Cosmetic surgery: a curse or a blessing?

Abstract

Aesthetic plastic surgery has always been a topic of controversy, but over recent years public attitudes appear to be shifting in favour of cosmetic surgery. Glamorisation by the media and advertising can account for this, and have a predominant effect on how people view their body image. With breast augmentation using prostheses being a highly sought-after procedure, this report aims to delineate the preoperative and postoperative psychology behind breast augmentation. Large numbers of studies have reported high satisfaction rates in the short term; many women feel more empowered, confident, and have a stronger positive body image evaluation. Cosmetic surgery can thus be considered a blessing from this viewpoint. However, the postoperative complications that may result can hinder these positive psychological outcomes. Capsular contracture is the most common complication, and can result in severe breast deformities. Patients living with psychiatric conditions, including body dysmorphic disorder and personality disorders, could psychologically be more vulnerable and affected by these negative treatment results. In this sense, cosmetic surgery is a curse. Therefore, psychotherapy (such as cognitive behavioural therapy) or pharmacotherapy (such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) would be a more appropriate line of treatment for these patients.