between medicine and cosmetic surgery was supported and structured through the efforts in 1920. Created the term dermasurgery at the Plastic Surgery Section of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association in San Francisco. There has been a steady progressive increase in organization, recognition, and importance of plastic surgery, and the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was accepted into association with the American Medical Association in 1937 and was permitted Section status in 1941. In 1991, concepts explained the muscles of the face and permitted the first operative musculus facialis tonus reduction.

Plastic surgery consists of both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. Aesthetic surgery is performed to enhance the look, whereas reconstructive plastic surgery is done to repair the abnormalities. The rest of the text will talk about reconstructive procedures and their planning, and opinion will be sought about aesthetic surgeries in gross perspective. Changes in the concept of beauty and the perceived relationship between beauty and health, as well as the history and evolution of reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, are presented. Some of the landmark design planning in the field until the development of aesthetic surgery popular today is presented.

Types of Procedures

There are a variety of procedures used in the practice of plastic surgery. What has commonly been called plastic surgery is now also referred to as aesthetic plastic surgery, particularly because personalized, aesthetic improvements are a mainstay of the field. Plastic and reconstructive surgeries modify the form and function of different areas of the body. Common aesthetic procedures are designed to improve the appearance of the aging face, body, and breasts; some procedures that address the hands, buttocks, and intimate anatomy are also available. The most popular cosmetic surgeries were facelifts, nose reshaping, liposuction, eyelid surgery, and tummy tuck. A facelift or rhytidectomy is used to reduce the signs of aging on the neck, mid-face, and jowls by repositioning the skin, subcutaneous fat, and muscles. Altering the appearance of the nose through reshaping is called rhinoplasty. This procedure can be performed with or without surgical cuts that allow for bone mobilization in rhinoplasty and chin correction. Other procedures that can improve facial appearance are chin and cheek augmentation with implants, reducing a receding chin or a sunken upper midface, or reducing the appearance of a double chin. Reconstructing the breasts is a procedure called breast augmentation, or mammaplasty, and can also include breast lift in which extra skin is excised and the remaining skin and muscles are raised to reposition the breasts. Women also seek cosmetic surgery to reduce the size of the breasts and, sometimes, to reconstruct the breast(s) with their own tissue and an implant after mastectomy due to breast cancer. In addition, buttock augmentation was very popular, which breaks this section’s trend.

Common, effective procedures to reduce localized adipose deposits are liposuction, ultrasonic-assisted liposuction, and laser-assisted liposuction. Ultrasonic liposuction uses a small cannula ultrasound-emitting probe to emulsify the unwanted fat, which may be beneficial in treating certain conditions. In smart liposuction, the temperature of the skin is constantly monitored to avoid burns while preventing skin laxity. More and more, patients are taking actions to combat the appearance of aging, lifestyle-related changes, acute skin conditions, and the genetic influences that make skin seem old or damaged. Nevertheless, many feel that they are not ready to undergo a surgical procedure that may involve extensive recovery. In response to this trend, advances have been made in the use of minimally invasive surgery because of the increased use of anesthesia. This technique is used to reposition the ‘superficial’ superficial musculoaponeurotic system with specially designed threads in a less invasive fashion. The use of fillers, absorptives, and noninvasive light therapy has increased. Injectable fillers or absorbents provide temporary volume enhancement and refresh the facial appearance. A retinoid is a type of vitamin A that can also be used to improve skin texture. Laser resurfacing is a type of noninvasive therapy that removes the external skin layer to activate fibroblast activity, the main cell that produces collagen in the skin. The use of so-called non-surgical treatments has blurred the boundaries for patients, and the definition of plastic surgery has undergone some expansion.

