Getting plastic surgery, particularly a rhinoplasty (also known as a nose job) is quite common in today’s society. But what is uncommon is a doctor going against his patient’s wishes and posting the patient’s pictures on the internet. Most people get the surgery to improve their own self-esteem and expect to have the utmost privacy with their doctor. However one woman did not get the privacy she requested and is deeply humiliated to see that confidentiality broken.
One Queens woman says she is horrified and shocked to see that her plastic surgeon has posted photos of her rhinoplasty on his website. She says that she was asked ahead of time whether she would consent to having the pictures posted online and she stated no. Further she signed a form refusing permission to post the before and after pictures on her doctor’s website; but he still posted a total of four photos.
The woman is married and a mother. She says she had low self-esteem issues and wanted to get a nose job to boost her confidence. The woman went on to state that she is a very private person thus she was shaken and dismayed when she saw that the pictures had been posted on her doctor’s website.
The woman has taken action to sue her plastic surgeon. NBC News states that the complaint reads the woman was, “greatly distressed and humiliated.. exposed to public ridicule.. and greatly injured in her reputation.” The lawsuit names the woman’s plastic surgeon as well as the media company in charge of his website. A representative of the Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights told NBC News, “Photographs may be protected health information (without any other identifying information) if they are ‘full face’ pictures or the equivalent.” The woman is seeking eighteen million dollars in damages.
