If you are considering cosmetic surgery, you must be honest with yourself. Why do you want surgery and what do you expect surgery to do for you? According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there are two categories of patients who are good candidates for surgery:
The first includes patients with a strong self-image who are bothered by a physical characteristic that they'd like to improve or change.
The second category includes patients who have a physical defect or cosmetic flaw that has diminished their self-esteem over time.
It's important to remember that cosmetic surgery can create both physical changes and changes in self-esteem. But if you are seeking surgery with the hope of influencing a change in someone other than yourself, you might end up disappointed.
Because the changes resulting from cosmetic surgery are often dramatic and permanent, it's important that you have a clear understanding of how surgery might make you feel — long before a procedure is scheduled.
If you're thinking about getting cosmetic surgery, it's your job to become an informed consumer. Selecting a qualified doctor, with a lot of training and experience in the procedure you'd like to get, is essential.