Mental Health and Plastic Surgery must be seen in correlation. Plastic surgery is an increasingly popular option for those who want to improve their appearance. However, it is important to remember that mental health should always come first.
As you know, plastic surgery is a set of invasive aesthetic procedures that aim to improve physical appearance, but also to treat or correct certain pathologies and conditions. Associated with the search for beauty and youth, it goes far beyond that.
The self-esteem and mental health are closely related. For this reason, the link between plastic surgery and mental health begins with the motivation and decision-making process of whether or not to carry out a certain procedure, especially since various personal and emotional factors are involved in this decision.
I want to have plastic surgery. Why?
There can be many reasons why people want to have plastic surgery:
- complete dissatisfaction with some part of their body;
- health issues;
- the desire to perfect some detail of their appearance.
According to World Health Organisation, The definition of health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not just the absence of disease”. This concept makes us realise how, for many people, having plastic surgery really is a matter of health.
The fact that a person feels dissatisfied with their appearance can negatively affect their self-esteem, confidence and emotional well-being. But it can also be a more obvious physical situation, where the patient has, for example, nasal deformities, breast hypertrophy or asymmetry, or even diastasis.
In any of these cases, there is every reason to consider plastic surgery, as long as the situations are properly assessed.
Self-esteem and self-image
Self-esteem lies in the perception we have of ourselves and the way we value ourselves. Body self-image, on the other hand, is how we perceive our own body and how we feel about it. The two concepts are invariably correlated and play a fundamental role in our emotional and mental health.
The dissatisfaction with appearance can negatively impact self-esteem and self-image, The fact that we feel uncomfortable with some physical feature can trigger insecurities. When this happens, plastic surgery can help improve your appearance and, consequently, boost your self-esteem.
There are also emotional disorders which are directly related to a negative self-image. When we decide to have surgery, that decision should be made to feel better about ourselves. With our self-image. Never to please others.
There are people who live with complexes for many years and this ends up affecting their self-esteem, personal life, interpersonal relationships and often even interfering in their intimate life. People should value themselves, take care of their physical and mental health and their image so that they feel beautiful in their own eyes. This is one of the main missions of plastic surgery.
However, a physical modification should not be seen as a solution to all our problems or a way to improve mental health. This does not resolve cases of deep depression or chronic low self-esteem. Sometimes psychological counselling may be necessary to achieve a positive body image, in which case plastic surgery is just a complement.
Image dissatisfaction: where does it come from?
When the need arises to change your physical appearance through plastic surgery suddenly or repeatedly, When combined with other specific behaviours, such as constant dissatisfaction with one's image, this can be a warning sign that something isn't right with a person's mental health.
Men or women who are extremely anxious or have mild depression should consider whether they are psychologically able to face a surgical procedure at that time. This should be done in conjunction with the doctor or psychologist and if the option is to go ahead, patients should continue to be medically monitored in this situation.
For example, more serious cases of depression or personality disorders should not be referred for plastic surgery.
Decision-making
It's important to understand the motivations behind the decision to have plastic surgery. There are a number of issues to consider, regardless of the procedure:
- Should I really undergo plastic surgery?
- Which intervention is best for the result I want?
- What will the recovery be like?
- Will the results live up to my expectations?
The questions are many and the answers necessarily differ from person to person.
Plastic surgery does not represent a magic solution which solves all the problems associated with self-image or constant dissatisfaction with physical appearance.
Each patient must have realistic expectations and understand the limits of the procedure, making the decision whether or not to go ahead fully conscious and after a careful and well-considered assessment.
Realistic expectations
In order to have plastic surgery, anyone must prepare themselves psychologically to deal with the aesthetic changes.
Although it is increasingly a safe and simple procedure with a quick recovery, there is still a big difference between a visit to the beautician and a visit to the plastic surgeon.
For example, people who are extremely perfectionist and have very high expectations should not undergo plastic surgery, because they will never be satisfied with the result. Realising that results vary from person to person is fundamental from the outset.
You have to be very aware of your “self” and not resort to plastic surgery in order to look like someone else. Rather, plastic surgery aims to bring out the best in everyone.
Psychological counselling or support
Just as important as the physical examinations that should be carried out before resorting to plastic surgery is the initial and subsequent psychological counselling, when necessary.
Anyone who makes the decision to undergo plastic surgery needs the support of their family and those closest to them. The whole process becomes easier when it is shared and understood by family and friends.
Mental Health in LMR
At LMR, mental health of our patients is one of our primary concerns. Therefore, before any surgery we carry out a detailed psychological assessment to ensure that each patient has the necessary conditions to undergo the procedure they want and that they are aware of the impact it could have on their life.
We carefully assess all our patients in order to understand their motivations and expectations and identify signs of possible emotional and psychological problems, referring them for therapy when necessary.
At LMR, we do our utmost to clarify any questions or uncertainties you may have and provide all the support you need to help you make the right decision.
