In the modern world, plastic surgery is in increasing demand. In most cases, it is used to correct imperfections in appearance.
Modern plastic surgery can work wonders. You can modify almost any part of the body. With the help of the operation, acne, wrinkles, and fat deposits are removed.
It gives a person self-confidence, helps to get rid of complexes, and establishes personal relationships.
Dissatisfaction with oneself disappears, self-esteem rises, and a person begins to look to the future with optimism.
However, one cannot ignore the risks of plastic surgery. Sometimes, you cannot foresee such body features, and complications may arise. Therefore, it is impossible to predict the result by 100%.
So here are the pros and cons of plastic surgery that will hopefully help you to decide whether to opt for the surgery or not.
Table of Contents
Are plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery the same?
Cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery practice are different types of beneficial procedure. Prior is mainly for enhanced appearance, and later is to recover natural appearance.
Though some surgical facility has cosmetic plastic surgery procedures (kind of combination of both), make sure your choice of surgeons is ideal for the type of treatment you are looking for.
Plastic Surgery
- A plastic surgery procedure is conducted to restore normal body appearance and function.
- A plastic surgeon is certified by the American board of plastic surgery (ABPS).
- Plastic surgical procedures are often covered by health insurance plan.
- Examples: Treating birth defects, treatment of leg veins, organ modification for patients with bad health, body muscles treatment.
Cosmetic surgery
- Cosmetic surgery procedure is performed for aesthetic benefit.
- A cosmetic surgeon is certified by the American board of cosmetic surgery (ABCS).
- Cosmetic treatments are often not covered by insurance.
- Examples: Fat injections, saline implants, breast implants, dermal fillers, Excess skin / loose skin maintenance.
Pros of Plastic Surgery
1. Elimination of defects
The main advantage of plastic surgery is the elimination of defects. Plastic surgery helps many survivors to live on after accidents, fires, and disasters.
Surgeons eliminate scars and various defects that prevent a person from existing. With the help of plastic surgery, a person returns to a normal lifestyle. Many people lie down on the operating table not by choice but by necessity.
2. Help with a physical disability
Children born with cleft palate, webbed fingers, and no limbs can take advantage of reconstructive surgery to perform activities of daily living.
After correction of the cleft palate, a child can undergo speech therapy. With time, they will be able to speak clearly, which is essential if they plan a career in broadcasting.
The same applies to children born with webbed feet and lacking limbs. Surgery on their hands and prostheses allows these children to behave like normal children. In most cases, plastic surgery is necessary.
3. Improve physical health
Some plastic surgeries can improve not only appearance but also physical health. For example, rhinoplasty can improve breathing and improve the nose’s aesthetics.
Breast reduction surgery, and reduction mammoplasty, while improving its appearance simultaneously, also relieve physical discomfort, such as back or neck pain due to the load from large and disproportionate breasts.
4. Restore self-confidence
Because of the long-awaited dream, patients who have had a successful plastic operation are proud of the result.
For example, a smaller nose during a nose operation or a fuller decollete after a breast augmentation has been fulfilled.
Those affected feel more attractive and much more comfortable in their skin. Complexes resulting from physical imperfections can be alleviated or overcome.
The surgery from a board-certified plastic surgeon also radiates this outwardly: self-confidence increases, and the patients feel more self-confident.
Such measures are understandable, especially in comparison times on Instagram and other social media platforms.
5. Physical limitations elimination
Not every plastic surgery serves the sole purpose of improving the visual appearance. The operation can also remedy the physical impairments and perform reconstructive procedures and corrective procedures.
For example, a tummy tuck can improve fungal infections or painful skin eczema that develops under an existing fat apron.
If a woman’s breasts are large and heavy, they often sag and cause problems such as back and neck pain or poor posture; a breast lift or breast reduction can help.
When skin and tissue lose elasticity with age, drooping eyelids can form over the eyes. In some patients, the skin is so heavy that the field of vision is restricted.
Eyelid tightening eyelid surgery can open the eye, rejuvenate it and widen the field of vision again.
