You shouldn’t feel ashamed if you don’t entirely accept your appearance. In fact, a lot of men and women don’t. We’re living in a world where people are aiming at perfection and in the last several years it’s been shifting towards our bodies. See? There’s nothing wrong about desiring a slight improvement whether due to inevitable aging, giving birth or even an accident. However, before you decide to undergo cosmetic surgery, you shouldn’t be focusing on the benefits solely but also consider the possible risks such a procedure may entail.
All You Need to Know about Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgery is a procedure that aims at enhancing one’s physical appearance. It is commonly mistaken for plastic surgery, however, you can’t use those two terms interchangeably. There are clear differences between them. While plastic surgery focuses on repairing skin and tissue damage caused by burns, accidents, birth defects, cosmetic surgery is a procedure one opts to in order to simply look and feel better.
The scope of cosmetic surgery is wide and usually includes procedures such as:
- breast enhancement
- facelift
- liposuction
- tummy tuck
- upper and lower lid blepharoplasty
- laser resurfacing
- brow lifting
- midface lift
- ear pinning
- and transgender care
As you may have noticed, the above list consists of procedures that aim at reshaping our body so that the proportions, symmetry and aesthetic appeal are improved. Cosmetic surgery is not limited to face, it can be performed on other body parts as long as they function normally. Otherwise, we are dealing with plastic surgery.
Before you decide to undergo any procedure, however, you should consider three fundamental factors, i.e. requirements, cost, and safety.
Not everyone can be qualified for cosmetic surgery. There are certain criteria that indicate if you’re an eligible candidate. Your surgeon will ask you several questions related to your general health, presence of chronic diseases, and mental status. Also, if you’re a smoker, you will be asked to quit for at least two weeks before the procedure.
Perhaps one of the first factors most patients consider is the cost. Cosmetic surgery is quite pricey and the simplest procedure can equal to several hundred dollars. When choosing your clinic, however, you shouldn’t focus on the price solely because it’s a secondary determinant. Instead, pay attention to surgeons’ reputation and don’t forget to check before & after photos.
There are literally very few side effects of cosmetic surgery. It is considered a low invasive surgical interference and less than 1% of patients experience complications. However, doctors warn about having certain procedures performed abroad where the prices are much lower. Such cosmetic trips can indeed end up pretty nasty and make you pay twice.
Advantages of Cosmetic Surgery
The main goal of cosmetic surgery is to make you happy. With technological and medical advancements as well as new forms of treatment being developed on a daily basis, patients can really benefit from such a procedure. Let’s have a look at some of the most prominent pros of cosmetic surgery.
Improved Physical Appearance
Tired of belly fat or depressed by your big nose? Perhaps your breasts are not the perfect ones. Whatever the reason, cosmetic surgery will improve your physical appearance and make you feel better about yourself. Everyone should be positive about their body but if you’re struggling, consider undergoing a small cosmetic procedure.
Higher Self-Esteem
Along with your desired appearance goes confidence. Your mental well-being is as important as your physical health. Patients are usually happy with the results, which translates to better social life and lack of insecurities.
Visible Results
Most cosmetic procedures allow you to enjoy long-term, if not permanent effects. Patients tend to worry that they’ll have to “go under the knife” several times in order to maintain their desired look. It’s not entirely true as breast implants should be replaced once every 10-20 years, facelift lasts for even 15 years, and rhinoplasty is a permanent solution. Also, the results are visible almost instantly (after the recovery period of course).
Physical Health Targeted
Sometimes patients experience physical health improvement too. For instance, people who underwent liposuction can be more active, do sports, which directly translates to cardiovascular benefits. Patients after rhinoplasty can usually breathe easier, especially if they suffered from respiratory problems.
Accessibility
Today patients can benefit from lower prices of cosmetic procedures compared to what they were like 15-20 years ago. It’s mainly due to high demand and a huge number of surgical clinics available. Individuals who want to undergo a cosmetic procedure are offered discounts and some treatments can even be covered by your insurance.
Disadvantages of Cosmetic Surgery
Just like any surgical procedure or treatment, there’s a risk and certain downsides that patients may experience. If you’re planning on “having something done”, consider the following cons of cosmetic surgery so that you can make an informed decision.
Recovery
Even though recovery time is not really long, a lot of patients find it a big disadvantage. Most procedures require about 2-3 weeks of reduced (or none) physical activity and certain pain expectations. It can be highly unfavorable but then we’ve got tattoos that take up to several months to fully heal and it never seems to be a problem.
Addiction
Nowadays, everything in this world can be addictive including cosmetic procedures. We’ve all seen patients whose face look plastic and… simply ugly. Doctors mainly associate it with a psychological problem. They even coined a special term for it – Body Dysmorphic Disorder and people with symptoms of BDD seem to be obsessive about their physical appearance. The result? Excessive changes in your body that can lead to depression.
Unsuccessful Procedures
Mistakes happen and even though the risk is quite low you should bear in mind that the results may not meet your expectations. It’s not always the surgeon’s fault though. You can never predict what your face or body will look like with those “new adjustments” so a surprise and a little disappointment are quite common. However, after getting used to it, you may find yourself positive about the change. Remember that you can always ask for corrections.
Other People’s Disapproval
Sometimes you may be happy with the effects of your cosmetic procedure but other people around you simply put you down. It’s a serious problem and can even lead to depression. The truth is, it’s your body and you’re the only one that chooses how to take care of it. Don’t let anyone neither influence your decisions nor make you feel miserable.
Conclusion
Every medical procedure has certain ins and outs and surely there’s a lot to consider before you decide for cosmetic surgery. However, it has a lot of benefits to offer and the risk of complications is close to zero. If you’re not entirely satisfied with your body, why not taking advantage of today’s advanced medicine? After all, we want to live a happy life and a little doctor’s interference never hurt anyone.
It’s interesting to know that along with your desired appearance goes confidence. My sister is thinking about fixing a lip imperfection, and we are looking for advice. I will let her know about the benefits of plastic surgery to help with her decision.
Thank you for your post. Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.