Welcome back to the Perfect Yourself Cosmetic Surgery blog. Stay in touch with by subscribing to our RSS feed, Following us on Twitter and our Facebook Fan page. Thanks for visiting us again!
When some women look in the mirror, they don’t like what they see, and this preoccupation with the flaws, rather than the beautiful parts of themselves, leaves many feeling unhappy. This unhappiness might be caused by comparing themselves unfavourably with the airbrushed images of celebrities and models in magazines, they might feel that their friends or relatives are more attractive, or they may have always suffered from low self esteem related to their looks. Whatever the reason, dissatisfaction with their appearance can make life a misery for some. So what’s the answer? Going under the knife may seem like a drastic option, but the media is drip-feeding us the notion that having a nip and tuck is the answer to our problems with the way we look.
The news agency Reuters published a report last year that said that cosmetic surgery has the power to boost a woman’s emotional health and self esteem. The report’s authors closely monitored five of the most popular women’s glossy magazines over a period of time, and found that nearly half of the 35 articles studied gave information about the emotional health of women before and after they had cosmetic surgery. Almost 60% of the articles suggested that the subjects had experienced a boost in emotional health after a cosmetic surgery procedure. The most common procedures included the same most popular procedures that are reported year after year – breast implants, liposuction, face lifts and nose jobs. But can these procedures really help to boost a woman’s self esteem and emotional health, or does it go deeper than that? Let’s take a look.
• Breast implants
No longer solely the preserve of adult movie stars and glamour models, breast augmentation is now an extremely popular choice for “ordinary” women. A University of Florida study in 2007 showed that women report better sexuality and improved self-esteem after breast augmentation surgery. Eighty-four women completed questionnaires before and after cosmetic breast augmentation surgery. Although the women were not suffering severely from low self esteem before they had the surgery, many reported that their self confidence and sexual function improved significantly after they got their breast implants. Cynthia Figueroa-Haas, PhD, clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Nursing, conducted the study on volunteers, and claimed that the results showed that body image is an important factor in a woman’s self esteem. "This procedure does change women's psychosocial issues. There are differences [in life satisfaction] between people with good and poor self-esteem,” she said. However, having the operation to please someone else does little to improve one’s own self esteem, and it must only be done for yourself, because all plastic surgery carries risks that must be weighed up against the desire for bigger breasts.
• Liposuction
Liposuction may be seen as a “quick fix” which can rid you of the stubborn fat that diet and exercise can’t shift from the hips, thighs, abdomen and upper arms, but like any surgery, it carries side effects and risks. However, provided you are a suitable candidate for the operation and you have realistic expectations for the outcome, the improvement in appearance may help to boost health and self confidence. Choosing a healthy lifestyle post-op can help to keep the weight off and improve your self esteem, because you are taking pride in looking after both your health and your looks. Liposuction alone won’t help to fix relationship problems or get you more respect from other people however – and you shouldn’t choose to undergo surgery unless you are sure that you can handle the fact that some things won’t change just because you’ve gone down a dress size or two.
• Face lift
You wake up one day, look in the mirror, and realise that you’re not 20 anymore…the fine lines have become deeper wrinkles, the skin has lost its youthful plumpness and elasticity, and you look as tired as you feel. So you either choose to stick to a newly rigorous skincare regime and grow old gracefully, or you make like Sharon Osbourne and run screaming to the nearest plastic surgeon’s office for a facelift, stat. This is a serious surgery though, and it is important to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who can advise you on whether you are a suitable candidate or not. A good surgeon will also help to establish if you are having the surgery because YOU want it, or for other reasons, such as pleasing someone else. Undergoing unnecessary surgery is never a good idea, and only after a full consultation, when you are 100% happy with the idea of surgery and the possible outcomes, should you go ahead.
• Nose job
Your face is the first thing that people see and focus on, and if you are self conscious because of the size or shape of your nose, your confidence may suffer. Rhinoplasty is always in the top 5 of most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, and when it’s performed properly by an experienced, board certified plastic surgeon, the results can be very pleasing to the patient. This is especially true if the patient has suffered from low self-esteem as a result of being teased or bullied over their appearance. But as with all the surgeries mentioned here, any that involves going under a general anesthetic should never be taken lightly. Get recommendations from people you know who may have had cosmetic surgery, to help you to find a good surgeon who can determine if you are a suitable candidate and whether they can give you the natural results that you want.
Whether you opt to have cosmetic surgery or not, one thing is clear – changing your appearance won’t help to solve any underlying problems. It won’t help to fix a failing relationship, and won’t help to boost your self-esteem if you have long standing issues with how you see yourself inside. Before you go ahead with any cosmetic surgery, consult with a board certified surgeon who will be able to help you to find out if you are having cosmetic surgery for the right reasons. Because safe surgery is the only surgery worth having.
No related posts.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
This is a great article. I've seen people have more positive emotions after surgeries and others who seem very down. I think it depends on the person and the results.