Who Gets Cosmetic Surgery and Why

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There is a perception in our nation that only the over-50 uppity-types of our society seek plastic surgery.  According to a recent internet study, cosmetic surgery patients are not who you think they are.  This study, commissioned by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), was led by a Pittsburg-based research and communications firm.  The researchers began the study by conducting extensive interviews with 60 individuals who contacted the ASPS to find a plastic surgeon. 

After collecting information from these individuals, the interviews were crafted into questionnaires which would be used to conduct the internet study.  The internet-based plastic surgery questionnaire was then completed by 644 men and women who were seriously considering plastic surgery.  After collecting these findings, the results were published in the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 

The study shows that over 70 percent of people seeking cosmetic surgery make less than $60,000 annually.  Sixty-four percent of this interested population is under the age of fifty.  Eighty-one percent of these people have not had cosmetic surgery before.  Leading researcher Tanya Darisi says, “We spoke to people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, jobs, income levels-- there really isn’t a typical person getting plastic surgery.”

The one common element in all the cases studies was how thoughtful people were about having plastic surgery.  Researchers report that undergoing plastic surgery is something that most people considered at length before deciding that surgery was right for them.  Many people report having one thing that has bothered them for a long time. After careful thought, these individuals have chosen a surgical solution to their aesthetic complaints. 

While the desire for plastic surgery begins with wanting to improve one’s outward appearance, many people report seeking a change that would improve their self confidence.  Some believe that plastic surgery will make people respond better to them, improve social interactions, and even increase success in the work environment. 

In the past, research concluded the average plastic surgery patient suffered some psychiatric condition that prompted their desire for a surgical change.  This belief is considered outdated and untrue in the plastic surgery community today.  The average patient today has realistically considered their options and their motives to reach a decision they feel is best for them. 

 “Not every problem people perceive with their bodies can be fixed with plastic surgery.  But our interviews with patients showed they did not see surgery as a panacea for everything in their lives” says Darisi, “They do not see plastic surgery as a magic bullet.  They had a very realistic idea of what they could expect.”

Researchers believe these realistic expectations develop when patients research their desired procedures.  This helps mitigate the risk of having a negative or dissatisfying plastic surgery experience.

Good plastic surgeons conduct extensive consultations with their prospective patients to ensure that they are physically and psychologically fit for cosmetic surgery and have realistic expectations about their desired procedure.  Harvard psychologist Ted Grossbart, who has studied the psychological issues surrounding plastic surgery, says this, “If [patients] are not looking to change the fundamental quality of their lives and all their doubts- if they come in with realistic expectations- people can probably get the results they were hoping for.” 


 


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