Vanity of vanities….Would you?

[dextrous63]

Over the last few years I have lost a fair amount of weight.  My old large tummy obviously exerted pressure on my Xiphoid (a cartilage at the base of the sternum which ossifies as one gets older).  Now that my my belly is no more, there are two "issues".  One is the obvious excess skin.


But the other is the fact that my Xiphoid protrudes somewhat.  Doesn't hurt nor create any problems, but it does look odd.  The cost to have it removed would be around £3k.


Whaddya reckon?  Or, failing any thoughts on that, have you or anyone you know of had vanity based surgery, or would you consider having one if the price was right?  If so, then feel free to divulge.😬😉

[Diasi]

Over the last few years I have lost a fair amount of weight.  My old large tummy obviously exerted pressure on my Xiphoid (a cartilage at the base of the sternum which ossifies as one gets older).  Now that my my belly is no more, there are two "issues".  One is the obvious excess skin.


But the other is the fact that my Xiphoid protrudes somewhat.  Doesn't hurt nor create any problems, but it does look odd.  The cost to have it removed would be around £3k.


Whaddya reckon?  Or, failing any thoughts on that, have you or anyone you know of had vanity based surgery, or would you consider having one if the price was right?  If so, then feel free to divulge.😬😉

The obvious question to me is what are the associated risks of getting it removed.

The phrase "if it ain't broke" springs to mind.

[Alex]

I wouldn't go in for any vanity surgery, not at this age anyway. 

[dextrous63]

Thanks for the replies.  I suppose one has to ask oneself "how much is this bugging me?"  Personally, I flit between not a lot and quite a bit.

As for the age point, looking back throughout your life, if you'd had the money (or it was a freebie gift or prize), would you have had the surgery?

[klondike]

I'd say if it is risk free, you can afford it and suffer some embarrassment from your appearance then go for it.

I woudn't myself but that's because I don't give a stuff what people think of my appearance. I would like to lose some weight though but that's on health grounds as I'm into the over weight category now and have been for some years.

[GrannyMac]

All surgery carries risks, so I probably wouldn't go for it.  

[Michael Rolls]

that would be my feeling

[1955vintage]

Having had two major surgeries in a week this year, the idea of any surgery that is not crucial does not appeal to me.

[Scrumpy]

Thanks for the replies.  I suppose one has to ask oneself "how much is this bugging me?"  Personally, I flit between not a lot and quite a bit.

As for the age point, looking back throughout your life, if you'd had the money (or it was a freebie gift or prize), would you have had the surgery?

'Not a lot and quite a bit'

When you can say 'Not at all' that is when vanity surgery doesn't matter.. 

Looking back over my life would I have had vanity surgery ? Yes.. If it made me more confident in my appearance I certainly would..

[Michael Rolls]

well, I have long recognised that I am probably the second ugliest guy on the planet (someone must be worse?) in the immortal words of Rhett Butler  'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!'

[Alex]

If I'd had the money in my 30s say, yes I'd have had surgery but not now.  I do care about my appearance, I still wear makeup and have my hair coloured - but that's for me, not for anyone else.

[Raven]

No, I'd never go under the knife for vanity, if I was in some sort of accident that left me disfigured then yes, if it brought me back to normal.

[dextrous63]

For information purposes, I know a recently retired heart surgeon who told me that it takes around 7-10 minutes to remove a Xiphoid.  (He'd had to do it in the past as it's sometimes necessary during heart surgery).

[klondike]

Still a general anaesthetic though. Some can have adverse reactions to anaesthetics. I do to some. I've had to stay overnight twice after what was supposed to be day surgery now. The effect on me is a highly elevated blood pressure. I am due for another dupuytrens op and asked the consultant to make sure it would be under a regional block. He said it would be but I wonder.

[JBR]

The xiphisternum is not an essential structure and, I believe, can be easily removed.
There is a slight chance that, if it is lover-long or malformed and CPR should ever need to be performed, incorrect positioning could push it into the liver or other structure beneath causing damage.

Personally, if it bothers you, I'd have it out.
But £3grand?