6. More opportunity due to attractive appearance and personality
Nowadays, the job market is highly competitive. Many employers are impressed by their applicants’ qualifications and often pay attention to their appearance.
Numerous studies show that the attractiveness of people can have a direct impact on their careers.
For example, a speaker with an attractive physical appearance is usually rated more convincing than an unattractive speaker in lectures.
And the company to which the speaker belongs is subconsciously rated as more successful.
As a result, looking more attractive can offer better job opportunities, especially if the candidate is expected to work in the foreground and directly with clients in the future.
7. Psychological benefit
Plastic surgery has psychological benefits as well. You are more prone to socializing due to your improved state of mind relative to how you feel.
Some people who are dissatisfied with their appearance struggle with anxiety and depression, both mental health issues.
However, more often than not, these problems diminish or even completely disappear after plastic surgery. It is a huge advantage for many and encourages them to have surgery.
8. The pain is overrated
Many people who consider plastic surgery are hesitant for fear of the “extreme pain” associated with it. If plastic surgery is not painless, it is not as painful as we think.
It is true today more than ever due to recent and continuous technological advancements. The surgery procedures have been improved to reduce the sensation of pain, which reassures many people.
9. Permanent results
Another critical benefit of plastic surgery is that it produces results that are often long-lasting or permanent. It saves you from worrying about getting an “unwanted” look.
However, it would be best to remember that you must take care of yourself after the procedures to make them more durable.
For example, if you are going to undergo a tummy tuck operation, you are strongly advised to lead a healthy and active lifestyle to maintain the results.
10. Easily accessible
With more and more people opting for plastic surgery, many clinics are formed that offer these services. It is relatively easy to find plastic surgeons to perform the procedure.
Plus, if you don’t want to have surgery in your country, there are plenty of clinics on board that you can easily access. It is called “aesthetic tourism,” which has gained momentum recently.
Cons of Plastic Surgery
No matter how far modern medicine has advanced, unfortunately, we have not yet been allowed to know all the human body’s features. Thus, plastic surgery can be a curse if it goes wrong.
1. Side effects and potential health risks
Most often, difficulties arise with silicone fillers. There is a risk of implant rejection and various inflammations, suppurations, and malignant tumors.
At the same time, it is challenging to provide reliable statistics for such cases, and such data are often very subjective.
The most common consequences are blood poisoning, prolonged wound healing, and postoperative scars.
And do not forget about such a common disease of our time as allergies. If the substance that is part of the injection causes an allergic reaction, the consequences of the operation will be very deplorable.
It is known that numerous plastic surgeries harm health. And if they are done constantly, a person changes beyond recognition.
There is a particular risk group for whom such operations are especially undesirable – people with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
As for general anesthesia, which is necessary for the operation, it also causes great harm to the body and should not be done unless necessary.
2. Errors may occur during surgery
Another critical risk that should not be overlooked is that plastic surgeries have the risk of complications.
However, errors can still occur during surgery. For example, a facelift procedure can cause permanent nerve damage that results in paralysis of the face.
It is undoubtedly a devastating unrealistic expectation that you must consider before undergoing surgery.
These kinds of potential risks during surgery further lower prospective patients’ self-esteem before the operation. In extreme cases, the risk of infection is irreversible and cannot be corrected.
3. Satisfaction is not guaranteed
Nobody is the same: skin, connective tissue, nerves, tendons, bones, cartilage, and other factors are designed individually for each person.
Therefore, those affected are dissatisfied with the operation result because they had imagined it differently.
This negative experience can be prevented by comprehensive information from the doctor.
4. Suitable only when the non-invasive procedure fails
Many non-invasive beauty therapies can be an option before deciding to do plastic surgery.
If everything has not been able to provide maximum results, then plastic surgery can be the last option to overcome beauty problems.
5. Addiction to plastic surgery
After the first plastic surgery, a person may become addicted. Such dependence can be objective and subjective.
