Last year, more than 17 million people decided to have a cosmetic procedure. Of those people, nearly 2 million decided to have plastic surgery. The reasons people give for having surgery are nearly as varied as the types and number of procedures available.
Whether you are seriously considering plastic surgery or are ‘just thinking about it,’ understanding why people decide to have a procedure can help you determine whether or not it might be right for you.
Reason 1: Because of an Injury
One common reason why people decide to have cosmetic or plastic surgery is to correct a deformity or defect caused by an injury. For example, people often decide to have rhinoplasty after breaking their nose while playing sports or as a result of a car accident. The injury might not heal properly, leaving them with a nose that is crooked or that has a large bump. Rhinoplasty would help to straighten the nose or reduce or eliminate the bump.
Reason 2: Because of Health Issues
Health concerns or issues are other common reasons why people seek out surgery. Nasal surgery or rhinoplasty is a common procedure for people with health issues. A defect inside the nose, such as a crooked septum or enlarge nasal polyps can make it difficult for you to breathe or can make allergies or sinus troubles worse.
Although surgery to correct a problem within the nose is often not cosmetic, it can be combined with a rhinoplasty to change the appearance of the nose externally.
Other types of plastic surgery that can correct a health problem include breast reduction and blepharoplasty. Some people have heavy or droopy eyelids, which can make it difficult for them to see. Blepharoplasty, aka an eyelid lift, will help to reduce sagging or drooping in the upper eyelids. The surgery can be performed to help a person look more youthful. But it can also help to improve vision.
In the case of breast reduction, some women decide to have the procedure because the size and weight of their breasts is enough to cause them physical pain or injury. Overly larger breasts can often contribute to back and shoulder pain, along with making it difficult to find clothing to wear.
Reason 3: To Change Something They Don’t Like
You don’t have to have had an injury or have a health problem to consider plastic surgery. For some people, surgery provides a way to permanently or at least semi-permanently correct something they don’t like about their bodies. That something can be breasts that are too small, too larger, or too droopy. It can be buttocks that are too small or a nose that’s too large.
Plastic surgery can also help to put the ‘finishing touches’ on a major body transformation. If you’ve recently lost a lot of weight, you might consider a body lift or tummy tuck to get rid of excess, loose skin. Liposuction can help to get rid of any fat deposits or can eliminate stubborn fat from certain areas of the body.
Reason 4: To Look Younger
Some types of plastic surgery can literally take years off of your appearance. Usually, surgeries that help you look younger include facial procedures, such as a blepharoplasty or facelift.
But body procedures can also help you look more youthful, by restoring a younger shape and size to your body. For example, a mommy makeover can help you regain your figure after you’ve had children, while a breast lift will elevate droopy or sagging breasts, taking a few years off of your appearance.
Reason 5: To Feel More Confident
One last reason people choose to have surgery: It can help them feel more confident and give them a boost of self-esteem. Whether you are having a procedure to fix an injury, correct a health problem or to change something you’ve long been unhappy with, at the end of the process, once your results are visible, you’re likely to feel happier and more in control of your body.
For some people, that boost of confidence can translate into other areas of their lives. They might begin to feel more confident on the job or in their other activities or commitments, which can have an allover positive effect on their lives.
Whatever your reasons are for wanting surgery, speaking with a board certified plastic surgeon can help you better understand your options. Dr. Paul Vitenas is a board certified plastic surgeon in Houston, Texas, who’s committed to bringing out natural, beautiful results in every patient he works with. To learn more about your surgical options, call 281-484-0088 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Vitenas today.