Wayne Newton: A Musical Legend

Carson Wayne Newton was born on April 3, 1942, in Norfolk, Virginia. His father was in the Navy, and his mother played piano and guitar, teaching Wayne to play the steel guitar and piano at an early age. Wayne began singing when he was just six years old in local theater productions, and by the time he was eight, he was the star of the entire show. At just 15, Wayne Newton was making $1,000 a week to perform, and when he was 16, he quit high school to pursue music full-time with his brother, Jerry. Together, they were discovered and began performing on a popular show. The rest is music history.

In the 1960s, when Wayne first started performing at the Aladdin, he was earning $150 a week plus room and board. At the time of his sixty-day reopening at the Aladdin in 1969, Wayne was earning $40,000 a week! Carson Wayne Newton is best known for his once inseparable connection with Las Vegas, but this singer, actor, and performer had a long and illustrious career before he ever stepped foot in the City of Lights. Since the 1960s, his voice and music have been an ever-present melody in the American anthem. Known as “Mr. Las Vegas,” this respectable revered showman is known for his headlining charm and signature suits. Newton’s voice offers the young assurance, promise, and power of the American Dream, while his peacocking style became synonymous with the swinging sounds that help men and women revel in their own and each other’s charm. He continues to give so much to performances, proving his influence holds its own. To burlesque enthusiasts, pop culture forums, and cabaret parties, Carson is a look, a touch, and most importantly, a sound above all others.

Biography and Career Highlights

Wayne Newton was born on April 3, 1942, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Evelyn Marie “Smith” and Patrick Newton. He is of half Irish and half Native American descent. When his father was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, his mother moved the family back to her home state of Missouri. Early on, Eloise Hamilton, a native of Polk County, Virginia, also helped to shine his singing career.

Newton has said that his father, upon leaving the U.S. Navy, moved the family to Roanoke, where he entered into the furniture and carpet business, selling with a partner. Born Carson Wayne Newton, his name was changed in his youth to Carson Wayne Newton. His father had been one of the early correspondents for the Bureau of Discovering Ways in or about 1928. During the 1980s, Newton was involved in a legal dispute with the bureau, prompting him to resign from gaming oversight to avoid bad publicity. He has a summer home in Shenandoah, Virginia, and was made an honorary carpetbagger, a citation of merit from the city of Roanoke. Newton is a fluent speaker of German, Italian, and French. Newton was a neighbor of Elvis Presley during Elvis’s first years in Las Vegas. Bonded by their common Southern roots, after a show they would have dinner together either in Elvis’s penthouse at The International Hotel or at Newton’s home. Newton would sometimes even give a lift home to the Sin City star. It was in 1958, while working at the Fremont Hotel, that he also met and fell in love with his future wife, Elaine. Seventeen-year-old Elaine calmly and carefully told Wayne she wouldn’t marry him unless he went through a sergeant in her church who had two daughters. So, after a call to the church and a very long-distance confirmation from a brother serving in the military, Newton and Elaine were married in 1968.

Impact on the Music Industry

How Wayne Newton’s performances fit in the canon of the evolution of musical performances is glimpsed by the number of performers he has influenced and the various genres of music where he has exerted influence. He has befriended and performed with a host of musicians, including Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Glen Campbell, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Tom Jones, Reba McEntire, Barry Manilow, Dean Martin, and Elvis Presley, collaborating not only in entertainment projects but as vocal campaigners in political campaigns. The unique blend of traditional pop music with contemporary pop music has reflected the same congeniality that Newton has shown for collaborators, from big bands in the 1960s to 1970s pop music to 1980s love songs, as reflected in this section. That versatility has made him one of the best-selling recording artists of his time, at one point outselling even The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Frank Sinatra, and prompting a U.S. Ambassador to regale a prince by saying, “We have only two kings in America: Elvis Presley and Wayne Newton.”

