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Who Did Nancy Pelosi's New Face?
No fan of her politics, either, he concluded: “This plastic surgeon hopes she will be given lots of free time to pursue these procedures, after the next midterm elections :-)”
One reason politicians are so much quieter about their work than the Hollywood set is that nobody wants to be considered vain or frivolous, especially during a period of angst. And all are fearful of ridicule or, worse, antagonizing voters back home. “Politicians are very secretive about their procedures,” says Washington’s Dr. Ronald Perlman, who has pictures on his wall of Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Rosalynn Carter, and Donald Trump—although he vehemently denies ever working on any of them. “They know they need to keep up, and people remember how they look, not what they say.”
Eyelid lifts, which brighten the face and require little downtime, are his most popular surgeries. Dr. Perlman, like many other anti-aging practitioners, accommodates patients by working before- and after-hours, weekends, holidays, and during recesses and vacation breaks. Some clear their offices when security necessitates. For high-profile figures seeking total confidentiality, almost all will make house calls to remove sutures or check a lift.
A number of congresswomen and men surreptitiously opt for what dermatologist Dr. Tina West calls “a facelift in a syringe,” a lunchtime office procedure involving a variety of fillers to provide soft contours and plump up sagging, hollow cheeks. “Fillers are the key to looking younger,” she observes.
They’re ideal for politicians because they are low maintenance, can be done without a trace, and eliminate any bruising or recuperation time involved in drastic surgery. Quick-fix fillers like Restylane, Juvéderm, and Botox have also gone mainstream. “I’ll bet they have Botox parties on the floor of the US Senate in the evenings,” says Dr. Cohen. Mini facelifts or incremental tucks are also in vogue because they are relatively unnoticeable if done on a consistent basis over the years.
Which brings me back to Nancy. According to Michael Olding, chairman of plastic surgery at George Washington University Hospital, the old-fashioned Barbie doll look is long gone—less is more is the newest motto. “Looking pulled like a hood ornament is no longer acceptable. What everyone wants is a natural, more alert look,” he says. “When someone has a face that does not move correctly, especially on TV, they have a serious problem.”
When I asked if he was referring to Nancy Pelosi, he went quiet. Dr. Cohen was more frank—he says she is “victim of West Coast surgery.” (Interestingly, a number of doctors pointed out a marked difference in procedures performed in the West—meaning Beverly Hills, where everyone wants a flashy tight look, à la Joan Rivers—to those in the Northeast, where a less attention-grabbing face is de rigueur.)
Another faux pas: over-the-top Clorox gleaming grins. “Teeth should be subtle, not Hollywood bright,” says dentist Eugene Giannini, who specializes in helping VIPs with veneers, crowns, and ceramics. Too bad for Lou Dobbs.
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
The New, Improved John Kerry
Sandra McElwaine is a Washington-based journalist. She has been a reporter for The Washington Star, The Baltimore Sun, a correspondent for CNN and People and Washington editor of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Currently she writes for The Washington Post, Time and Forbes.
My Iranian Prison
Sandra McElwaine is a Washington-based journalist. She has been a reporter for The Washington Star, The Baltimore Sun, a correspondent for CNN and People and Washington editor of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Currently she writes for The Washington Post, Time and Forbes.
Michelle's Time to Shine
Sandra McElwaine is a Washington-based journalist. She has been a reporter for The Washington Star, The Baltimore Sun, a correspondent for CNN and People and Washington editor of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Currently she writes for The Washington Post, Time and Forbes.
Beauty comes from within. That females are so youth-obsessed (or is it simple vanity?) reflects how phony everyone in society is. Well, maybe not everyone, but most folk are buying into the youthful look crap. On top of that, everyone is a pimp, selling themselves or something. Why did we become such a superficial society? Because we've empower the assholes:
http://fentrosphere.blogspot.com
Enjoy your wealth Mrs. Pelosi; Enjoy the face lift. But never forget the mutants who can't or chose not to go under the knife. Their beauty comes from within.
...and it's still a mystery.
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I'm not going to be able to afford a face lift if she keeps spending all my money !
I don't like her, trust her and feel she is a hypocrite. She must be brilliant to have gotten to her position. But she absolutely inspires everyone that waches her to walk away feeling she is not for real. All that said, she had a very good job done.!!And no,she should not fly in a private, jet and gush all that extra fuel,HURT THE ENVIRONMENT and use a jet at 10,000 an hour. when we have to pinch our pennies. Walk the airports, all of the politicians.That would help our deficit.
When is Pelosi going to reimburse Americans for all the private trips she took on military aircraft (did the broom break?)? She's an enemy of the state with regard to immigration. Perhaps soon she'll realize her true calling and move south of the border to bamboozle those folks. No matter what she looks like on the outside, she's still a selfish, self-serving representative that doesn't care about the American people or even California.
