Cosmetic Surgery: General Considerations

General Considerations

Cosmetic surgery can be defined as ‘that branch of surgery whose primary aim is the enhancement of the non-pathological external appearance of a patient’.

In cosmetic surgery perfection is the aim, rarely the achievement. What may be deemed an acceptable result by one patient may be totally unacceptable to another. The realistic aim of cosmetic surgery therefore is to improve the appearance of a particular feature or deformity with the intention of achieving increased self-satisfaction and self-confidence.

Those expecting a miracle or a result that is outside the realms of surgical possibility will doubtless be disappointed. A particular surgeon may be unable to match what a patient has in mind regarding the final appearance. On occasions it may transpire that the goal of the patient would not actually suit him or her, or prove to be disappointing, even if attained.

The successful result of any cosmetic surgical procedure thus depends not only on the skill and experience of the surgeon, but also on a number of factors outside the surgeon’s direct control. These factors include the patient’s general health, age, skin texture, bone structure, healing properties, and the expectations of the patient. These can all influence the final result.

It is possible for complications to occur that in the short term can spoil a result. Complications occur in all branches of medicine and surgery, and are often outside the control of the medical practitioner. Occasionally, a patient may be directly responsible for causing a complication either through carelessness or not following postoperative instructions.

The success or failure of any cosmetic surgical procedure therefore is measured by one factor and one factor only, namely: ‘Is the patient happy with the result?’ Independent opinions count for nothing if the patient is dissatisfied.

Although a trained and experienced cosmetic surgeon is a highly qualified medical practitioner, he is not a magician, and is limited by the materials at his disposal. A person who is of moderate attractiveness cannot be turned into a ravishing supermodel by a nose-reshape operation, for example!

Not every prospective patient will be accepted for surgery. Sometimes it is in the patient’s best interests to be refused surgery, especially if the result could turn out to be less than satisfactory or, worse still, turn out to be worse than the previous situation. This can occasionally occur.

At the consultation a good surgeon will attempt to assess the patient psychologically as well as physically. This is to help him or her decide if the expected or usual result of the procedure is likely to please the patient. On rare occasions a cosmetic surgeon may refer a patient for a psychiatric opinion before deciding whether to operate. Cosmetic surgery is not a panacea or cure-all for all of life’s problems.

The ideal patient must be sufficiently self-motivated to undergo cosmetic surgery. If the desire for cosmetic surgery has been initiated by the ‘encouragement’ or persistence of a friend, relative or spouse, the end result is more likely to be a disappointment for patient and surgeon alike. It is difficult enough to satisfy and please one patient, let alone their partner and friends as well.

It is extremely unusual to encounter a patient who is not nervous or apprehensive about undergoing cosmetic surgery. This is only natural. Every surgical procedure, even a simple one such as a tooth extraction, entails some degree of risk. There may be complications, and the results may not match expectations.