The Consequences of Plastic Surgery to Americans

Plastic or Cosmetic surgery has become increasingly popular, especially in countries like America, where people spend heavily on reconstructing even the little parts of themselves that they feel are improper. Scientifically, plastic surgery is defined as the repairing of those parts of the body that require some treatment after injury by transfer of body tissue. However, in places like America, people often undergo plastic surgery for cosmetic purposes.

Media and its Influence

Although it was once considered a taboo, plastic surgery has grown to become one of the most common and popular ways of re-shaping your physical appearance in America. You will find the media filled with talks of various kinds of plastic surgery and one might say that this is what influenced its growing usage, as “The Swan” and other such plastic surgery shows, including ABC’s “Extreme Makeover” and MTV’s “I Want a Famous Face,” are gaining steam. Gone are the days when plastic surgery was seen as quite ostentatious and pursued only by people in the entertainment industry. Now, you will see ordinary people undergoing plastic surgery like it is not a big deal. Botox is a widely used form of plastic surgery in America, which has become so usual and ordinary in the country that people have forgotten how this procedure affects their health.

Health Issues

You must consider the risks that are associated with this procedure before you plan on undergoing plastic surgery. You might feel temporary numbness or loss of feeling in the area of the incision, which is fairly common in face-lifts and tummy tucks though it is hardly permanent. You may also face some tissue death from surgical manipulation; this is called Necrosis. Necrosis is inevitable after any surgical procedure, although your risks tend to increase dramatically if you are a smoker, and with 45.1 million of the US adult population smoking, it only makes the situation worse. After any surgery, there are chances that you might bleed excessively. A hematoma is a collection of blood that resembles a large, painful bruise. It usually occurs in 1 to 6 percent of breast augmentation procedures and is the most common complication after a facelift.

Psychological Effect

Psychologists are concerned about the psychological impact that you may have if you undergo such drastic plastic surgery in America, and also, if you do not and, as a result, may feel inadequate. If you are a teen, especially, you may feel that you have gained self-esteem and confidence when your physical problems are corrected. In America, people will find many reasons to want to change their appearances, such as the color of their skin, the dent in their nose or the scars on their face.

A recent analysis of 37 studies on patients’ psychosocial functioning before and after cosmetic surgery suggested that positive outcomes of the surgery will include improvements in body image and possibly a quality-of-life boost too. However, the same research also found several predictors of poor outcomes, especially if you hold unrealistic expectations or have a history of depression and anxiety. Researchers have found that patients who are unsatisfied with the surgery may request repeat procedures or might go through adjustment problems, social isolation, family problems and anger towards the surgeon and his or her staff.

Reduce your Risk

If you feel the need to undergo plastic surgery, make sure you do yourself a huge favor by choosing the right surgeon. Plastic Surgeons in Atlanta are known to be proficient surgeons and specialize in this procedure. They are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the only plastic surgery board recognized by the American Medical Association. Surgeons consider some elective surgeries to be more a safer than other surgeries. Many specialists would recommend any proven procedure as long as there is an acceptable balance between the risks and benefits associated with the procedure. Others will not be in favor and claim that the results of these procedures do not last long enough. For this reason and many others, you and the doctor, both must be certain that the surgery is appropriate and that the risk to benefit ratio of the surgery is balanced before you go through this life-changing experience.