Plastic Surgery Gone Wrong - Do You Really Need This?

We live in a culture that treasures youth and beauty. Unfortunately, none of us remain forever young. The pursuit of an eternally-young appearance motivates many people to seek cosmetic surgery. Others seek the elusive image of "beauty". Some people have scars or protruding ears, or some other feature that brings social stigma. Due to the health risks associated with obesity, some consider liposuction of fat to be a life-saving procedure. If you are considering a cosmetic procedure, you should make a well-informed decision. You should be aware of the danger of plastic surgery.

• As with any surgical procedure, there are risks, such as infection. Plastic surgery is a cosmetic altering of natural body, bone, skin, and tendon structure. The immune system may be weakened, resulting in infection, which can be life-threatening. Most plastic surgery is not a complicated procedure, but it is surgery. There is pain, and a time of recovery, during which you need to guard against infection.


• Especially if it's not the first procedure on a specific area, there may be structural damage. Even the most gifted surgeon may not be able to salvage the situation. The results are tragic. Many celebrities now wear the mask-like evidence of plastic surgery gone wrong. We see them all the time in magazines and television. Their obviously-botched surgery has left them not looking human. However, some got the results they were hoping for, based on their personal concept of attractiveness.


• Possibly, the reaction of people will not be the one desired. For example, if a woman has breast augmentation because she feels her bust line is inadequate, she may find she receives a lot of negative attention from men who will fixate on her breasts, and not see her. Or other women may think her shallow and phony for having it done. People in general will likely not take her seriously as a big-breasted woman. Sad, but true.


• Men now account for about 13 to 15% of the over-8 million procedures done each year in the U.S. One of the most dangerous procedures men are choosing is penis enlargement. Again, our culture has led them to believe they are inadequate. The healing time for this procedure can vary between a few weeks to several months. The results are permanent. This surgery can result in deformity, erectile dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, and/or a decrease in sexual satisfaction. It seems like the results of this procedure can make the problem worse than having a smaller penis.

Consider beauty. Someone, somewhere sets standards for what a culture accepts as the beauty ideals. In our society, the media and fashion industries have a profound effect on this standard. It also changes over time. Here are some of those "ideals" being promoted currently:

• A fair complexion with even tone and smooth skin. Even people of all colors often seek procedures to lighten their skin, to have a more vibrant-looking complexion.
• A narrow and straight nose, with the tip being the highest point on the face. Also, narrow nostrils are considered desirable.
• Outstanding cheekbones. Cheekbones are not generally actually bone, but made from fat deposits. Cheek implants allegedly restore the definition lost over time.
• A strong chin. The shape of your chin affects the overall shape of your face.
• Well-defined eyes that are free from extra skin, heavy lids, or bags underneath are considered the ideal.
• One of the most commonly requested cosmetic procedures is lip enhancement. Fuller lips are a part of what our culture considers sexy. Unfortunately, there are many examples of this particular plastic surgery gone wrong. Often, the lips are enlarged without consideration of facial proportions, and it looks unnatural.
• Actually, most people's bodies and faces are not truly symmetrical. Often, people seek surgical means of balancing their features.

This list of "beauty ideals" is subject to change, as fashion changes. Thirty years ago, women wanted large breasts and small posteriors. In recent years, women prefer to have a larger bottom. Women who are naturally large-breasted are getting breast reductions, and women with small bust lines are getting augmentations. The most common procedures for men are actually breast reductions and pectoral implants.

Whether cutting away, liposuctioning, or implanting, plastic surgery is invasive. It changes the natural state of the body. In many cases, the "improvements" people seek could be achieved through diet and exercise. But we live in a society that wants quick and easy fixes for the natural consequences of our actions.Plastic surgery offers the quick fix, but... do you really need this?