Positive and negative psychological impact of cosmetic surgery

The obsession with looking good has long gone beyond finding your reflection in the mirror pleasant and became something even modern psychology is still trying to grasp, understand and define. With the social media setting the, often impossible, standards of beauty, and celebrities everywhere accepting and promoting them – everyone around them is either suffering from low self-esteem or a desire to undergo plastic/corrective surgery.

Beauty and the Beast

What’s very interesting to learn is that this quest for physical enhancement cuts across age, gender and ethnicity; even though women are still the dominant group undergoing corrective procedures, a considerable number of men have also been embarking on the same road to self-improvement. In recent years, the most practiced surgical procedures have been rhinoplasty and double eyelid surgery in both men and women, along with facelift, liposuction and breast augmentation for women and breast reduction or gynecomastia for men.

Reasons That Are More Than Skin Deep

Paradoxically, almost any type of corrective surgery has been actively criticized and/or frowned upon by the public, advocating natural beauty as the best form of beauty there is. However, what often goes unmentioned is that not everyone undergoes procedures out of pure vanity – to some, corrective surgery is directly related to their physical and/or mental health, and does more good than harm. Naturally, due to social stigma being as bullying as it is, these people will often hide the fact that they have gone under the knife.

Self-esteem triggers

What often appears to be the trigger of opting for surgery are constant and extreme bullying and insults a person undergoes in their youth (or later). By correcting their unique physique, they become the “accepted” party to a judgmental society and, finally, getting to live without feeling bad, unwanted and rejected. The morality of “loving yourself for you, not your physical appearance” won’t be talked about in this article, as that’s a part of psychology that takes thorough analysis.  On the surface (and often beyond), a fine surgical procedure may spare someone a long life of misery and rejection.

Naturally, there’s quite a large number of those who get cosmetic procedures for less serious, yet valid, reasons that the ones mentioned above. Improving one’s body-image by “fixing” different parts of the body are very individual sentiments that don’t necessarily have to be triggered by outside influences (social expectations) but a person’s inner desire to look good as they age or improve parts of their body they have never liked.

Positive Psychological Effects of Cosmetic Surgery

After physical appearance has been surgically altered, experts observe that people’s self-esteem and their overall enjoyment measurably increases, significantly improving their quality of life. This is especially true for procedures like scar removal or other minor corrective surgeries like those offered by professionals at ICCM. Patients often claim to have started living a better life once their body was altered; with that in mind, those who underwent cosmetic procedures felt that they are happier, less anxious, healthier and have developed better self-esteem and self-image.

Negative Psychological Effects of Cosmetic Surgery

The negative aspect of cosmetic surgery reads in a person’s personal dissatisfaction with who they are inherently, not body-wise. The additional danger lurks behind situations where a person develops an addiction to cosmetic surgery and becomes obsessed with their physical body, losing sight of what looks good and what doesn’t. For this reason, it is very important to choose a skilled and professional surgeon who can spot potential signs early on and determine why exactly a person is undergoing corrective surgery. It’s not uncommon for patients who come in for consultation to be advised to first undergo therapy and then – decide whether physical improvement by surgery is what they actually need.

Anyone who is considering undergoing plastic surgery should take a good look into themselves and their lives before they decide to schedule an appointment. Most issues we have with our bodies start in our psyche and, if that’s the case, such triggers are solved with therapy. However, if your desire to look good is based on your personal image/idea of what you should be looking like (and such alterations are impossible to achieve with diet and exercise), then scheduling an appointment with a surgeon is the best way to get all the information needed. Good luck!