Sunday, March 16, 2008

Plastic Surgery: Are You An Appropriate Candidate?

There are some fundamental questions anyone considering plastic surgery should ask themselves prior to actually approaching a surgeon. This is possibly the most important step in having plastic surgery, and should be soemthing that your surgeon also spends time on with you in the consultation process.
Ask yourself:
Why do I want surgery?
Obviously, most people want plastic surgery to change the way they look - but why? Some have the compelling reason that they have been disfigured, either from birth or in an accident. If this is the case, plastic surgery may go some way to returning the person back to how nature intended.
Some people simply want to look "more attractive", either facially or in terms of weight loss/ body sculpturing. Potential candidates should be sure that once they have the surgery (assuming it is successful), that they will be satisfied with the results enough not to crave any more surgery. Essentially, this leads us onto a second important question:
What are my expectations from the surgery?
What do you expect to look like after the surgery, and how do you expect this to make you feel? What is your self-image, or self-esteem like at the moment? Generally, candidates with existing high levels of self-esteem make the most appropriate plastic surgery patients. Those with low esteem are advised to spend some introspection to be absolutely sure it is their physical "flaws" that are causing them to feel less confident. Otherwise, surgery will an expensive and ineffective way to feel better.
Are your expectations fueled by celebrity plastic surgery? If this is the case, research this a little further online and you will soon see that many mistakes are made by celebrities simply refusing to "grow old gracefully". Many expensive and famous facelifts have resulted in once beautiful/ handsome celebrities looking rather, well... plastic!
Can I achieve my goals without surgery?
There are many ways to re-shape our bodies without actually going under the knife. Do you really need liposuction, or would a sensible diet and exercise regime have the same effect? Further, if you are having fat removed, it is important to check in with a professional on your lifestyle, as it can easily come back after the surgery the same way it got there! Seek advice from your doctor, or a nutritionist - regardless of whether you have surgery or not.
There are also non-surgical ways to mimic other plastic surgery, such as breast implants, hair surgery, facelifts, etc.
Ultimately, the decision to have plastic surgery should be one that is come to after long deliberation. It is useful to discuss the topic with close friends and family, but surgery should be undertaken solely for the candidate, and not to please anyone else.
About The Author: Polly Summer maintains an information site about Plastic Surgery. For articles on tummy tucks, breast augmentation and other cosmetic surgery procedures, visit Plastic Surgery Revealed.com
By Polly Summer