Dependence is called subjective when a person eventually begins to see many flaws in his appearance and, in this regard, re-agrees to operations that, as a rule, are no longer so necessary.
Dependence appears if a person sees a solution to all his problems in such operations. For example, he decides to eliminate the figure defect by surgery instead of going on a diet and changing his lifestyle.
Objective reasons include the need for repeated operations, for example, if the effect of any injection is temporary.
In this case, a second operation is mandatory, and undesirable consequences may occur if it is not done. Hence, there are also significant forced material costs.
6. Postoperative stress and depression
The result of plastic surgery is not always satisfactory. There are cases of asymmetry of the face or body.
In this case, against the background of strong disappointment, a person may begin a deep depression.
After all, it is not always possible to correct the defect of the previous one with a subsequent operation. Much, of course, depends on the competence of the surgeon.
Before deciding on such an operation, it is always better to first study the qualifications and experience of the doctor and the reviews of his patients.
You must remember that the cost of the service does not always indicate the quality of the operation.
7. Higher cost
Another setback of plastic surgery is the amount of money it takes to accomplish it. Depending on the type of procedure, this can cost thousands of dollars.
It can be a problem for people who don’t have enough money to spend on the surgery. Some don’t even have health insurance.
There are even conditions that require multiple procedures to achieve the desired results.
Cases such as extensive burns and imperforate anus require surgeries between treatments and other treatments.
8. Recovery time
Another unfavorable factor is that the recovery period can be long after an operation. This recovery period can last up to 2 or 3 weeks, depending on the type of intervention.
It means your life is interrupted immediately after the operation because you need time to recover.
Therefore, you cannot go about daily life as you usually would right after the operation.
It is discouraging for many people who have a job and need considerable time off.
Also, pain is apparent during recovery, making some people addicted to painkillers, which is a negative outcome, after the operation.
9. The excellent surgeon
There is a risk of plastic surgery concerning the surgeon. You have a lot of pressure to choose the right surgeon for you. The surgeon must be experienced and have good reviews.
Finding someone you can trust for the procedure can sometimes be challenging because your life and appearance are in their hands. It can be a discouraging factor for some.
10. The reaction of others
If you are someone who cares about the opinions of others, plastic surgery may not be for you. Your loved ones may react badly to having you undergo plastic surgery.
It’s a heartbreaking reality for some who value the opinions of others but are stuck with their feelings about having surgery to improve their appearance.
However, if you are 100% confident in your decision to have surgery, you should not let others ultimately influence your decision. After all, your body is at stake, so it’s up to you.
Quick Summary (Pros and Cons of Plastic Surgery)
| Pros |
|---|
| Elimination of defects after accidents, disasters, fires |
| Get rid of complications after surgery |
| Preservation of youth and beauty plays the aging process of the skin |
| Tremendous professional success and greater personal happiness |
| A short recovery period after plastic surgery. Modern technologies reduce pain and the period of rehabilitation to a minimum. |
| New techniques are constantly developing, making the surgery less complicated and affordable. |
| Cons |
|---|
| Harm to health in case of failed surgery |
| In the event of ignoring contraindications to the operation, plastic surgery is fraught with complications. |
| Aging covers all human organs. External transformation cannot stop the aging process as a whole |
| Addiction to plastic surgery cannot be ruled out |
| The final result of the operation is visible after a while: from several weeks to a year. |
| The demand for good specialists in the plastic surgery market exceeds the supply. The emergence of pseudo clinics and charlatan surgeons who cripple their patients and where no one is immune from a fatal outcome. |
Plastic surgery is something that you should do only when you are 100% convinced of its practicality and in cases of medical emergencies.
Remember, your loved ones will always accept you for who you are. Your features are given to you by God, and you have inherited them from your mother and father.
In addition, there are many alternatives to plastic surgery, which in some cases can be an excellent solution to the problem.
For examples, anti-aging creams, various procedures in beauty salons, fitness clubs, and cosmetologist services. Be natural, be safe!
(Last Updated on August 24, 2022)
