Many patients who are planning their first cosmetic surgery procedure are curious about how they’ll feel after the fact. Plastic surgery changes the way you look on the outside, but does it change who you are?
That’s a very interesting question, and not one that has a definitive answer.
On one hand, plastic surgery will make you look different (actually, better), and these changes in your body will have an impact on your life. If you’ve been struggling with a part of your body that you’re unhappy with, post-surgery you might find that your self-esteem has indeed improved. If you look better, you’ll likely take notice and feel the benefits of this positive self-image.
Another thing to consider is that the external impression we make to others do affect our lives. If others see you in a certain way, that tends to affect how your interactions with them will go. For example, many people undergo plastic surgery procedures to look younger. As a result, they are then viewed as more youthful by their colleagues and friends.
On the other hand, plastic surgery probably won’t drastically change the person that you are. For example, many people report that they still feel young even as they grow older. In the same way, plastic surgery is a physical change (not so different from losing weight via diet and exercise, for example) to your body, but not one that will necessarily determine who you are as a person.
The important thing to remember is that plastic surgery is a resource available to you to use to your benefit. Post-surgery, most patients give the feedback that they finally feel more like the version of themselves they have in their head, and that’s an ideal use of plastic surgery—to help you look more like you feel. Plastic surgery won’t change who you are; it’s there to make you more of who you are.
Keeping the lines of communication open with your board-certified plastic surgeon before and after the procedure is important for going into it well prepared and knowing what to expect. Reach out to Dr. Ghaderi of St. Charles Plastic Surgery to set up a consultation today.
