Today there seems to be more pressure to keep up your appearance, look younger and stay in shape. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 1.6 million invasive surgeries were performed in the U.S. in 2012. Although plastic surgery is becoming more of a norm, just how far is too far?
We’re sure you’ve all witnessed someone, whether it be first hand or in the media, that has either had too many procedures or went over board with a procedure. Heidi Montag, reality star, underwent a series of ten surgeries in one day in 2010 that drastically altered her appearance. She received a mini brow lift, a nose job, neck liposuction, and a breast augmentation among others. Montag has remorse for a few of the decisions she made stating, “I definitely regret some of the surgeries that I have had over the years, I think I was so young and in such an unstable situation in my life with so much going on and so much pressure.”
Regardless of how your attitude about your cosmetic procedure comes off to your surgeon, each patient contemplating surgery must endure a certain level of screening prior to a procedure. Although the extent of the screening differs from case to case, the majority of doctors take that facet of the process more seriously.
Even though there aren’t written instructions for how doctors should handle patient’s mental health, forming a relationship with a patient, asking questions and delving into the patient’s history helps give the doctor a sense of whether or not a patient is having a procedure for the correct reasons. If the doctor gets the sense that the patient is conflicted or having the procedure for the wrong reasons, usually the patient will be referred to a counselor.
When it comes time for you to decide whether or not to have a procedure, it’s crucial that this is something for yourself and you do not have ulterior motives such as pleasing a significant other. Undergoing cosmetic surgery is a great way to boost self-esteem and be comfortable in your own skin but just remember sometimes less is more!