Most prospective patients seek plastic surgery for various reasons, often hoping that they will reap both physical and emotional benefits. While those physical changes are easy to see and measure, the emotional or psychological benefits of plastic surgery are often dismissed. After all, how can they be properly measured and studied? When patients say that surgery makes them feel happier or more confident, that’s a nice bonus. But it’s not easily documented. Recently, however, psychologists have become interested in the impact certain plastic surgeries can have on a person. The findings show a correlation between the confidence boost of surgery and an improvement in the patient’s quality of life.
The Real Purpose of Plastic Surgery
Making your nose look less pointy or bulbous with rhinoplasty is one benefit to having the procedure, but the good news doesn’t stop there. It’s nice to make the changes to your body, but why? The real purpose of cosmetic surgery is not to make changes and help everyone look perfect. Rather, plastic surgeons share a common goal of helping each patient feel comfortable and confident in his or her own body. Not everyone seeks out a plastic surgery procedure to change the way they look, but many of those who do are motivated by how their looks affect their own psyche.
Assessing the Psychological Impact of Surgery
Studies conducted over the course of the past 20 years have all demonstrated how much satisfactory results from the right plastic surgery can change a patient’s life. They have shown that cosmetic surgery can produce positive results including psychological effects, an improved quality of life, and a perception of well-being. In one study, researchers studied patients of plastic surgery ranging in age from 18 to 70. They looked at four criteria: ways of coping, personal resources, depression and quality of life index. Surveys were given before and after surgery to study the patients’ changes in their answers. Six months after surgery, every patient showed a marked improvement in their own personal outlook, attitude and quality of life.
The Importance of Feeling Good
Plastic surgery can help people to look better in their own eyes and, ultimately, this leads to feeling good. Recent studies showed that patients who received satisfactory results from their surgery, whether it was a facelift or liposuction, reported a significant increase in their self-esteem. An overwhelming 98 percent of study participants felt an increase in their overall personal happiness, which they directly attributed to their improved appearance.
Many patients are surprised to experience the ripple effect that a self-esteem boost can create. For so many, feeling better about the way they look can lead to more confidence, which in turn will affect their social lives, their romantic relationships, their employment status and their assertiveness in every other aspect of life. From walking taller to dressing more fashionably, the many changes possible after a positive plastic surgery experience seem endless. Of course, each patient will take their new confidence and apply it in their own way, but the psychological benefits exist for everyone pleased with their surgical results.
Positive Results for Positive Impact
The key to achieving this post-surgical happiness seems to be largely linked to patient satisfaction rates. Patients who are disappointed will obviously have a different experience. To ensure your best surgical results, it’s essential to plan your cosmetic procedure with a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced in the surgery or surgeries that interest you. Self-esteem and confidence will come naturally when you feel involved in your own treatment plan and can achieve the results you truly desire.
Discover Your Own Potential Through a Consultation
The right surgery for you can dramatically improve your life. Let Dr. Sheldon S. Kabaker guide you through the process to plan the right treatment plan to address your own concerns. As an Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgeon and Hair Transplant Specialist, he also offers nonsurgical skincare treatments at his practice. He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois, College of Medicine in 1964, before serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and seeking active duty in Vietnam. Dr. Kabaker has studied and taught facial plastic surgery internationally in countries including France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, the United Kingdom and Australia. Today, he continues to educate himself while delivering superior results to his patients. To book a consultation with Dr. Kabaker, contact his office located at 3324 Webster Street in Oakland, California, by calling (415) 379-9015.