She approached Dr. Jonathan Sykes, MD, who she had known socially. And, as the court document states, Georgette went through a consultation and then agreed to undergo five separate cosmetic procedures. "Sykes told her that the goal was to make her look natural after the surgery," according to the court.

As Georgette describes it, "I was under the impression the result would be very subtle. I really trusted this surgeon and thought he would do only what was in my best interest."

Unfortunately, things didn't turn out that way. Georgette was dismayed at the results of her surgery, which she said left her with one eyebrow higher than the other and a permanently overly open-eyed, surprised look on her face. She sued for malpractice. In what turned out to be an even more significant action, she also created a web site: www.mysurgerynightmare.com.

On her site, Georgette posts pictures of herself before and after surgery, shares the research she had conducted about finding the right doctor, and also shares her motivation for creating the site by saying, "My hopes are to inform and educate because when I originally looked into cosmetic surgery on the Internet there was very little information from a patient's perspective."

The response to Georgette's site has been phenomenal. The impact was so great, in fact, that Dr. Sykes filed a multi-tort cross-complaint in the malpractice action, claiming he had suffered a loss of business and defamation of character. By that time Georgette's site had become the subject of blogs, newspaper articles, magazines, and plastic surgery Web sites across the nation. Ultimately, the cross-complaint was reversed. As a limited purpose public figure, Dr. Sykes was legally bound to make prima facie (give evidence) showing that the statements in Georgette's site were false and of malicious intent. And, of course, simply showing photos of her before and after results was neither false nor malicious. It simply tells her story.

And yet, the case has raised a lot of questions about a patient's legal right to share their story after enduring, what they consider to be, a plastic surgery nightmare.

Most people who have negative experiences with plastic surgery don't tell their story, either from shame, embarrassment, or fear of legal action. It can be scary, but it's also a brave move, and an important one. As one blogger put it, "It is a real service to the public to have a public forum and it's completely protected by freedom of speech. People should not be bullied by their doctor to be quiet - they are entitled to tell others about their experience and educate the public. Thank you Georgette."

I applaud Georgette as well. After all, I live in the same region, and I want to know, should I decide to have something done, who's got the track record I'm looking for. That's what we all want, isn't it? And one of the best ways to do this is to your homework in advance.

But we can only really do that kind of homework if people like Georgette speak up and share it with the rest of us. It's unfortunate that so many of the other Georgettes out there feel shamed into silence. And they do. I'm sure of it. A Google search confirms that there are thousands of plastic surgery experience stories on the Internet. But stories about bad experiences? Virtually nil.

Just seeing Georgette's photos speaks volumes: it's all there on her face. This woman went through multiple surgeries, each time hoping that the damage from earlier surgeries would finally be repaired. She then went through one court proceeding after another, defending herself against this man who she had trusted to give her a "natural look." Finally, as a caution to others, she posted her photos for the world to see.

Since I am considering a minor procedure myself, I talked with some trusted doctors and former patients in response to seeing Georgette's web site. Is there any way to make sure I get a good result? Well, one of my wise advisors answered me with an immediate and blunt: "no, there simply are no guarantees." And that is what makes Georgette's web site so moving, and so profound. But there are some ways to be proactive, to help improve the odds.

If you're new to plastic surgery, start by reading Body Philosophy's Beginner's Guide To Choosing a Surgeon. And here's some more good advice from trusted docs:

1. Stay away from doctors who are preoccupied or distracted, promise unrealistic results, who don't explain the risks or the procedure, or who don't seem to understand what you truly want. Dr. Joel Schlessinger, President of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, also warns against spa-type surgery centers. Make sure you're dealing with a surgeon who is board-certified for the type of procedure you're having.

2. Visit more than one doctor before committing to surgery, and make sure to discuss all facets of the surgery. Interview them as if you were hiring them for a job - you are!

3. And my favorite piece of advice is this: Ask each surgeon you interview to let you see before and after photos of recent patients. Expect to see many. Then ask for the names and contact information for several recent patients who had the same procedure you're considering. You may even ask to observe the exact procedure you are considering before you decide to have the surgery (either on videotape or live). This is probably as close as you can get to trying before you buy. Once you've done your homework, you will be more prepared for the surgical experience, and you'll have improved your odds for a good outcome.

Having seen Georgette's web site, I will never look at plastic surgery quite the same way again. It tells a story we all instinctively know is true: every plastic surgery does not result in perfection. There are amazing results, fair results, and even disastrous results like Georgette Gilbert's. Let's hope that, in the future, more and more people who have suffered a similar fate will step forward to warn the rest of us - because if we share this kind of information with one another, we'll all be much better served.

If you or someone you know would like to share a Plastic Surgery Horror Story, please contact Mara@body-philosophy.com.