Plastic surgery is a very personal procedure, and with each patient comes a different set of underlying motivations that pushes them toward a specific surgery. As more people elect to get surgery every year, there have been certain trends that develop as far as their rationale
Below are some of the most common reasons for plastic surgery cited by patients. While this list is far from exhaustive, it provides a good introduction to why people get plastic surgery.
1. A Boost in Confidence and Self-Esteem
Many patients who come in for plastic surgery are looking to fix a specific problem area. Often others may not notice any particular appearance issue, but the patient is bothered by a particular feature. Usually, the patient has been bothered for a very long time about the feature and it affects their self-confidence. Concerns include a large nose or a nose with a bump, protruding ears, an issue with their breast or body size or shape that affects their appearance in clothing or seeing an image of themselves that is older than they feel. Patients find an increased sense of self-confidence that can be seen in the way they carry themselves and interact with others. Oftentimes, these patients express that this improved confidence will help them find more success romantically, in their career, and in maintaining social relationships.
2. Getting Their Body Back Post-Pregnancy
Pregnancy causes a series of drastic changes to any woman’s body, such as extreme stretching of the skin in a variety of different areas, including the belly and the breasts. After the mother is done with pregnancy and breastfeeding, one of the main reasons for plastic surgery is recapturing her pre-pregnancy body. The mommy makeover consists of several different surgical procedures to address all of the changes to the body caused by pregnancy. A mommy makeover can lift sagging breasts and restore breast volume with a breast lift, remove excess fat and skin around the belly with a tummy tuck, and address other areas of the body with liposuction or body contouring.
3. Plastic Surgery Is More Affordable Than Ever Before
In the past, plastic surgery was primarily available to the rich and famous. The average, working-class individual simply did not have the funds to pay for expensive cosmetic surgery procedures. Over the past twenty years, the price of plastic surgery has decreased and plastic surgery has become financially possible for most Americans today. Even for patients on a more limited budget, most plastic surgery practices are now able to offer many different financing options. These offer an affordable way for patients to achieve their goals with low monthly payment plans. These financing options allow for a monthly payment over a predetermined amount of time, instead of requiring the whole lump sum at the time of the procedure. Some financing options include zero percent interest when repaid over the course of a year.
4. Fighting the Effects of Aging
As individuals age, their appearance changes. Skin naturally loses volume, and factors like sun exposure and gravity take a toll on the body over time, which can lead to the development of wrinkles and fine lines. Patients seek to turn back the clock, improving their appearance without necessarily changing any of their features. Instead, they simply want to diminish the signs of aging and project to the world the energy and vitality they feel inside.Some of the most common plastic surgeries to fight the effects of aging include a facelift, neck lift, or blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery. There are also a variety of non-surgical cosmetic treatments to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while restoring youthful volume, including Botox® injections, dermal fillers, facial skin resurfacing, and much more.
5. Improvements in Technology
As with any other industry, there are constant technological innovations that make plastic surgery safer, more effective, and more reliable. In the past, patients may have been hesitant to undergo plastic surgery because they were worried about possible complications or the procedure not getting them the results they desire. Advances in surgical techniques and anesthesia have allowed most plastic surgery procedures to be safely performed in an outpatient setting. Patients are able to go home the same day of surgery and recover in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
6. Drastic Weight Loss
Drastic weight loss is one of the most popular reasons for plastic surgery. Similar to pregnancy, a big weight gain can stretch and distort the skin all over an individual’s body. When someone loses all of that weight, there can still be pockets of excess fat and loose, hanging skin that will not go away despite how well someone exercises. That is why there are a variety of options for plastic surgery after weight loss, helping patients complete their weight loss journey. After all of that hard work to lose weight, patients deserve to flaunt their new and improved body!
7. Health Benefits
One of the final reasons for plastic surgery is the number of health benefits that different surgeries can offer. In certain scenarios, plastic surgery can actually improve your overall health and wellness, beyond the increase in self-esteem and confidence. For example, Botox® can be used to treat excessive sweating, chronic migraines, and problems with TMJ. A nose job can treat a deviated septum, which can cause breathing difficulties and snoring. Breast reduction can help relieve back pain and treat disc problems. Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery can improve a patient’s vision by removing the hood of upper eyelid skin that may be blocking their field of vision. Patients undergoing tummy tuck and liposuction often find positive changes in their appearance inspires them to make diet and exercise changes to maintain their new body. Last but not least because smoking and nicotine products impair wound healing, most plastic surgery procedures require that patients quit smoking or using a nicotine product. Once patients have ceased use of these products for 6 to 8 weeks before surgery and during their post-operative recovery, many never return to smoking or using nicotine.
Plastic Surgery in Houston, Pearland, and Katy, Texas
No matter what your reasons for plastic surgery are, Dr. Leo Lapuerta can help. Dr. Lapuerta has built a reputation as one of the best plastic surgeons in Houston, Pearland, and Katy, Texas, providing patients with unparalleled treatment and support. Dr. Lapuerta will sit down with patients during a surgical consultation and listen to their reasons for plastic surgery. Once he understands the patient’s goals, Dr. Lapuerta will partner with the patient to make sure he delivers exactly what they are looking for, creating a custom treatment plan. To learn more or to schedule a consultation, contact Dr. Lapuerta today.