i-newswire Press Release
Dec 24 2004
Dr. Kassabian announced the three finalists in the “Most Armenian
Nose Contest”, the contest was called “The Biggest Nose” or “The Most
Crooked Nose.
i-Newswire, 2004-12-24 – There is a new wrinkle in the world’s
growing fascination with youth and beauty. Garo Kassabian, MD
acclaimed board-certified plastic surgeon of Beverly Hills, headed up
the judging and surgical team in the Armenian version of Extreme
Makeover (WCVB, Ch. 5).
Just returning from Yerevan, Armenia’s capital city; Kassabian
announced the three finalists in the “Most Armenian Nose Contest”,
won free cosmetic surgery donated by him and his team as the top
prize. Staged as a publicity campaign and fundraiser for a new
surgery wing at Saint Nerses the Great Hospital, Kassabian sat on a
panel of renowned artists and show business personalities and judged
what was believed to be the most outstanding female and male nose in
the country. Dr. Kassabian also volunteered to perform substantial
reductions to the three unseemly proboscises.
“It’s human nature to want to improve on what Mother Nature has given
you,” states Kassabian. Garo subscribes to a credo that in cosmetic
surgery “less is more” with less invasive, mini procedures performed
at a younger age. The philosophy “looking good, feels goods” has been
the cornerstone of his successful practice established in 2000.
Kassabian’s comprehensive health and beauty center features water
fountains and a bamboo stand on a penthouse terrace, a dermatological
day spa and an on premise surgery theater in the heart of Beverly
Hill’s Golden Triangle.
The three contestants were chosen from photos that were submitted
through a massive outreach in newspapers, magazines, word-of-mouth
and onsite visitations to Saint Nerses Hospital. Within a week after
the competition was announced 200 contestants had nosed their way in
with thirty new applicants daily.
At its inception the contest was called “The Biggest Nose” or “The
Most Crooked Nose”. The organizers soon realized the pejorative tone
of those titles and decided to adopt the practically patriotic
slogan, “the Most Armenian Nose”. “About 80 percent of the
contestants were women,” states Narineh Aslanyan, the Hospital’s
spokesperson. “It was a new and fresh idea. There had never been a
contest like this in the region and, as far as we knew, there had
never been a similar contest anywhere in the world.” The question
most frequently asked by the applicants was “Whether their ‘most
Armenian nose’ would be made public.” Aslanyan replied, “While he
would take the winning contestant’s privacy into account, in order to
bolster contributions for the cause there were plans to show the
‘before’ and ‘after’ photos on television. Photos available on
Request.
One of the primary criteria in the selection process of the “Most
Armenian Nose” was choosing a nose that had little or no
compatibility with the face it graced,” commented Kassabian. In the
case of the three finalists, the size and stature of their noses had
become a hindrance, some even would call hideous. The winning male
contestant’s nose had in fact been broken in five places. The average
cost of rhinoplastey surgery in Yerevan is about $350-400 compared to
$8,000 in the United States, making such procedures a luxury beyond
average means.
It appears reasonable that the nose, a symbol of dignity and respect
in many societies throughout antiquity, should be among the first and
a recurring subject in the history of plastic and reconstructive
surgery. Kassabian commented that reshaping the “Most Armenian Nose”
involved complementing characteristics normally associated with
Armenian beauty – the broad forehead, big almond eyes, and expressive
eyebrows. Kassabian not only volunteered all of his travel expenses
but also performed the three surgeries as a contribution to bettering
the winning candidates’ lives and raising funds for the Hospital. In
fact the contest garnered sufficient capital to begin construction on
the wing with completion projected in 2005.
The top finalist was an aspiring performer who claimed the new look
gave him confidence to seek out a dream job as a TV spokesperson. He
edged out his competition by a nose. So to answer the question “would
their “new nose” be made public? In the case of the winner, it was a
resounding “Yes!” and by choice. Kassabian’s mastery of the technique
“Not only radically improved their overall appearance, but it helped
them breathe better. His benevolent cosmetic surgery was the key to
their better looks, self-confidence and health. Dr. Kassabian can be
found at
Submitted by: Cristiane Roget and Andrea
–Boundary_(ID_Vg2UxcQI72yvrQL+r7t/QQ)–