Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is on everyone’s lips, and it owes its popularity more to celebrities than to its own results. In no way do I want to downplay the achievements of plastic surgery , but the fact remains that the results of the work of plastic surgeons become famous precisely thanks to the figures of cinema, theater and music who are transforming day by day. Most people, observing such a picture, only dream of such a radical change in appearance. But before making this important decision, it is necessary to objectively present all the advantages and disadvantages of modern plastic surgery.
Reshape your appearance and destiny
It is interesting that when asked whether the character changes after plastic surgery, our experts, regardless of specialization, answer in the affirmative.
“Character is an individual style of behavior. Of course, he changes after the woman sees her transformed appearance. She wanted it, she achieved it. You can calm down and congratulate yourself. And even try to live differently. But this newfound positivity is soon replaced by a new attack of “dissatisfaction with oneself” and a desire to return to the operating room,” says Ponomarenko.
By creating the desired external image, the surgeon gives the patient a chance for dramatic changes in life, but the question is whether she will use it! Many women, after undergoing plastic surgery, prefer to be in the illusion that everything they dreamed of has already come true. And they are not taking any serious steps in terms of their own development.
“Youth is not only external youthfulness, but also freshness of perception of the world, energy, sociability, a special inner light. And, while remaining a “lived” and “seen a lot” person inside, it is unlikely that you can return to a young age just by tightening the skin on your face,” the psychologist reflects on older clients of plastic surgeons.
Illusions are destroyed by a collision with reality and, in order not to receive mental trauma, many prefer to persist in their delusions, to remain in a fairy tale of their own making, rather than actually change. And these are “complexes”.
So not only do they not disappear in such cases, but they grow stronger and develop, increasingly replacing the true life and natural character of a person.
A brief excursion into history
We owe the rapid development of plastic surgery not to Hollywood, but to the harsh necessity that arose in the post-war years in Europe. Thousands of people after World War II suffered severe injuries, which also manifested themselves in appearance. There is an urgent need for such operations that would help people return to a normal lifestyle. Plastic surgery, which received a strong impetus in those days, continues to actively develop today. Now all plastic surgeries are divided into two types: restorative and aesthetic.
Complications are a minus
Any operation is a risk. In some cases, while in the operating room, a person risks never leaving it again. That's why you should think carefully before turning to a plastic surgeon. The fact is that operations to eliminate various defects in appearance are often carried out at an early age, which reduces the risk of complications. In case of injuries, plastic surgery is not only necessary for aesthetic purposes, but is also useful for tissue restoration and functionality.
Cosmetic surgery: pros and cons
Plastic surgery clients often ask how effective Botox injections and other anti-aging procedures are. American women even go on so-called “cosmetic tourism” - they go to Brazil, Mexico and even Hong Kong for plastic surgery. Most clients of plastic surgeons do not seek radical changes; they only want to maintain (or “refresh”) their usual appearance.
Some plastic surgeons readily admit that they themselves used the services of colleagues and slightly corrected their appearance (tightened the skin on the stomach, face, removed bags under the eyes, etc.), so there is no doubt about the popularity of cosmetic surgery. But we would like to know how changing our appearance affects our well-being and mental health?
Today, the media literally instills the need for plastic surgery and other, less “radical” forms of aesthetic correction. Botox injections (a type of poisonous botulinum toxin) are considered completely normal. It seems that we no longer care what drug the doctor gives us, as long as that drug smooths out wrinkles. Let's skip the details and get to the point: why do we want to change our body or face through surgery? What goal are we aiming for?
As a rule, the surgeon encourages patients to delve into the psyche and solve psychological problems. Why not ask the more important question: what do I expect from this procedure? Would you like:
- look better?
- arouse the admiration of others?
- look like a model or a superstar?
