More than 84% were satisfied or very satisfied with the aesthetic result. More than half of the study group reported no decline in physical fitness or social contacts in the direct postoperative period. The authors reviewed the literature on the psychological and psychosocial outcomes of people undergoing cosmetic surgery to determine if elective aesthetic procedures improve psychological well-being and psychosocial functioning and if there are identifiable predictors of an unsatisfactory psychological outcome. They searched appropriate computerized databases to find studies that evaluated psychological and psychosocial status before and after.
of elective cosmetic surgery. They identified 37 relevant studies of various cosmetic procedures that used disparate methodologies. In general, patients were satisfied with the outcome of their procedures, although some showed transient psychological disorders and others that were more durable. Factors related to a poor psychosocial prognosis include youth, male gender, unrealistic expectations regarding the procedure, previous unsatisfactory cosmetic surgery, minimal deformity, motivation based on relationship problems, and a history of depression, anxiety, or personality disorder.
Some studies also recognized that body dysmorphic disorder is a predictor of a poor prognosis, a conclusion that is reinforced by reference to psychiatric literature. The authors conclude that, while most people seem satisfied with the outcome of cosmetic surgical procedures, some are not, so an attempt should be made to detect these people in cosmetic surgery settings. Why do people turn to cosmetic surgery? There's increasing pressure to look young and beautiful, especially for women, who are even more likely to be judged by their appearance, especially in the workplace. The media are full of makeup programs that praise cosmetic surgery and celebrities who look increasingly cheerful.
Subliminally and not so subliminally, our culture is changing the shape where humans feel they should see each other. People believe that they will be happier and more successful if they adjust more closely to these cultural norms. Overall, 85% of people who undergo cosmetic surgery are women. Most of those women will try to attract men.
So, ultimately, we men must take the blame. And then we make money off of that dissatisfaction. Most people who undergo cosmetic surgery procedures appear to be psychologically healthy; however, some are not, and for these people, cosmetic procedures can have a negative result and create problems for both the patient and the surgeon. Presumably, there is an underlying dissatisfaction that causes some people to resort to breast surgery and that the surgery does not resolve. It seems that most patients undergoing cosmetic surgery have a good prognosis in psychological and psychosocial terms.
Of course, the mere fact of having or having had a mental illness should not by itself prevent people from undergoing cosmetic procedures. Lately I have learned a lot more about all this, because I am part of an external working group of the Nuffield Bioethics Council on cosmetic procedures. Therefore, they found that this was the right time to undergo cosmetic plastic surgery, Basu said. In addition to cosmetic procedures, many also perform complex procedures, such as breast cancer reconstruction and pediatric birth defects.
A South Korean survey revealed that more than 60% of women in their twenties and 40% of women in their early twenties had undergone a cosmetic procedure. Although most of the studies analyzed here suggest that most people who undergo cosmetic surgery procedures achieve positive results from a psychosocial point of view, the methodological limitations of the studies prevent drawing firm conclusions and limit the confidence that can be placed in the results. As the literature suggests that unrealistic expectations about the outcome of the procedure can also predict a poor response, the surgeon must evaluate the patient's expectations regarding the proposed procedure and the desired outcome from an aesthetic and other point of view. Several studies reported improved social functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life4,18,21—26 after cosmetic surgery procedures.
The survey revealed that more than 40 percent of plastic surgeons report that waiting times between consultation and surgery are longer than before the pandemic, so experts encourage anyone considering undergoing a cosmetic procedure to plan as far in advance as possible. The scant literature on whether the success of an aesthetic intervention actually results in a measurable and significant improvement in psychosocial functioning and psychological well-being2,9,10 suggests that this topic should be studied further.
