Inner and Outer Beauty - Connection Between Cosmetic Surgery and Mental Health

The growth in plastic surgery procedures has been continuing to rise for the past several years and this is especially true for female patients. As recently as 2020, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that female patients in their twenties and thirties accounted for over 20% of the population who had plastic surgery. Even though plastic surgery continues to be a popular choice among female patients, there is a concern about its possible impact on the body image and mental health of women. 

Inner and Outer Beauty – Popular Choices for Women in Their Twenties and Thirties

When it comes to female patients in their twenties (as of 2020), the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures include breast augmentation, breast reduction, and calf augmentation. For female patients in their thirties, popular plastic surgery procedures include a tummy tuck, breast lift, and butt implants.

This group of patients included mothers trying hard to regain the look of their body before a baby. There is often a limit to how much they can accomplish with diet and exercise, so they turn to a “mommy makeover” to make additional changes. They can also be experiencing a negative feeling or self-image about their body after having a baby, so they want to change their look to reflect the person they want to see in the mirror.

Breast augmentation and breast reduction are also popular for physical and mental reasons. Women who have naturally small breasts can have breast augmentation to increase the size and shape of their breasts and also gain a fuller figure to the body. On the other hand, women with overly large breasts can also experience pain and discomfort due to the size of the breasts as well as an issue with taking part in some physical activities or buying clothing they like. Breast reduction surgery can remove excess skin, fat, and tissue from the breasts and make physical changes along with an improvement in the self-image of a person and their general self-esteem. The ability to alter the size of the breasts can have a huge positive impact on the mental wellness of a patient.

Inner and Outer Beauty – Is Invasive Surgery the Only Options?

An invasive surgical procedure can sometimes be a life-changing event for someone who struggles in their attempts to alter parts of their appearance using nonsurgical techniques. There will be times when a patient is not certain about undergoing a surgical procedure. However, there are also times when invasive surgery is the only logical option to gain the desired results.

In many instances, a patient does not simply wake up and wants to have plastic surgery. They will likely have tried to make changes to their look before they concluded that plastic surgery was their best option. This includes the mothers discussed earlier in this article who decided to have a “mommy makeover” to address issues with excess fat, skin, and tissue.

Inner and Outer Beauty – Physical and Mental Improvements for the Patient

The making of aesthetic changes to the look of the body through surgical methods does more than improve the physical look of the patient. A change in the aesthetic appearance of a person can make a very powerful improvement in the mental health of a patient.

There have been some criticisms of cosmetic surgery that view the changes as only being for superficial reasons including the desire to meet the beauty standards of society. Despite the stigma often attached to cosmetic procedures, there is also the growing belief that cosmetic surgery has a positive effect on the mental wellbeing of a patient. A person who had cosmetic surgery can enjoy a reduction in their feelings of depression or anxiety and an improvement in their overall quality of life. An increase in their level of confidence is often one of the first improvements patients mention after undergoing a cosmetic procedure.

Inner and Outer Beauty – Managing Patient Expectations

While cosmetic surgery can have a positive effect on the mental and physical aspects of the life of the patient, it is important to manage the expectations of the person when it comes to the changes that will be made to their appearance and life. Patients need to approach cosmetic surgery with a healthy attitude and a realistic understanding of the possible changes to their appearance.

Patients should know not to expect perfection when it comes to their new look. They should have procedures that address physical concerns they have not been able to change with other treatments while also being able to increase their confidence.

They also need to have a good relationship with their surgeon of choice, so they feel comfortable going into the plastic surgery process. Trusting their doctor and feeling comfortable asking questions are both key elements of having a positive attitude when deciding to have a cosmetic procedure for physical or mental reasons.

- MA