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THE PAGEANT As more than 10 million viewers watched the May 24 finale, Merline (left), Sarina and Beth showed their form in the swimsuit competition; a svelte Kelly A. posed in lingerie (with her "before" self superimposed alongside).

Nor, they say, did they foist any unwanted surgeries on their patients. "One of the criticisms that was levied against the show, too, was that we would just do these surgeries with these patients not comprehending what they were getting into," says Haworth. "In fact, most of the patients came in knowing that they had a certain physical complaint such as their nose. Then afterward, they would say, 'Well, Doc, what else would you do to make me look better?' So then I would look at them, analyze them and offer them a game plan."

Still, colleagues in the medical profession say The Swan's surgeons may have been all too ready to put contestants under the knife; they also wonder why 13 of the contestants needed breast enhancements and 16 got brow lifts-a procedure not usually done on younger patients. ("They had brow droop," retorts Haworth.) "Too many procedures are being done at once," says Dr. Ronald Moy, president of the American Society of Dermatological Surgeons. "As a dermatological surgeon, I'm on the less invasive side. These shows create the perception that a patient's appearance can be changed radically without risk. Risk in surgery goes up with multiple procedures and time under general anesthesia."

Kathy Rickers (in a post-op visit with plastic surgeon Randal Haworth, right) underwent 14 cosmetic procedures.

Or as model (and plastic surgery veteran) Janice Dickinson puts it: "Get a grip. The idea of the extreme makeover is disturbing." Dickinson, 49, who recently underwent a face-lift with Beverly Hills surgeon Dr. Frank H Ryan, shudders: "People can die from these total makeovers. It's not something you should take lightly."

For her part, makeup artist Bobbi Brown believes that, in many cases, a swipe of blush and a flick of mascara could have done almost as much for the contestants. "This show is sending such a bad message to women - that something is wrong with what they look like and they need to go under the knife," she says. "Hey, if you don't like your body, what's wrong with exercising and eating right? If I could have gotten my hands on any of the girls, I would have said, 'Give me 12 weeks - let's go exercise, change your diet, do beautiful makeup and work on your self-esteem.'"

Until it's that simple, however, women who want to see more immediate results can look forward to The Swan 2. The series had been picked up for another season, and "there may be surprises coming soon," promises Galán. (Hint: Very average Joes are in luck.)

In the meantime, she says, her wedge of Swans is flying high: "I talk to them every week," she says. "The husbands are treating them like gold! Kelly Backer got engaged! And a lot of guys are pursuing them, so that's really fun."

Happily ever after? Stay tuned.

RATING THE MAKEOVERS
Face	Teeth	Hair	Breasts	Fashion	Makeup
Marnie Rygiewicz (above) and the other Swannabes wound up looking "like a Barbie doll" says Dr. Howard Sobel, a New York based dermatologic surgeon. "They were able to blink their eyes, and that's it. They are so botoxed." If the procedure is done well, "you'll still have some natural expression." The Swans, he says, "are going to be hard-pressed to show emotion."	There's not much to smile about, says Dr. John Ivey, a Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist. One Swan's teeth "appear too white," making her look "like Minnie Mouse"; another has veneers only on the front, so the backs look "caved-in." Merlin Norman (above) "needed orthodontia," he says, not "overpowering" veneers. For her part, Norman says her teeth "look amazing."	"They are the Stepford Wives of hair," opines New York stylist John Barrett. "They all have the same hairdo. They are all a little bit too long." The styles, he says, "are not reality-based. It is an idea of sexy, but it is not what men want. Men want something that looks approachable and sensual." The best - Belinda Bessant (above): "The bangs are just perfect. The coloring is beautiful."	"There was a lot of cleavage going on," notes stylist Philip Bloch. Of the 16, 11 got breast augmentations (including Andrea, above), three had breast lifts and only one had a breast reduction. "We expected them to want to go smaller," says The Swan's Dr. Dubrow, "but I think they've been used to watching Pam Anderson on Baywatch for all these years."	"This was the best of prom queen pageant dressing," says stylist to the stars Philip Bloch of The Swan's finale. "Don't get me wrong - the dresses could have been worse." But the gowns adorning Kelly Becker (above) and her rivals "are not what Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow would wear down the red carpet. They were a little matronly and clichéd."	"I think they looked pretty good," says makeup artist Carol Shaw, who has worked with Nicole Kidman, Meg Ryan and Debra Messing. "None of them looked too hard. Their skin was shiny and pretty. I think that most [including Cindy Ingle, above] of these girls would look pretty with less makeup, too. But when you're in this pageant situation, you have to glam it up."

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