The Dangers and Risks of Plastic Surgery

Introduction

Plastic surgery also called cosmetic surgery has been, and still continues to be a controversial issue in many ways. According to Collins English Dictionary, “Plastic surgery is the applications of performing operations to repair or replace skin which has been ruined or to improve appearance”. Plastic surgery has become increasingly common for variety of reasons as it is the most effective and fastest way for people to achieve the appearance they always dream of. (Collins English Dictionary, 2010)

The usual way to think about plastic surgery is that it is the way to adjust perceived cosmetic flaws. But for some people, it is a way to regain a normal appearance after an accident. According to American of Cosmetic Surgery, “The scope of plastic procedures consists of: bosom enhancement, nervous facials shaping, totally facial rejuvenation, body configuration and skin rejuvenation” while the region reconstructive surgery is “ breast construction, burn repair surgery, congenital defect repair, lower extremity reconstruction” (Plastic Surgery vs. Cosmetic Surgery). It accounts for the dramatic rise of plastic surgery. The British Association of Plastic Surgery Surgeons registered 22,041 procedures performed by its members in 2005 alone, representing a 34, 6% increase from the previous year. Nor this is a European phenomenon. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery recorded that cosmetic procedures in the United States have increased by 446% since 1997. In 2006 alone, there were nearly 11, 6 million plastic procedures executed in the United States (Brown et al.2007). In Asia, Lucinda Shen say that Japan and South Korea are country which has been in highest number of people choosing plastic surgery with 1,260,351 and 980,313 operations respectively (Shen,2015). This improves the intensive of cosmetic surgery, and women often show a greater likelihood to undergo plastic surgery when compared with men. With the astonishing growth yearly like that, can we stop to think about the effects of plastic surgery on society both physically and mentally? This urges me to carry out this research paper. However, everything has pros and cons, so does plastic surgery. There are a number of positive effects and negative effects that must be considered prior to having plastic surgery.

Positive Effects

Better Appearance

Have you always desired to change your appearance? With the development of modern society, appearance is one of the most noticeable qualities that contributes to your successful career in life. Therefore, many people who have inferiority complex by appearance has choose plastic surgery, and their life has changed so much after having better appearance. A prime example, Duc Phuc - the champion of the voice 2015 has become more successful thanks to plastic surgery. Although having good qualities as well as talent, he still has a barrier to shine more in showbiz due to his inappropriate appearance for an idol. After having plastic surgery, Duc Phuc has become more confident, and the number of his fandom has increased considerably. His life is now turning into a new page with more interesting and covering with more colorful flowers. We all want to look good, and there’s nothing wrong with that. (SaoStar, 2017)

Self-esteem Improvement

Another advantage that people can gain after having plastic surgery is self-esteem improvement. There is a special connection between self-esteem and physical attractiveness. Therefore, it is not surprising that most patients are pleased with the results of their surgery and report feelings better about themselves. According to Wilson, when getting plastic surgery, an individual will see improvements in their self-esteem due to eliminating undesirable characteristics of their appearance, reinstating a youthful look and also allowing them to fit into certain clothes that make them look better. Plastic surgery can ameliorate a person’s self-esteem by making them become more ambitious with their lives, get more socially involved and also enhance their overall job performance. Therefore, plastic surgery can better your self-esteem in a number of ways. (Wilson, 2011)

Overall Health Benefits

Besides, improving appearance and self-esteem, plastic surgery also brings about many overall health benefits. People will have a healthier lifestyle as they often adapt better diet and fitness routines after having cosmetic surgery. Besides, plastic surgery helps people improve self-confidence, vision, self-esteem and physical health. A shining example is breast reduction procedures, which help women’s posture, alleviate back and neck pain , or nose reshaping, which can relieve problems related to breathing and help prevent sleep apnea (amongst other respiratory afflictions). When you consider healthier lifestyle, better diet, regular exercise and increased self-esteem and self-confidence, who can say that plastic surgery won’t help you live longer? All of these benefits can extend your life expectancy.

Negative Effects

Medical Risks

In some ways, cosmetic surgery can be more challenging than more standard surgery if the patient doesn’t tolerate the surgery well. Plastic surgery can result in complications ranging from an unattractive or unnatural final result. Poor cosmetic outcome is the greatest fear of a patient because it not only fails to improve appearance but actually makes one’s appearance worse than before the surgery. Moreover, cases of plastic surgery jobs can go wrong, which provokes many dangerous diseases relating to heath namely scarring, infection, hematoma, nerve damage or numbness, blood clots, bleeding and even death. Vast amounts of blood loss during the operative surgery procedure are one of the most common heath concern associated with cosmetic surgery. Huge amounts of blood loss can lead to organ failure or even death. Besides, possible allergic reactions are also risky threat that you need pay attention when deciding to have surgery. When post operational medications cause an allergic reaction, it can also be pretty fatal and can keep you confined to the beds for weeks. (Brown, 2003). The death of the two famous stars: Solange Magnano - former Miss Argentina and Michael Jackson has demonstrated these points.

High-cost

Cost is another consideration when it comes to plastic surgery. When deciding to have cosmetic surgery, people always want their procedure done at lowest possible cost. Unfortunately, the price of plastic surgery is still often beyond their budget inspire of the fact that the price has fallen considerably in the past few decades. The cost of having plastic surgery can be influenced by many different factors such as: surgeons’ fees, operating room fees, recovery fees, anesthesia and drugs, procedure related free and lab fees.

Addiction

Plastic surgery certainly has the potential to become addictive to patients. Therefore, people always want to ensure that their surgeon is ethical so that they couldn’t do any unnecessary procedures. The factor “body dysmorphic disorder” or called BDD is considered as the root of cosmetic surgery addiction. People with this disorder are unlikely to be satisfied with the result of plastic surgery, and some people have even attempted to take out their frustration on their plastic surgeon. One survey about an American girl who has undergone 17 plastic surgeries has been reported by Eda Gorbis that her appearance was completely ruined, and she had to endure severe depression, anxiety disorder and social phobia. She was also obsessed of losing her career, being criticized, being unsafe or her face, skin, and make up. He also suggested that counseling and psychotherapy are typically helpful as these can help you identify and deal with self-esteem issues that underlie addiction. For most people, overcoming body dysmorphia and seeing themselves more realistically is the key to get over a plastic surgery addiction. ( Gorbis,2009 )

Conclusions

In this beauty-obsessed society, cosmetic surgery has rose six-fold in the last decade. Plastic surgery is no longer confined to famous or wealthy, it is now in middle-class as well as teenagers with the strong impact of wild-world stars, magazines and television shows.

However, is this a good sign to the society and teenagers themselves? The answer is definitely no as the disadvantages of cosmetic surgery often outweigh its advantages especially when the protagonist is teenager. One might ask why is this so? Firstly, cosmetic surgery carries some risks both physically and mentally, even of death. Supporters of this view believe that every surgical operation carries some risks. Besides, it not only disrupts teen's physical and emotional maturity but also burdens the teen's family who choose to undergo cosmetic procedure now that cosmetic surgery poses growth retardation and it is a costly procedure. Thus, it is important that teens should be discouraged to go under knife in pursuit of 'perfect' beauty.

Recommendations

In this highly complicated society of today, appearance has played an important role in everyone's life especially among teenagers who are not content with their body and face features. However, plastic surgery should be avoided as it provokes many negative impacts. Personally, I think there are many ways to enhance your beauty like doing exercise or following a healthy diet, doing regular exercise…. Remember that only having plastic surgery when it is really necessary on the ground that it may be more harmful than harmless.