Cosmetic Surgery. Should I get it done?

This is a common question that as a plastic surgeon I get asked often during consultations. “What do you think doc, should I get so and so procedure done?” This does not have a simple “yes” and “no” answer. Every individual person is different. Some are just looking to validate what is in their minds, some looking for a genuine opinion because they are thoroughly confused because of the tug of war between what they want to do and what everyone around them is telling them or they are just feeling overwhelmed by the thought of making a decision! Whatever the reason, the answer as I said is never just, “yes” or “no”.

Now if you suffered from a malady such as an inflamed appendix, when you ask your doctor the question of whether you need to undergo the surgery to remove your appendix, you would get a straightforward, answer of “yes”. If you were diagnosed with fever due to typhoid or malaria and you asked a doctor whether you should have surgery for it the answer would be a straightforward “no”. However, this is not the case with cosmetic surgeries. You don’t actually have a disease or a deformity in the conventional terms. If you don’t get the surgery done there is not going to be any objective loss of limb or life. So why do so many people get cosmetic surgeries done. Are they underestimating the risks or do they just not care? Are these desperate people who have no other option left in life? Are these people psychologically disturbed and maybe even having diagnosable psychiatric diseases like depression? These are the thoughts that come to many a mind when they hear that someone has undergone cosmetic surgery. Well the answer to all of this is a resounding “NO, NO & NO!”

90% of the patients we treat are in no way wanting to get this done for their work such as a glamour role or anything of the sort. These are not people with any psychiatric illnesses. The people getting cosmetic surgeries done are normal people just like you & me. Business Women and Men, Doctors, Lawyers, people working in the tech industry, people working in offices, people working from home, and even homemakers. Of course, we treat celebrities and people related to the movie industry but they are a small minority.

The reasons for getting a cosmetic surgery done, according to me is mainly a person’s personal choice and nobody else’s. If you look at yourself in the mirror and your eyes go to a part of your body that you feel unhappy and conscious about. If something about your body is sucking out your confidence in your day to day life and not allowing you to be your best free self then you can look at getting a cosmetic surgery consultation done with a qualified plastic surgeon and then think about a surgery after getting all the relevant information.

Remember the side effects with cosmetic plastic surgeries are minimal. To keep these minimal you need to consult and get these done from a qualified plastic surgeon who has experience in what he does. The decision to get a surgery done should be yours and yours alone.

A good cosmetic surgery in the right patient by the right plastic surgeon is perhaps one of the most gratifying things for both the patient and the surgeon.