Appearance is something that a lot of people obsess over and taking pride in it can help boost your confidence. However, when parts of you don’t look how you wish they did, it can be hard to look past it. You might resort to getting permanent procedures to try and help get back the self-esteem that you’ve lost over the years too. A lot of men get hair transplants in Turkey in an effort to restore their locks and self-love. Women sometimes get breast implants to try and boost their self-esteem or even go as far as altering their face to try and turn back the hands of time. Cosmetic surgery is pretty commonplace nowadays, but you also need to consider the inside too. Keep reading and let’s explore how cosmetic surgery can affect your mental health.
Before You Get Surgery
Surgery isn’t recommended as a treatment for mental health conditions, but it could help you gain some self-confidence. Before you commit to your cosmetic surgery, it’s a good idea to consult a counsellor or therapist to go over any issues you’re having with your mental health so that you can be sure you’re taking the best care of yourself. Cosmetic surgery is only a temporary fix, so you want to ensure you get to the root of the problem before going under the knife.
After You Get Surgery
Cosmetic surgery permanently changes a part of your body, and even if you wanted it, it can be hard to adjust to. Some people find that their mental health declines slightly after surgery. This could be because of the lengthy recovery, where you’re struggling with pain. Or it could be because you find it quite difficult to accept the changes and process that your body is now different. If you feel like your mental health isn’t doing so great after surgery, make sure you contact a professional so you can get the support of a licensed professional.
Does Surgery Fix All?
If you suffer from anxiety or depression, chances are getting cosmetic surgery won’t eliminate the problem completely. It could help alleviate it if your conditions stem from displeasure in your looks, but a lot of the time, mental health runs a lot deeper. For example, if you really dislike your nose, once you have a rhinoplasty, you may feel happy with it, but your feelings of inadequacy may not disappear completely. You may now have a nose you deem perfect, but you might then notice other things that you wish you could fix. This can lead to a vicious cycle of getting surgery to correct something, and then finding something else that you don’t like once the surgery is complete. Once you’re in this pattern, it can be impossible to break out of it. This is why it’s important to discover the root cause of your mental health issues whenever you get cosmetic surgery, as mental health is generally more than skin deep.
The Positive Effects
On the other hand, some people do find that it helps cure any problems they’ve been having. For example, if you’ve always been insecure about the size of your breasts, an enlargement can eradicate this insecurity and allow you to feel more confident. Similarly, if you have extremely large breasts and opt for a reduction, you might notice the positive changes it can have right away. Back pain caused by larger breasts can wreak havoc on your daily life too, so once the procedure is completed, the immediate relief can improve your mental health immensely.
Cosmetic surgery can be a positive change for many people, but it’s not wise to use it as a fix for your mental health problems. Instead, it can work alongside treatment to help you take control of your insecurities and anxieties. Cosmetic surgery isn’t a quick fix either. Recover is tough and it can cost quite a bit too, so it’s not something you take lightly. It’s always a good idea to consult a professional before and after your procedure to ensure that your mental health is just as looked after.