Answering these questions will clarify your motivation a little... and why not think about the solution? All cosmetic surgeries are usually quite expensive and risky. Before you spend all your time and money, why not learn about other, easier and cheaper ways to achieve your goal. For example, your goal is to gain the admiration of others. When you achieve your goal and everyone admires you, how will it change your life? Often, patients feel worse after surgery, because, despite the time and money spent, life has not changed for the better, everything remains the same. After the bandages are removed, severe depression often sets in; Before the operation, women hope that with a new nose, a flat stomach and without bags under the eyes and other things, they will like themselves more. They learned from their own experience that changing one's appearance does not necessarily lead to positive psychological changes, as they had hoped: surgery can improve self-esteem. For example, if you have a really ugly nose or teeth or protruding ears. But don't expect it to change your life! Think about it.
If your goal is to improve your self-image and like yourself more, are there better ways to do this without resorting to such drastic means of changing your appearance? Is self-esteem really so dependent on appearance? If this were true, the most beautiful people would also be the happiest (and we know that this, unfortunately, is not the case).
Isn't it better to "work" on improving your self-esteem instead of spending several thousand on a "facade update"?
Aren't you more likely to be admired if you treat people kindly, demonstrate self-confidence and the ability to connect emotionally?
If you want a body worth admiring, isn't fitness (powerlifting, yoga, running) and healthy eating more effective in the long run than a tummy tuck and liposuction?
So why do so many of us feel a desperate need to change our appearance? Why do we allow the media to make us feel inferior and unhappy with our bodies? It's one thing if we are unwell or sick. And it’s a completely different matter if we simply don’t like our reflection in the mirror. Wouldn’t it be more correct to ask the question: why am I so dependent on the opinions of others and allow my consciousness to be manipulated?
The media instills an image of unnatural beauty, which contributes to the development of neuroses in us due to imperfect appearance and increases the demand for products and services that promise us the illusion of popularity and admiration. If your self-esteem depends entirely on your appearance and the means to help preserve external beauty (Botox, plastic surgery), you are doomed to failure - you cannot defeat nature. Any improvements are temporary. They will not last a lifetime. The one thing that does last, and probably only improves, as we age is our mental health. We are doomed to aging and dying - but only of the bodily shell. We can fight this for a while, but none of us will come out of this struggle alive, and few manage to do this while maintaining youthful “freshness.”
Hoping for eternal youth and achieving perfection of the face and body is the same as going on a journey, knowing that you will not reach your destination. Ideal and perfection are relative concepts, and, if we talk about external perfection, temporary. Today, a model (a modern role model) usually goes into circulation within a few years. The image of an ideal man/woman changes very quickly, and it is difficult to keep up with it. There is one dirty secret in the fashion industry: if the image of the ideal does not change, no one will buy new products (clothing, cosmetics, hair dye, etc.), so beauty standards are constantly changing. A recent article in one of the glossy magazines was devoted to methods of plastic correction of elbows; it said that today it is not a problem to correct the face, hands and other parts of the body, and the elbows are next in line. Elbow correction is a new direction in plastic surgery.
In conclusion, we would like to return to the original question: are Botox injections and other anti-aging treatments of this kind effective? We suggest replacing it with two more practical questions: Will this really improve my self-esteem and give me confidence? And if this is true, is it temporary, or will the effect last for a long time? Perhaps it’s worth looking for other, cheaper and less painful ways to increase self-esteem? Don't be afraid to ask yourself tough questions and make decisions. The choice is yours.
New gentle techniques are a plus
New minimally invasive techniques can reduce the likelihood of complications. Thus, wrinkle correction is now carried out in such a way that, firstly, the feeling of “tightness” disappears, and secondly, surgical interventions are carried out more precisely, which allows you to preserve natural facial expressions. In particular, many operations today are performed not with a scalpel, but with laser and ultrasound. However, each operation has its own indications. For example, liposuction should be performed only if other techniques do not help reduce weight.
