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Cosmetic surgery: What to know beforehand
Cosmetic surgery can help improve your appearance, but it's not for everyone. Understand the benefits, risks and limitations to make the best choice for you.
By Mayo Clinic staffYou've seen it advertised in newspapers, featured on television programs, apparent in the faces of celebrities — cosmetic surgery. It's guaranteed to shave decades off your appearance, right? In some cases, maybe. Cosmetic surgery offers the potential to improve many areas of the body. But as with any surgery, cosmetic surgery also involves certain risks and limitations.
Reshaping your body
Cosmetic surgery, also referred to as plastic surgery, aims to change your appearance by altering parts of your body that function normally but whose appearance makes you unhappy. This differs from reconstructive surgery, which can improve the appearance and function of body parts affected by congenital defects, injuries and diseases such as cancer.
Cosmetic surgery offers choices for making changes in your physical appearance. It reshapes normal body structures, changes appearance and, often, improves self-esteem.
If you're dissatisfied with your appearance, you may be interested in cosmetic surgery not only to look better, but also to feel better. Despite possible risks, and though each person's experience is unique, both improvements may be likely after cosmetic surgery.
No studies have conclusively proved that most people can expect to enjoy dramatic improvements in their psychological well-being, however. If you're struggling with depression, for example, cosmetic surgery is unlikely to relieve it.
Factors to consider
When deciding for or against cosmetic surgery, consider the following:
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Your expectations. Anticipate improvement, not perfection. If you expect cosmetic surgery to turn you into a movie star, you're bound to be disappointed. Also don't count on surgery to save a rocky relationship, gain a promotion or improve your social life.
If you're in the middle of a very stressful life circumstance, such as a divorce, job loss, death of a loved one or an uncontrolled mental illness, you may want to postpone cosmetic surgery. All of these situations may increase the possibility that you won't be satisfied with the final results.
- Time and expense. Cosmetic surgery isn't covered by most health insurance. The costs vary depending on the procedure performed and may range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. The procedures and your recovery also take time. This varies depending on the procedure. Returning to work may take from one day to several weeks.
- Potential risks. You must be comfortable with the fact that cosmetic surgery, like any surgery, can be a risk to your health and that the results may not be what you anticipate.
- Physical and psychological changes. Understand the physical effects that may be part of the healing time as well as how the surgery may affect aspects of your personal and professional life.
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