In addition to the section placed on Newton’s pop albums, this dissertation features sections that discuss Newton’s two Las Vegas recordings and music that could be linked to possible Vietnam connections through the Newton recording of “Days of Sand and Shovels.” Part of the aforementioned section underscores just how popular Wayne Newton made Las Vegas, how much money the city made because of him, and how many people have seen him perform there. Las Vegas, the section points out, may not have existed using the same layout as we know it had Newton not been such a draw. Newton’s flourish at The Sands and significance in Las Vegas led to similar successes at small casino venues and larger hotel-casinos where he now performs. Each concert marked a first for the entertainment-mecca city that held more than 38 million tourists in 1970. Other performers and hotels copied that approach after he started selling out venues, raising ticket prices from under $10 for Frank Sinatra to $25.

The Beginning of Wayne Newton’s Transformation

In 1991, Wayne Newton underwent his first procedure, a rhinoplasty, during this first phase of surgeries. He had a bad ‘boxer’s nose.’ The only people he worked with at that time who knew were his chart-topping record producer and Deanna. Vic Damone noticed when Newton’s bridge changed. This in part gives credence to the theory that it was a condition of Newton’s initial nose that encouraged him first to undergo surgery. In 1994, three years after Newton’s first consultation, a complete facelift was performed on Newton while on location with a film in Miami. Newton used an alias as a cover.

He expressed concern that several of the singers, songwriters, and producers he has associated with recently seemed to be younger than he was. Based on this impression, he was concerned that he might appear to not be contemporary and as a result might not be able to secure recording contracts of the quality he sought. This illustrates the point about plastic surgery being a “socially supported” practice. Lies, like another new face-altering technique, facelifts, were becoming more common. Celebrities were having them. This was summed up as “the Band-Aid era.” Plastic surgery at the time was still a relatively new phenomenon, popularized in part by returning veterans of World War II. Although celebrities of the past were rumored to have had surgery, for the most part the public at large was unaware of the practice. Photographers, cameramen, and editors shielded their audiences from images where imperfections were considered unsightly. The famous public fad of perfect white Hollywood teeth resulted from the fact that teeth were the only part of the body that could be effectively, and somewhat believably, altered through camera, studio lighting, and print effects. The 1990s was a time when plastic surgery was a national obsession.

Initial Procedures and Motivations

During the initial surgery, it appears that Wayne Newton only underwent a procedure known as a facelift to tighten loose skin around his neck, a brow lift, and upper eyelid surgery. A facelift, as the name implies, lifts the face back up and tightens the skin. The brow lift is used to raise sagging brows and diminish the dark circles under the eyes. The upper eyelid surgery usually involves removing the skin from the top of the eyelid. His primary motivation was to keep his youthful appearance and looks. Acquiring the reputation as a young-looking 59-year-old could also be a factor. Like many others, he also dealt with self-esteem and public appearance issues.

Wayne Newton claimed that he just wanted to look like himself again. He went through an emotional journey to regain his looks and to keep them. As an entertainer, you have to keep up a certain image. That is just a fact of the business. He also happened to like the way he looked when he looked in the mirror. It felt good to know he could look like the person he remembered being for so many years. This speaks to the fact that the person he remembered being was a very attractive individual. Anxiety regarding the public scrutiny of his physical appearance must have been present when he decided to go forward with the second surgery. High-profile individuals face societal pressure to look a certain way. Newton fit this category at the time. Facelift surgery, which tightens facial skin, and upper eyelid surgery, probably performed to remove the scars from the initial upper eyelid surgery, are the notable procedures to this point. The hollowness of his cheekbones would be addressed in the not-so-distant future by a silicone cheek implant. This, too, is a common surgery undertaken by the entertainment industry.