Stress is a minus
Some people experience serious mental problems after cosmetic surgery and often become depressed. The fact is that the feeling of a certain artificiality of your new face and body often leads to rejection of the image created by the surgeon. It is worth noting that the aging process in our body affects all organs and systems. This is the contradiction of plastic surgery - by changing appearance, we, alas, cannot stop the aging of the entire body. In other words, if you feel like you're 50 but look like you're 30, plastic surgery won't bring you much joy. Moreover, scars from this type of operation remain on the body; repeated interventions must be carried out periodically, otherwise a person risks losing not only the effect obtained from cosmetic surgery, but also aggravating the existing problem.
BEHIND
Irina, 55 years old, manager
I did myself a facelift. And I was very pleased. Thanks to this small operation, I began to look 10 years younger. At first I hesitated for a long time to go to the surgeon. It seemed to me that there was something wrong with this when a person hides his age. It seems like you are slightly deceiving others and seem to them to be something other than what you really are. And of course, I was afraid of various complications after the operation. But in the end I decided to take this step. And you know, after that my life changed a lot for the better. Men began to look at me again, which had not happened for many years. And it seems to me that it’s not even that my appearance has changed. I myself have changed. I felt young and beautiful again. A sparkle appeared in my eyes, I became more open to new acquaintances and communication. Before the operation, I lived alone for 5 years - my daughter grew up and got married, and I divorced my husband a long time ago. I thought that I would never have a new love, that at that age it was too late to start any kind of relationship. But after I changed externally, my self-esteem also changed. And now everything is fine for me. A man has appeared with whom I am happy, and I hope that we will be together for many more years.
Peter, 41 years old, driving instructor I believe that plastic surgery is simply necessary for women. My wife, at 40, looks almost 50. I would be simply happy if she did something with her face and figure. But she doesn't want to. She says that she doesn’t need it, that everything suits her anyway. And she doesn't think about me at all. I am still a young man, I want a beautiful woman next to me. And with her, as soon as I go to bed, I immediately turn off the light, because otherwise nothing will work. I offered her many times to spend our savings on her appearance. But she just gets offended and starts nagging me because I don’t seem to appreciate her human qualities in her, but only look at her appearance. But for a woman, beauty is one of the most important qualities. And if she disappears, we must try with all our might to get her back.
Natalya, 51 years old, accountant
I don't see anything wrong with plastic surgery. If a woman does not want to give up on herself and register as an old woman ahead of schedule, this does her credit. The first wrinkles begin to appear after 35 years, and this is the middle of life. And why not correct this shortcoming? We don’t see anything wrong with going to the hairdresser or joining a gym, do we? On the contrary, it is believed that every self-respecting person should take care of his appearance and figure. Then why should one have a negative attitude towards plastic surgery? In addition, women tend to age faster than men. And often this causes problems in families. Looking at himself in the mirror and comparing himself with his wife, a man begins to think that he needs a younger companion. Especially if this man is successful. After all, many of them are simply embarrassed by their aged friends, who do not look the best compared to young girls. Of course, it cannot be said that plastic surgery will help solve family problems if the relationship has already exhausted itself. But with the help of surgery, you can give a man an additional reason to be proud of his girlfriend, who, despite her advanced age, has retained her attractiveness. And this is already a lot.
What does the doctor say?
Maxillofacial surgeon at the hospital. Pirogov, Vinnitsa Ivan Afanasievich Munlatov advises carefully studying the contract when performing plastic surgery in a private clinic or medical center. The clinic’s warranty obligations in case of complications or unsuccessful course of the operation must be clearly stated there. Plus, he believes that it is one thing to remove a scar or mole on the face, and quite another to perform plastic surgery on a healthy woman. By the way, many women who go for this are completely healthy and it’s difficult to convince them. Moreover, competition in the market leads to the fact that the refusal of one doctor does not stop such a woman at all, but only leads her to another clinic. “This is very sad,” says Ivan Afanasievich, “probably if most people who really needed plastic surgery came to us, the results of such operations would be much better.”
