How Your Medical History Affects Your Plastic Surgery Candidacy

by Trudi Schrieber

One of the most important components of your initial plastic surgery consultation is the discussion of your medical history between you and your doctor. One common misconception about cosmetic surgery is that it’s somehow different, or can be taken more lightly than other medical procedures. However, plastic surgery is still surgery, and a number of medical conditions can increase the risks of the procedure. Some conditions make surgery difficult and even life-threatening. Your health is the number one priority for your doctor (and should be your number one priority, too), and this is why cosmetic surgery should not be taken lightly.

So, what are some of the conditions that may increase surgery risks? Here is the short list:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Heart or lung disease
• High cholesterol
• Auto-immune disorders
• Bleeding disorders
• Pre-existing infection
• Arthritis
• Severe allergies
• Heavy smoking or drinking
• Pregnancy or breast-feeding

Plastic surgery should be considered a compliment to a healthy lifestyle, not a solution to all body image issues or problems. Your mental and emotional outlook on a cosmetic procedure will also help a doctor determine whether or not plastic surgery is right for you. While, in most cases, the wrong mental attitude about cosmetic surgery will not be life-threatening in the way that physical conditions could be, most doctors will advise individuals against plastic surgery if they are suffering severe emotional trauma or emotional distress, seeking perfection, doing it for someone other than themselves, or looking for the surgery to solve serious body image issues.

For all of these reasons, it is extremely important to be honest with your surgeon, and not to ignore the advice of a board-certified plastic surgeon if they tell you that you’re not a candidate for plastic surgery. Your doctor should have your best interest at heart, and will not advise you against surgery unless he or she feels there is a serious risk to either your physical or mental health. This is why your consultation with a board-certified professional is such an important step in learning about plastic surgery and deciding whether it is the right option for you.

Most individuals are perfectly good candidate for cosmetic procedures, and it’s easy to find out whether you are or not. If you’ve been considering cosmetic surgery, Plastic Surgery Portal can get you started by scheduling a personal consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons. He or she will discuss your medical history and your candidacy for a particular procedure.

Related Articles

Corrective Plastic Surgery: A Surgical 2nd Chance
Finding a Plastic Surgeon
What to Ask Your Surgeon
Frequently Asked Plastic Surgery Questions
Is Plastic Surgery Right For My Career?
Ready for Plastic Surgery? 5 Questions you Should Ask Yourself
Virtual Plastic Surgery: The Magic of Computer Imaging
Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Plastic Surgery
What Does Board Certification Mean?
What to Know About Anesthesia
How Your Medical History Affects Your Plastic Surgery Candidacy
Plastic Surgery Before & After Photos
Plastic Surgery Before and After Pictures: What to Look For
African-American Plastic Surgery: Unique Risk Factors & Guidelines
Identifying the Riskiest Plastic Surgery Procedures
Plastic Surgery vs Cosmetic Surgery
Plastic Surgery Vacation Getaways
Plastic Surgery + Cosmetic Dentistry?
Reconstructive Plastic Surgery: The Basics