Notable Changes in Wayne Newton’s Appearance

Some additional statistics of procedures by year and the total cost of these treatments are included in the chart below. Most of the basic information in the final version of the chart can be gathered from the progress report. The ideal candidate for the retrospective evaluation is unlikely to understand the magnitude of the changes, so we need to be especially transparent about the biggest transformations in physical appearance. The face looks visibly different pre- and post-surgery. The texture of the skin, a foundation of identity, is entirely changed through facelifts. The size of the cheekbones that were referred to as expanding beyond natural human limits was likely augmented with the use of fillers, implants, or fat. These bones can be made to stick outward to give the impression of high and broad cheeks, imitating facial characteristics historically associated with adolescence because of a high and undamaged fertility status. When one undergoes a bone manipulation to acquire this trait, that artificial innocence can act to bring balance to a face after some surgery elsewhere on the face at any age. The change in jawline is created with surgery or dermal fillers to make the jawline feminine and notable. These states of being are connected to the emotional state of the individual but are taught as being produced by an appearance societally desired and therefore beautiful.

Facial Features

The most obvious changes to Newton from plastic surgeries over the years have been his facial features. Newton has undergone two rhinoplasty procedures. The first rhinoplasty he underwent at the age of 28 was to add a small hump to his nose, develop a cleft in his chin, and remove the fat from his eyelids. The improvements made by this nose job, although subtle, set the stage for future facial altering surgeries. Newton’s face transitioned again when he underwent several facelifts, which reduced wrinkles that accumulated with age and physically changed his appearance. These surgeries have refined Newton’s intrinsic facial features and have had a significant impact on the newfound perception of him in the public eye. Collectively, these procedures – rhinoplasty and facelifts – have evolved Wayne Newton’s look from predominantly masculine to predominantly feminine. This proof is not as strong as it is in the featural analysis, but the resonant frequencies of his face mirror this sentiment. As an effect of these facial alterations, Newton has regained societal acceptance due to aligning with contemporary standards of beauty, and these assessments have been favorable. As a result of these favorable analyses, Newton received more singing and acting engagements post-surgery than pre-surgery, which restored his pride and satisfaction during a period of disaster. To be of a forthcoming and relevant nature during research and the writing of this analysis, success post-surgery has swelled his heart. Determining satisfaction rates from a personal standpoint is always difficult, especially when no immediate sustainability or representation is feasible. Beyond this, several mentions indicate Newton’s emotional difficulties that continue to torment him on the topic of his surgeries.

Body Contouring

Wayne Newton has also had some contouring procedures to body parts. Newton underwent liposuction to sculpt his abdomen. Liposuction is a procedure used to break up and suck fat from different parts of the body. Newton also had abdominal sculpting done which further helped to shape Newton’s abdomen area by removing excess skin and muscle tightening. Liposuction and abdominal sculpting can help Newton to mold and tailor his physique by reshaping body curves and more effectively ridding of love handles. The liposuction and abdominal sculpting will better show off his toned abdomen muscles which he uses to entertain and serenade audiences. Newton is a very handsome and confident man and the liposuction and abdominal sculpting would be a natural part of maintaining his physique so that it stays marketable and is one that he also feels comfortable. Today’s popular body aesthetic is one that is youthful and smooth; these signs of athleticism are often attributed to the young. The youth culture movement turned the world’s attention to the beauty and timelessness of youth and gave rise to an increasingly ageist society. A performer must stay relevant in order to keep audiences coming back. Therefore, a performer often must be aware of the desired look of their respective era and transform accordingly in order to keep up. It would be expected that a performer also seeks out aesthetic transformation in regards to their personal goals and ideal appearance. In the entertainment world, a performer needs to look and appear as young as possible to the public audience. The entertainment business places a high standard on physical appearance, and this includes the body. Newton wants to appear bodacious due to his significant weight loss. The term bodacious is attractive, large, and full of women; it can be found in modern culture. Bodacious refers to someone who has an exuberant confidence and a youthful sense of optimism, without blind faith or practice pomp. It is also known that someone is exciting and attractive, and can also be hearty and sociable. Newton is notorious for being a devoted family man who is also a very loving and giving friend not only to celebrities, but to his fans also. It’s appropriate that the term “bodacious” is now grouped as an American slang word. The phrase can refer to one’s appearance both inside and out. It could be assumed that Newton has also undergone some dermal injection to improve the appearance of his face. A dermal injection is a cellular material that is injected directly into the skin to plump and smooth the desired area. Plumping the skin can make wrinkles and subtle lines of the skin become less noticeable.

