This week Heidi Montag revealed that during her recent plastic-surgery extravaganza she had her “back scooped.” Since Heidi doesn’t actually know what that is, for once we’re happy to have some “doctors who do not treat the star” weigh in.
On Ryan Seacrest’s radio show, Heidi’s explained, “I might be the first one to try it. It carves out your back a little bit.” But what does that mean? Did she think her spine looked flabby? Were vertebrae rearranged? Was an ice cream scoop involved? The public wants to know!
To answer these burning questions, the New York Daily News consulted with two plastic surgeons who have never met Heidi. We’re generally against this tabloid practice, but considering her actual plastic surgeon considers Heidi’s constitutional reconstruction a smart career move, we’ll probably get a better answer out of total strangers.
According to Dr. Barry M. Weintraub, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon as well as a spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgery, Heidi is definitely not the the first person to get the procedure. But “back scooping” isn’t really what you’d call it — her doctor just made up a new term for a fairly common procedure which is, “basically micro liposuction of the back.” Dr. Weintraub explains:
“You produce a flatness and a more concave appearance… It is very pretty, aesthetically pleasing and it takes in the waist secondarily, too, because when you measure one’s waist it is not just the front. It goes around to the back.”
Hmm… Let’s get a second opinion from a doctor who doesn’t equate prettiness with meticulous waist measurement. Dr. William Sampson, associate chief of plastic surgery at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, tells the Daily News that contouring procedures are becoming more popular, and are often performed on people who have lost a lot of weight from gastric bypass surgery and want to get rid of loose skin. “Some people just prefer to target that back area,” says Sampson.
Since Heidi never gained and quickly lost 300 pounds (now we’re just giving her ideas), it seems she just left “back lipo” off her initial list of procedures, which included “liposuction on waist, hips, and inner and outer thighs.” But giving the procedure a new gimmicky name — “back-scooping” just sounds fabulous, no? — earned Heidi another minute and a half of inane banter on The View‘s “Hot Topics” this week, so mission accomplished.
What Is ‘Back Scooping’? Heidi Montag’s Plastic Surgery Procedure Is Fairly Common, Docs Say [N.Y. Daily News]
The View: Hot Topics: Heidi Montag [Hulu]
Earlier: More Plastic Surgery For Heidi; Sandra Fears Jesse Will Kill Her
Heidi’s Doctor: Plastic Surgery “A Well Thought Out Career Move”
Just Perfect: People Glamorizes Plastic Surgery Addiction