Com_150_-_Negative_and_Positive_Effects_of_Cosmetic_Surgery

Negative and Positive Effects How many individuals are electing cosmetic surgery' The number of individuals electing cosmetic surgery is growing rapidly each year. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2009 almost 10 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed (Press Center, 2009). Since 1997, the Aesthetic Society has collected statistics. The number of cosmetic procedures has increased 147 percent since tracking of procedures begun (Press Center, 2009). Much of this rapid growth is because of advances in technology that have made plastic surgery techniques both safer and more affordable as well as cutting down on recovery time. Cosmetic surgery improves body image and self-esteem and reconstructive surgery fixes irregularities such as hereditary disorders, birth defects, and other health issues. These surgeries are an extremely popular method enhancing self-esteem but there are risks an individual should know before acquiring a surgical procedure. Cosmetic surgery has been practiced for years but can be harmful. Many individuals may expose themselves to an expensive addiction if they are not satisfied with the original results. However, these surgeries can be beneficial by positively shaping many aspects of patients’ lives, especially if complications do not arise. Although individuals are largely unaffected by the risks and eager to obtain surgery, it is important to emphasize the negative and positive effects when considering surgery. Generally all surgeries have certain risk factors. Individuals considering surgery place themselves at risk of certain medical and appearance conditions. It is important to be aware of any complications that may occur such as an adverse effect to anesthesia. For example, complications or risks of anesthesia include blood clots, stroke, and heart palpitations. A certified surgeon will do their best to minimize any complications but patients should be aware of medical and appearance conditions that have the potential to occur. Because surgery involves altering the physical appearance, the surgeon will need to make alterations to the skin that may cause unwanted effects such as asymmetry or other irregularities. With any surgery scarring is expected, but the surgeon will be able to minimize the risk of scarring after the procedure. However, there are ways to help reduce the risks and complications of surgery. First, the potential patient should choose an appropriate surgeon. The patient will need to locate a surgeon who specializes in cosmetic or reconstructive surgery procedures. When conducting research on appropriate surgeons, ensure recognition by the American Board of Medical Specialties. The American Board of Medical Specialties includes the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Second, when the patient has located a potential surgeon deemed suitable, the patient should request proof of the surgeon’s certifications and successful surgeries. Third, the patient and surgeon should have a consultation. Patients will be potentially more pleased with the outcome of surgery if reachable goals are established prior to surgery. Finally, if the surgeon deems the patient acceptable for surgery, the patient can schedule an appointment. After surgery, the patient should follow the instruction of the surgeon to have a safe and healthy recovery process without negative effects. For this purpose, negative effects of surgery are an important part of the decision process. The patients should be attentive of the importance to have realistic expectations when acquiring a surgical procedure. The website WebMD (2011) explains that cosmetic surgery may not be right for an individual who is unhappy with his or her overall appearance. These particular individuals are likely to want to obtain more than one procedure to fix many parts of their body. Patients expecting dramatic results have the potential to experience periods of depression or anxiety. Furthermore, postoperative depression can be common with surgery. Although surgeons are confident that a surgery is successful, some patients endure feelings of misery and despair that may last weeks after the surgery. Depression can have many causes; it is unknown why it occurs in patients who have cosmetic or reconstructive surgery. Some specific symptoms of post operative depression include loss of energy, appetite, and lack of interest in recovering. The abovementioned symptoms can interfere with recuperation. During the recovery process, patients may isolate themselves because the results of the surgery are not automatically seen. In particular, to prepare for post surgery, patients should be knowledgeable that all surgeries are not everlasting and may require follow-up procedures. If the results are unpleasing to the patient, they may want to acquire additional surgeries. The patient should also not make assumptions or expect people to be pleased with the new image. The new image may be too dramatic or the results may not be fitting for the patient. Therefore, patients may experience unwanted attention or disappointment when changing their appearance from close friends, family, and the workplace. The changes to physical appearance may cause social challenges involving disapproving looks and stares. The changes may cause the patient to be isolated or bitter toward others. Challenges such as disapproving looks may be hard to manage emotionally and mentally for several reasons. A reason disapproving looks and stares are challenging is that surgery results may not appear until days or weeks after the surgery. Patients should realize that initially their physical appearance will be significantly worse. Another reason is the results from the surgery may not have been the desired results the patient wanted. An example of an unwanted result is intending to improve a part of the body, but the results are too dramatic. The patient’s physical appearance may appear worse than before the surgery. Choosing the appropriate type of surgery is detrimental for the patient. For instance, Rhinoplasty surgery is a popular procedure that reconstructs a patient’s nose. Rhinoplasty is valuable for individuals that were unaccepted or teased because of a larger or wider nose. Breast augmentation is another popular procedure for women. If a woman would want to reduce her breast size because of severe back pain, she would be a good candidate for this procedure. Reducing the breast size would not be such a revealing procedure. In comparison, an individual who has smaller breasts may elect this surgery to enlarge the breasts dramatically. Breast implant surgery may cause people to stare or have a negative perception of the individual. Liposuction removes fat from deposits under the skin using a cannula tube and a powerful vacuum. This surgery assists with removing fat for a better appearance and health reasons. The aforementioned procedures are among the most popular surgeries. Patients have the potential to gain many positive benefits from most of these procedures. In particular there are positive effects of cosmetic surgery such as an enhanced quality of life. An enhanced quality of life represents the improvement of an individual’s emotional, physical, psychological, and social well-being. According to The Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery (2011) website, in 2005 the American Society of Plastic Surgeons performed a study that found 75 percent of the patients chose cosmetic surgery to improve his or her appearance and have a more active lifestyle. The study also included that 75 percent of the patients expressed emotional and mental rewards post surgery. The recipients were happier and had a renewed confidence and higher self-esteem. Another 45 percent have enjoyed the benefit of living more attractive. Although there are many reasons individuals obtain cosmetic surgery, one of the major reasons is to enhance an individual’s appearance to improve his or her self-image. Countless adults suffered emotional distress as children because of the heartlessness of their peers. Surgery may be beneficial in these cases because an individual may have developed a negative perception regarding his or her looks because of peers. Individuals suffering from scarred tissue because of burns or other deformities can benefit from surgery. In addition, women who experienced breast removal because of cancer may choose breast augmentation as a method to regain their confidence. For these types of individuals, the benefits may outweigh the risks. In short, patients should be realistic by educating themselves about cosmetic procedures. They should also learn how they will personally benefit from a selected procedure. Patients should ensure that cosmetic surgery is completed by a qualified surgeon. The patient should research all surgeons thoroughly to increase the possibility of acquiring positive results. A patient should know the length of recovery and how long it will take to notice the outcome of the procedure. If the patient has a realistic outlook regarding cosmetic surgery, is psychologically competent, and is aware of the negative and positive effects then he or she is ready to have the selected procedure. References Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery. (2011). Emotional changes after plastic surgery: What you need to know. Retrieved from http://www.yourplasticsurgeryguide.com/checklists/emotional-changes.htm Mayo Clinic. (2011). Cosmetic surgery: What to know beforehand. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cosmetic-surgery/SN00006/NSECTIONGROUP=2 Press Center. (2009). Despite recession, overall plastic surgery demand drops only 2 percent from last year. Retrieved from http://www.surgery.org/media/news-releases/despite-recession-overall-plastic-surgery-demand-drops-only-2-percent-from-last-year WedMD. (2011). Cosmetic surgery and procedures - Overview (continued). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/tc/cosmetic-surgery-and-procedures-overview'page=2