Media and Public Perception

For this portion, I addressed the influence of public perception and media on opinions about Newton’s surgeries. Media and Public Perception Newton’s surgeries and transformation were a mainstay in tabloid coverage and public discourse about the star for many years. He was criticized for his surgeries by newspapers, magazines, and social media also buzzed about him, particularly Twitter, with much of the conversation occurring because of his two main surgery appearances. Someone would appear on a show and call the star names or mock his appearance. Public opinion about Newton’s surgeries is split. If you believe online comments or those who have expressed themselves via social media or in print, he is “scary looking,” “like a Halloween mask,” “fake,” and “plastic.” His transformation matched the plastic surgery stereotype. If, though, you read comments, blogs, news, and the like, you can also find people saying, “he looks good” and “he doesn’t look as bad as people say he does.” Some have commented on the shabby treatment he received from people and in the press. Some doctors and medical professionals also have negative things to say about him, essentially selling the notion that he looks unnatural and “weird.” Many doctors and others in the mainstream discourse feel that plastic surgery generally is more harmful than good, but some opinions about the star have been more even and beneficial. From a superficial point of view, this work shows that you should probably avoid undergoing a transformation out in the open for the public to consume over time. During some of the worst years of media scrutiny, Newton mentioned in various interviews and television appearances that the remarks hurt his feelings but that it didn’t bother him because he still saw himself as he always was. Newton complains about the mean-spirited press that had targeted him.

Tabloid Coverage

In this section, I will demonstrate the analytical methodology that characterized this in-depth look at Newton’s surgeries. The publication in the tabloid press conformed to the public interest and fan culture angle of this discussion of the everyday biography of transformation. The sheer number of articles published in the UK tabloids at the time of the story largely stemmed from the syndication of the story. This noteworthy feature of the reporting is a central facet of this paper since tabloid publications provide a point of privilege in the construction and contestation of narratives of celebrity change, becoming key texts that construct a public understanding and reception of such transformation. Newton’s surgical procedures, verified and backed up by the subject, confirmed the popular tropes utilized by the tabloid press: Newton has undergone these procedures to generate ambivalence: to make you look twice and gasp thrice. Examples of some of the headlines that were employed by tabloid sub-editors once the original article made it to press include: ‘Grin Reaper’; ‘Dreary Vegas Rat Face to a New You!’; ‘Wayne Newton Unveiled!’; ‘Goodbye to Antique Degenerate… Hello Vision of the Future, Luke’; ‘What a Stiff’; and ‘Good Life King of Cosmetic Junk.’

As these examples demonstrate, the articles attempted, through tabloid excess that couples the sensationalist nature of Newton’s surgeries with venom, to represent the public mood via these reporters’ imagined shared antipathy. Newton’s face and the triptych of surgeries were emplotted in relation to his career, cultural relocations, and stagings; they were used to shame him more, as it were, via failed preferences for “new” women and masculinity, and indeed, his pleasures and overdeveloped Las Vegas home areas. Further, in such coverage, the overly negative reader or viewer is encouraged to pronounce on these surgeries and, by extension, his tastes, for all to see—possibly leaving him broken. Moreover, such coverage is true to the genre in that the story was not just about one lone gazeful subject; with loving captions tempting other readers to seek revenge on people, such coverage taps into the egalitarian, defensive instincts of the reader and emboldens them to attack the face too by sharing their disgust, anger, and humor with their fellow writers anonymously. Ironically, too, for an investigative article, the story becomes the invasion, focusing on and punishing Wayne Newton’s refusal in any meaningful sense to respond to a rarity which his own image had become and then his not immediately engaging in public recognition. Such derisive impatience reveals not only the public’s right to know but a particular kind of subject in need of or requiring surveillance. The coverage also delimits and emphasizes the legal and moral borders that are managed by celebrity and people living public celebrities’ lives. In this mise-en-scène, Newton becomes both a queer meme figure and a disapprobation figure denying and avowing the consumption of high and low kitsch we venture to read bones and face-ified body according to those very legible patterns and prejudices in the unseen arrangement, seeking in all of our dispersed non-sources to confirm. That is, the off-camera glamour and all else that we are to those denials, the bedrock of racial and anti-racial logic that forms what we’ve made both of him and his face.

