Sometimes our reasons for wanting a plastic surgery procedure can be pretty cut and dry. Maybe you have trouble breathing through your nose and could benefit from a rhinoplasty, or you have excess deposits of fat on your hips and thighs that won’t go away no matter how much you change your diet and exercise routine. But in some cases, the motivation behind your desire for plastic surgery isn’t so simple. In some cases, patients can become fixated on percieved flaws on their body that either don’t exist, or cannot be corrected to their satisfaction no matter how many surgeries they attempt.
This can often be the result of body dysmorphia, a condition where the patient becomes seemingly obsessed with a flaw (real or imagined) on their body and fixates on that flaw to an unhealthy degree. But while some surgeries can help correct these flaws, for those with body dysmorphia they may never be satisfied with the appearance of their body regardless of how it looks.
When you are considering plastic surgery, it is important to understand why you want the surgery first. There are many motivations for getting plastic surgery, and while most are harmless and not innately “wrong”, it’s still important to make sure you are getting your procedure for the right reasons. Ask yourself why you want the surgery, how it will benefit you, and if you will be happier when it is done. Make sure you are not agreeing to plastic surgery to please someone else.
If you can answer those questions truthfully and still feel like you are electing to make changes to your body for the right reasons, then you are likely a good candidate for plastic surgery provided you meet the necessary health criteria, but if you find yourself wanting to make changes for someone else, don’t think you can be satisfied with the realistic goals of your surgeon, or don’t think that having the surgery will benefit you in any way, then it’s important to take a step back and re-evaluate your goals.
Remember, we want you to be happy with how you look and feel, but in order to do that, you need to have a healthy mindset about your procedure. Understanding what’s possible, the recovery time, and the possible emotions involved should all be considered up front. If you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of your plastic surgery journey, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Dr. Mitchell and his staff for assistance.