My girlfriend here in the Big Apple just got her third face lift. She gets a new one every ten years. Her commitment to her high maintenance regime has prompted me to watch E!’s new reality series, “Dr. 90210”. The show is about the top plastic surgeons and their patients in exclusive Beverly Hills. In one episode Dr. Ray attempts to repair the body of a woman who had four breast surgeries performed by a dentist. In another, he meets two very different women who both want new breast implants. The first woman who is an attractive young mother wants the doctor to give her a tiny boost to her bust while the second woman, who has lost more than a hundred pounds, wants to get in shape with a new set of double-Ds. We then watch Dr. Rey going home after his 18 to 20 daily appointments to work out in his home gym. He feels he must maintain his good looks to keep pace with the high aesthetic standards of Beverly Hills.

Should we risk fooling with Mother Nature? Is it really worth it? These startling statistics show that Americans feel it is. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, from 1997 to 2003, non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as Botox and laser skin resurfacing has grown from 1.1 million to 6.4 million. Botox alone accounted for 27% of all cosmetic procedures in 2003. Overall, cosmetic procedures have increased in the same time period from close to 700,000 procedures performed in the United States in 1997 to more than 8.6 million last year.

This obsession with looking good has fueled other shows as well. MTV's new reality TV show, 'I Want A Famous Face' centers on people who so much want to look like their favorite celebrity, that they're willing to undergo plastic surgery. I know people who adopt the same clothes and hairstyles that make them look like someone famous but having life-altering plastic surgery performed on your face is something else.

In the program, 'Extreme Makeover' three people, Stacey, Stephanie and Luke, were chosen from among thousands of applicants across the country. Through the skills of a group of doctors, a plastic surgeon, an eye surgeon, a cosmetic dentist, and a dream team of hair and makeup artists, stylists and personal trainers, 'Extreme Makeover' transforms this trio's lives.

“The Swan” is a reality TV that takes 16 self-confessed “ugly ducklings” and in just three months turns them into beautiful swans by using every trick in the cosmetic surgery book. Each week, viewers are introduced to two “plain Janes” who are seen going through beauty boot camp. A team of cosmetic surgeons, a cosmetic dentist, a dermatologist, a fitness trainer and a laser eye surgeon work to transform these wannabes into swannabes. In a further twist of the knife, the contestants live in a house with no mirrors so that they can't see the final result until their new look is unveiled on TV.

I said to my friend I’ll continue to watch these shows for some enlightenment. But so far, I have none. The risk of the anesthesia alone scares me. I’ll stick with a better diet, cut down on the fat, the ciggs and the booze and try to get to the gym more often. I thank my lucky stars I am a writer and no one ever has to see me.