Are you ready for cosmetic surgery?
Even though most cosmetic surgery patients
are pleased with the results of their surgery,
the decision to have the procedure can be difficult.
If you're thinking about cosmetic surgery, you
may be asking yourself some hard questions,
such as:
- Am I being vain?
- Is this how I want to use my financial resources?
- Does plastic surgery fit with my life’s
priorities?
Questions are normal, and it's important to
answer them honestly. In the end, you want to
be comfortable with your decision.
We've developed a self-assessment questionnaire
to help you think through your decision. As
you answer these questions, remember: there
are no right or wrong answers. The more honest
you are, the more insight you'll have. Many
find it helpful to write out their answers.
Ask yourself:
- What do I dislike about my appearance?
- When does this feature bother me the most?
Are there times when it bothers me more or
less?
- Do my feelings about my appearance keep
me from doing certain activities?
- Do I ever "camouflage" or hide
the feature from others?
- Why is now the right time for surgery, rather
than a month or a year ago, or, conversely,
a month or a year from now?
- What are three realistic expectations I
have of successful surgery? What impact do
I expect surgery will have on my life? Can
I imagine any possible disadvantages to successful
surgery?
- Do I expect the key people in my life will
respond differently to me after the surgery?
How about strangers or acquaintances?
- When I talk about surgery, have people's
reactions surprised me?
- Have I seen any indications that others
see me differently than I see myself?
- How would I describe those differences?
Once you've worked through the questions, you
may want to talk about them with a trusted friend
or family member and certainly with your plastic
surgeon. After all, you and your physician will
make the final decision about your cosmetic
surgery. Realistic expectations will better
prepare you for surgery, and prepared patients
make the best recovery.
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