Fan Reactions

The general public viewed Newton’s “transformation” through a combination of patience, guarded admiration, and frustration. His fans praised him for his patience in dealing with the tragic wounds he suffered. However, this respect coexists with the more disproportionate claims that he has been and is in the process of being “destroyed” by plastic surgery and “reduced to a freak.” Some fans simply seem bewildered by so much reconstruction, leading them to express their emotional detachment from the man they once accepted and admired. “Like a tectonic plate sliding slowly into the ocean, with painful grace,” one described the experience of watching him age and transform. Even at this distance, many of the fans who spoke reserved judgment about his cosmetic transformations until they had sufficient clinical evidence about what was going on with Wayne’s health. These fans expressed concern about what was going on with Wayne beneath the skin and under his vocal cords. “I wish Wayne and the family the very best during Wayne’s surgery,” said one fan. “I personally consider long-term hypocrisy more risky than any surgery. If I need to lose a piece of skin on the bridge of my nose to live without hatred, I’ll do that.” Newton remembered how his family and attending doctors received death threats after the first scalp reconstruction, which took place in a small emergency room as footage was playing for the theater-sized TV screen. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office had expenses paid separately and through private channels to provide the anatomy dissection of Newton’s back the following week.

Newton described the atmosphere of criticism and heightened security as follows: “All during following months and months…we continued to receive death threats…we continued to receive phone calls at 3 o’clock in the morning, telling us to release my medical records, and there were people on the outs…saying, ‘That man is not going to walk off that stage some 13,000 times – we’ll see to it.'” Emotions in response to his radical transformation seemed to startle Newton to the core. Not only did he have trouble looking at himself (“Your mirror in the morning does reflect how you feel about you”), Newton was also torn by the fan letters he received. “It’s been really, really very interesting to watch people’s reactions in fan mail and things like that.” He described sending over half of the constrictor skin flaps to the president of a fan club and “asking when she got them to put them on the fan club catalog, I guess; it’s just so important to people to own a piece of someone.” But perhaps Newton pantomimed an insight into how the dramatic nature of his recent surgery somehow related to the image fans were creating of him on the inside. Newton and his family grew indifferent to the point that they haven’t even opened the last seven cartons of clutter still left at their home days before its sale.

Ethical and Psychological Considerations

Any discussion of plastic surgery should include a whole chapter exploring the psychological and ethical issues involved here. More often than not, mainstream media perpetuate the idea that good-looking individuals not only are better liked and appreciated by their peers (and by complete strangers), but also receive better treatment by people who are around them. One way or another, the fact that celebrities are willing to endure the associated risk suggests that it is considered “normal” to have cosmetic surgery performed to improve one’s physical appearance. But is there an element of coercion to it since this is not commonly mentioned in the media? People who have plastic surgery are in search of an increase in self-esteem, to be liked or to be popular, especially for themselves. Society establishes strong social norms in any group regarding the necessity to be accepted by others; not to mention the influence of media and advertisements in shaping an individual’s opinion.

