What is Too Much Plastic Surgery?

by Jane Meggitt

Plastic surgery has improved the lives of millions. For babies born with cleft palates or people disfigured in accidents, reconstructive plastic surgery allows them to maintain a normal appearance and reduces or eliminates people staring at them. For people who aren’t conventionally attractive, plastic surgery gives them a more pleasing appearance It gives them self-confidence, and widens their options for romantic partners, jobs and other endeavors more easily enjoyed by the good-looking. There are those, however, who expect more from plastic surgery than it can possibly give them. There are individuals who become the equivalent of plastic surgery addicts.

Facing Face Facts

Plastic surgery can improve your appearance, but it’s not likely to make you look like a high fashion model. A person may experience great results with an initial facelift, for example, but subsequent facelifts through the years are unlikely to have the same effect. That first facelift takes off the years, and the person looks natural and relaxed. Subsequent facelifts, with additional skin tightening, are likely to make the individual look less natural. In a worst case scenario, the person’s appearance is distorted because the skin is too tight they can’t move their facial muscles properly. Plastic surgery is supposed to make the patient look better. It is not a pass to a wonderful, stress-free life. That does not exist in the real world, but many patients have unrealistic expectations of what their lives will become post-surgery.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

You probably know someone suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD. These are people convinced they are horribly unattractive, while they are perfectly normal in appearance and maybe even beautiful. They obsess over some tiny flaw in their looks – real or imagined – that no one else seems to notice. They may believe they are overweight when actually slender, and end up with conditions like anorexia.

These folks are not good candidates for plastic surgery, but they should receive counseling, since BDD is an emotional/mental disorder. A plastic surgeon encountering a potential client who is obviously imagining flaws must take into consideration the patient’s mental state. A minor procedure – some Botox or other injectable – is one thing. Major surgery is another. A person with true BDD isn’t going to feel better after a cosmetic procedure. They will merely fixate on some other area of their appearance or blame the surgeon for making matters worse.

At some point, the risks and results outweigh the benefits. It’s vital that plastic surgeons are honest with patients, and even more important, that patients are honest with themselves. People constantly undergoing elective plastic surgery may want to spend some time with a therapist.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about plastic surgery, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!