It used to be somewhat of an embarrassment to admit that you had cosmetic surgery. But, since its increased popularity began in the late1990s, it’s really no big deal if you get it done or not. Cosmetic surgery has improved with technological advances, such as laser surgery, and provides people with more natural-looking results, according to the Medicine Net website.
Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery
People undergo cosmetic or reconstructive surgery to look younger or to change a feature they don’t like. Many people feel young, but they don’t look as young as they feel and they want to reverse the aging process. Some people have physical birth defects, such as a cleft palate or an ear deformity. Others have had trauma or injury from dog bites, burns or diseases, such as breast cancer. Keep in mind that cosmetic surgery probably will not change your outlook on life or your social life, according to WebMD. You need to be realistic about your expectations.
Reasons to Get Cosmetic Surgery
People generally get cosmetic surgery to alter a body part that they are not happy with. This can be a breast augmentation or reduction, a rhinoplasty (nose job) or liposuction. Laser hair removal and dermabrasion, where you sand off the outer layer of your skin to reduce wrinkles, are also cosmetic surgeries, according to the Teens Health website.
Most Popular Cosmetic Surgeries
Cosmetic surgery is on the rise. More than 10 million people had surgical and non-surgical cosmetic surgery in 2008, according to the Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Research website. This is an increase of 162 percent since 1997, when collecting statistics began. The top surgical procedures, as of 2008, were breast augmentation, liposuction, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). The top nonsurgical procedures were Botox, laser hair removal, hyaluronic acid (Restylane/Perlane, Juvederm and Hylaform), chemical peel and laser skin resurfacing.
Ask Yourself Why
Before you have cosmetic surgery, you should ask yourself why you want it. Some people get addicted to having multiple procedures, because they may have a psychological problem, according to the Dr. Phil website. You should first fix whatever psychological problems you may have before getting cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery won’t solve your psychological issues. When it doesn’t, some people mistakenly think that getting more will. If you perceive yourself as fat or ugly and reject yourself, surgery will not make you happy. Getting surgery because someone else wants you to is not a good reason, either.
Have Realistic Expectations
Cosmetic surgery will probably not change your life, but it can give you a feeling of self-confidence if you have realistic expectations, according to WebMD. You should pick a surgeon with whom you are comfortable so that you and your surgeon are on the same page. Most people consider cosmetic surgery for five years before having it done.
Photo Credit
- Female Plastic Sugery image by Infs from Fotolia.com