Beauty myths and standards constantly change to reflect current cultural values and judgments. An example can be found in the lead female actress in “True Lies,” who was the all-American darling who was asked to stop living up to the “girl next door” image. The danger of searching for social acceptance via beauty standards, as perpetuated in the media, promotes a notion of an unachievable ideal body and sends a message of non-acceptance. The most alarming criterion is that society almost never identifies popularity if you are fat. Is our society so concerned with children and teenagers developing poor body image and then developing eating disorders? Are people really drawn to celebrities who undergo plastic surgery, and does this reflect a change in their popularity? Are children’s and adolescents’ self-esteem adversely affected by the “altered” people? The behavior of our society with regard to cosmetic surgery raises relevant issues as to the responsibility of surgeons, the problems associated with patient autonomy, and the stigmatization of mental illness. Both surgeons and society may face cultural biases that interfere with their ability to comprehend illness. While it may be a potential means of self-expression, the question that arises is whether or not this expression is authentic or has been culturally prescribed. We have some value: a social responsibility for self-improvement may lead to hope for a better future and, in turn, for social reform. Conversely, we have placed unreasonable and unfair pressure on individuals to look a particular kind of way, often creating a notion of body irrationalism—where the body is ultra, extra, or out of proportion. When celebrities undergo cosmetic surgery, the sight of the suddenly reconstructed face may create a social fear of a change that is unsafe and foreign.

Celebrity Influence on Plastic Surgery Trends

Celebrities have always shaped preferences regarding dress, music, hairstyles, and other personal appearance issues. While changes in personal appearance are not, except under certain circumstances, dictated by law, media images, celebrity endorsements, and other phenomena have found fertile ground in the public’s poor body image, lack of self-acceptance, and, in some cases, self-hatred. From a social history perspective, the experiences, experiments, and multiple public images of Wayne Newton parallel to a large degree the history of modern plastic surgery. Plagued by the burden of repeated surgeries, inconsistent results, and eventual enthusiasm for reconstruction in the mid-1980s, Newton’s on-again, off-again commitments to personal stories of aging, remedy, and lost desirability underscore the shifts in personal preference and the meaning of surgeries as tools of personal change and renovation.

There is absolutely no question that the trends and transformations outlined in Newton’s numerous engagements in personal change had an impact on social trends. The impact of Newton’s personal decisions and the expanded definitions of normal plastic surgeries in the 1980s extend to a younger generation that may not typically attend his shows or idolize his lifestyle. Everyday people and the broader culture have grabbed onto Newton’s very public relationship with beauty and exterior transformations; media exposure is one of the engines feeding the public’s interest in and assumption of roles in beauty choices. Just as Newton has embraced multiple cosmetic treatments and procedures to alter his on-stage and off-stage appearance, countless everyday and famous men and women seek to countermand normal aging signs at earlier and earlier ages. While Newton’s recognition is powerful and far-reaching, many who read the tabloid snippets about his reinvention were more influenced by societal norms about beauty, aging, and health than by Newton’s personal story. Future research will need to determine just to what extent celebrities can be held accountable for creating trends to which they lend their names and followings versus playing a limited or nebulous role in mirroring social trends.

Conclusion and Future Implications

In conclusion, while celebrity culture has evolved and changed over the years, one thing remains the same: celebrities are pressured to look beautiful and youthful—not just for themselves and their own confidence, but also for their fans. In an age where social media allows fans unprecedented access to people and news of all kinds circulates faster than ever, the stakes are even higher—and the backlash can be more hard-hitting. Wayne Newton’s evolution has entailed more types of plastic surgery procedures than we ever thought were possible and has dramatically changed the landscape of his storied musical career. Whether the general public has or will ever come to accept Newton’s plastic surgery or the other major life events that led to these changes in his features is uncertain; the reactions thus far have been strongly mixed.

