Plastic surgery is widely performed throughout the world and it has never been more popular than it is today. In fact last year alone there were almost 18 million procedures carried out in this country alone, which were a mixture of both invasive and non-invasive procedures. The most common choices which we are seeing right now are breast augmentation, liposuction, nose reshaping, eyelid surgeries and tummy tucks, in that order. The reasons why many people get plastic surgery range, and today we are going to look into those who believe that this can help to improve their self esteem.
The reason for the rise in procedures is that the taboos around plastic surgery have been put to bed, and this has become a widely accepted part of life now. Additionally we are seeing much safer procedures being carried out and this too has instilled more confidence in making the change. Both of those factors have increased demand and supply, which in turn has reduced the cost associated with plastic surgery – a further factor which leads to its popularity. And so, the age old question with regards to these procedures is whether or not they can boost self esteem, so let’s see if it really does.
Differentiating Opinions and Appearance
There is no doubt that plastic surgery can change the opinion which someone has over their appearance. In fact we have seen many studies carried out amongst women, who have used breast augmentation services from Absolute Cosmetics and other clinics. Each time these studies are carried out the percentages are consistently above 90% when asked whether they feel better about the way that their breasts look. It is important however that we separate the happiness which people have in terms of their opinion of the area of their body which has been changed, and their self esteem.
Why Plastic Surgery Isn’t a Self Esteem Instant Pill
For most people self esteem is about many factors beyond their physical appearance. Now the question we are looking into today is whether or not this can help to improve self esteem, rather than whether it can fix self esteem. We should recognize therefore that there is very little evidence to support the claim that a person with low self esteem will have absolute confidence and perfect self esteem after plastic surgery.
Those Who Claim Perfection
Sadly there are a number of men and women who do wholeheartedly believe that the plastics surgery which they have chosen, will completely improve their self esteem. In most cases however, those who hold this opinion have deeper issues regarding their body image. To assume that self esteem will be perfect following a procedure or surgery, would imply that physical appearance is everything, which of course it is not. This is unfortunate for so many people because these are the ones who will usually have multiple procedures and surgeries throughout their lives.
Looking Through Society’s Eyes
In terms of supporting the fact that plastic surgery can improve self esteem, we have to consider the power of society and opinion in the modern age. As a nation we are more bothered by what people think than ever before. This began with the magazine culture in the 80s and 90s which often depicted what was considered as beautiful and what was not. Social media took this a stage further in creating a reward system on those platforms, and people began to thirst to be ‘liked’. In relation to plastic surgery, this has become more impactful on self esteem than ever before, because of the fact that people put themselves out there for the world to see, and for the world to judge. And so given these factors, there is no doubt that in the modern age, many people do feel pressure to look good and can have their self esteem lowered if they do not — when measured against society’s yardstick. The flip side of this of course, is the improvement in self esteem when someone looks ‘better’ and surgery can help with that.
Plastic Surgery Mistakes
The reason why it is never safe to assume that all procedures and surgeries improve self esteem, is that things don’t always pan out as they should. Now mistakes made by medical or beauty professionals during surgery are extremely rare. When we refer to mistakes we are speaking more broadly about results not being what the patient was looking for. Furthermore we often see people who simply go too far down the rabbit hole and end up looking unnatural. These are certainly situations in which plastic surgery can either damage self esteem, or at the very least fail to improve it.
The Right Reasons
In terms of getting plastics surgery procedures these should always be done for the right reasons, and much of this responsibility is on the individual. Making changes based on something which someone has said, is never a good reason to undergo plastic surgery. Anyone considering surgery should seek plenty of advice around their decision in order to identify whether their reasons for doing so are valid. Looking to improve self esteem in this way is never a good option either, even if we are able to conclude that self esteem is improved by the surgery. There are many more ways to boost self esteem without making permanent changes to the body.
The Final Take
The reality is that your self esteem could most definitely be improved if you undergo plastic surgery. There are however no guarantees that this will happen when you see the results, which is exactly why this should never be the reason behind your decision. Self esteem is about the psychology of self and it is important to understand all of the factors which contribute towards your own self confidence and your opinion of yourself. In doing this you will be able to work on yourself in many ways and that will begin to help you to improve your overall self confidence.
There is a lot of help, support, advice and testimonials which you can find online relating to plastic surgery, and you should use as many of these resources as possible before you make the final decision.