Another female journalist reporting on female appearance. Pathetic. Cosmetic enhancement is a taboo subject in Washington? WHO THE HELL CARES? Worthless article. More of the usual snarky, divisive "reporting" posing as news.
I think Nancy looks great...btw, she is probably one of the wealthiest member in congress and she can afford it if she did have something done. Leave her alone. We don't know what really happens out there. Anytime there is a strong woman, she is called a b____, yet we often admire strong men.
Can The Beast possibly get more shallow? Who cares about this dreck?! What earthly difference does it make about the way she does her job?
WHOEVER DID NACY'S PLASTIC< SURGERY, IS MASTERFULL< SHE LOOKS GEORGOUS, SHE WAS BEFORE THE SURGERY< BUT EVEN MORE SO NOW
jenny4hill - "Another female journalist reporting on female appearance. " Great comment. This article reminds me of Katty Kay's article about how bad it is for her at the White House because she doesn't know anything about sports. Or Laura Ingraham referring to McCain's daughter as "plus-sized". Why do we see that stuff, especially here?
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE YOUTHFUL, BUT IT WOULD BE REFRESHING, IF PEOPLE KEPT< THEIR WRINKLES, AS THOSE OF US, THAT CAN'T AFFORD PLASTIC SURGERY, MUST DO< I DOUBT THAT I WOULD, IF I WAS WEALTHY
YARROW - SHOULD YOU BUY A NEW KEYBOARD? JUST CURIOUS.
We are in the 21th century. What good is it to have all these wonderful discoveries if we don't use them. Get a Lift.
What exactly is the point of this article? I live in Orange County, California. Try and find a woman over 45 that hasn't had something done! Nancy looks great for her age, she doesn't look artificial. (If you dislike Nancy's politics, that's fine. But this article has nothing to do with that.)
This article isn't about substance, it's attacking a person because of their looks. Why is this article even here? Daily Beast, I expect more from you....
I hope the low brow sow overdoses on botox!
I've always thought the speaker was an attractive lady. If it takes a little nip tuck to keep her self esteem high so what!! I know I want a strong confident leader. As it's well known if you look good you feel good. In these troubled times any little advantage will help. Or as my neice says" Get over it, it's not that serious.
Read this on a starbucks cup - a quote by Maleleine Albright (or something to this effect):
"There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women"
Yup - sounds about right.
All animal testing is horrific, but botox animal testing is cruel in the extreme. I have no respect for anyone who is so vain and ignorant that she has no problem using a poison whose dosages are determined through the tormenting and killing of innocent animals and whose physiologies differ greatly from ours. It's bad ethics AND bad science.
I thought Pelosi was actually 70, not 69. And who did this Diva's face?
Another exceedingly important and substantive article submitted to the DB by the incredibly intellectual Sandra McElwaine! Thank you for giving this country the news it really needs to get back on track
I've lived in coastal Orange County for 20 years, am over 45 and have not undergone any cosmetic procedures, unlike so many around me.
What this article hints at is the misconception that any procedure is a "one and done" event. Au contraire. Once on the plastic surgery merry-go-round, there is no end, simply varying intervals of upkeep. High-maintenance narcissism? No, thank you.
As I tell my friends on the open market, caveat emptor.
I could spend the good part of the day recounting plastic surgery horror stories -- all the people who suffer from this modern form of foot binding. It's so clear that some beauty fetishes are evil, when they aren't part of one's own culture. It's nasty to blame the victim of a culture for succumbing to its pressures.
The truth about plastic surgery is that it's always detectable. If not by the eye, by the camera. The camera is unforgiving. Even the slightest lip plumping the camera picks up.
The delusion people have when they sign up for cosmetic surgery is that there must be many who go undetected, and they will be one of those lucky ones, not one of the casualties.
And sometimes that delusional mentality goes all the way to creating a Joan Rivers or a Michael Jackson. But it doesn't have to go that far. Everyone looks weird afterward. And feels weird too. If one or two say they don't, they are in the .001 percentile. And that brings up the REAL issue: there is no data for these heinous procedures. It's just cash up front and you take what you get. And there's almost zero legal recourse since it is elective.
Buyer -- and culture victim -- be ware.
Nancy Pelosi looks weird. But not as weird as some.
Ugh. Pelosi's "deer in the headlights" looks are superceded by her unattractive personality.
Ardeth,
Animal testing? That explains alot... no wonder it's so popular in L.A. (They don't have to bother with the animals...) They have actually found medical uses for botox, lock-jaw and migraines. It's also Hollywoods new diet plan :) Use enough botox in your face and you can't open your mouth... the weigh just flies off...
Thank you.
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