Why, as a society, do we refuse to let our celebrities age? Our data suggest several implications. As Wayne’s motivations have slowly revealed themselves over the course of the past fifty years, plastic surgeons must always remember that no matter how minor a patient’s cosmetic surgery procedure may seem to the public, that procedure is likely to be dictated by worldwide and national social norms established and perhaps exaggerated by media and celebrity culture. Moreover, what is considered “the latest and greatest” procedure may undergo monthly and yearly changes. The 2010s have seen an increasing desire for localized fat reduction by methods such as liposuction and tummy tucks. It is likely that at least part of this increase can be explained by society’s advances in body imaging. Whether this “fad” will soon change to a new procedure is up to chance, but as long as powerful media influences command us to adhere to “current norms,” we can be sure that plastic surgery will never lose its stronghold on our society. Regardless of how the future trends develop, it is our responsibility as plastic surgeons, and indeed, as human beings, to encourage the creation of society-defined beauty and health instead of relying on media-molded celebrity culture to construe these images. We hope that perhaps at some point in our future, the Hollywood machine can be quieted, ultimately leading to a future where real beauty is recognized on the inside rather than the outside.

Summary of Findings

The findings of this study can be summarized as follows: Wayne Newton has had several plastic surgeries to improve or maintain his public image. These plastic surgeries have significantly impacted the way that the public views him. The theory that a positive shift in perception of Wayne Newton would ultimately lead to a more negative public perception is not supported. The connection between beauty and societal norms to the public is essential. We are interested in the motives behind a celebrity’s decision to have plastic surgery because we are interested in the emotional and psychological aspects related to that need for plastic surgery, which drives them to want to look different. Celebrity culture draws people into wanting to know why celebrities change their appearance because they want to create a connection between appearance and identity, between public and private, and between being a celebrity and being one like everyone else.

Many reactions are purely emotional, purely curiosity, and purely judgment. People are emotional and curious to know why anyone or any celebrity, or certainly why Wayne Newton would undergo so many surgeries. And people are judgmental; changing one’s appearance calls into question issues of vanity or emotional well-being. Numerous connections spew more negative connotations into the public. This also links directly to the previous material covered that connects public trends with the plastic surgery industry. Besides being an interesting topic, the connection discussed in this section is important and has many implications because it forms the basis for the need to inspect the emotional and psychological elements at the root of such treatment decisions.

From a sociological perspective, the claim that plastic surgery and transformations take a private decision and broadcast it to the public is important. This is useful because it creates a link between identity, appearance, and public scrutiny. From a general public perspective, this is useful because it creates a link between appearance, becoming, and vanity. Furthermore, in a world that suddenly values beauty over health and equates successful aging with health and beauty, it becomes even more important. Media that is increasingly becoming a celebrity era can only make these trends.

Potential Future Developments

In the future, it is likely that techniques and attitudes towards plastic surgery will continue to change. New treatment modalities, such as stem cell delivery to the skin using microneedling devices, face thread lifts, and radiofrequency collagen induction therapy, may change surgical techniques. Techniques for rejuvenating the eyes, such as autologous fat transfer and thread lifts, have recently been developed. Our views and attitudes towards aging and what it means to be beautiful continue to change. The media, and especially celebrities, continue to exert considerable influence over our views about the need for individuals to look younger and thin in order to be attractive and fit into society. The activation of emotions and consumer desires through advertisement can also compel people to undergo cosmetic surgery.

Celebrities’ appearance continues to greatly influence our expectations and choices in cosmetic surgery. Throughout this section, there has been the implicit message that the need and value of carrying out plastic surgery is complicated and that not all operations can, in light of this evidence, be condoned. The costs, in terms of social isolation, money, and even surgical error and psychological distress that patients undergoing operations may face, need to be expressed. However, the legitimizing of the demand for and the practice of aesthetic surgery, as long as it is not harmful to others, does not perpetuate sexist social arrangements and is based on clear and informed consent, needs to be emphasized. Moreover, the need to focus on the prevention of body dysmorphic disorder and to take the health and well-being of the individual patient into account, rather than simply the desire for ethical treatment, has been shown. A serious dialogue on the most effective strategies for fostering societies that are alive to realistic standards of beauty, not based on unattainable and unnatural transformations through the operating theater, is needed.