12 Reasons Not To Have Plastic Surgery

The number of people going under the knife for cosmetic surgery is on the rise. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), almost 11,000,000 (11 million!) cosmetic plastic surgeries were performed in 2006 in the United States, an increase of 7 percent from the year before.

Some people are not candidates for having plastic surgery. Even if you are, you need to think about the risks as well the benefits. The following are reasons to NOT to have plastic surgery.

1. You’re depressed or in some type of crisis - Individuals who are in the process of divorce or mourning the death of a loved one or suffering a mid-life crisis are seeking answers that cannot be provided by changing their personal appearance. A patient should first resolve their emotional crisis then think about having plastic surgery. You might try herbs for depression
2. You want to look like Johnny Depp or Angelina Jolie - Yes, Johnny and Angelina are hot, but plastic surgeons cannot perform miracles. Unrealistic or impossible expectations are red flags to plastic surgeons to pass on this type of candidate, as they should.
3. You want to please someone else - Plastic surgery should be something you want to do for yourself, not for anyone else. Let’s face it, most relationships are not permanent; unlike the surgical changes of plastic surgery. If your honey thinks you should go under the knife, maybe you should cut-him/her loose instead. After all, you’ll have to live with the changes if your relationship fails.
4. You have serious health concerns - If you have any one or more of the following health problems, plastic surgery may not be safe:
* Diabetes
* Hypertension (High blood pressure)
* Excessive drinking
* Excessive smoking
* Hemophilia or a bleeding disorder
* Heart Disease
* Obesity
* Lung Disease
* Elevated levels of cholesterol
* Arthritis
* Severe Allergies

You can consult physician answering services for more information.
5. You’re addicted to plastic surgery (Body Dimorphic Disorder or BDD) - People with this obsessive-compulsive disorder suffer with what mental health professional call a “broken mirror” syndrome where they believe they have severe flaws in their appearances, which no plastic surgeon can fix because the flaws don’t exist except in the mind of the individual. This isn’t just a bad habit like nail biting. Jocelyn Wildenstein, an extreme case of BDD has had approximately 72 procedures performed.

6. You want to land a partner or spouse - Obviously a bad idea I hope. Again you should be changing your appearance for you not for what you think someone else might like.
7. You want to be happy - This should be obvious too. Get to the root of your problems; don’t patch them with plastic surgery
8. You have financial problems - According to American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS), the cost for plastic surgery continues to rise and is becoming increasingly difficult to afford. Unless it is health related, plastic surgery is not covered by health insurance. A breast reduction is covered by insurance companies when women complain about back problems, but breast enhancement isn’t.
9. trying to save a relationship - Even a brilliant plastic surgeon cannot save an ailing relationship.
10. To get revenge on an Ex - Another horribly bad idea.
11. There can be complications to any surgery - Even in the hands of the most experienced plastic surgeon; plastic surgery has risks just like any other surgical procedure. Many procedures are performed under general anesthesia, which can by potentially dangerous or fatal. The following are complications of plastic surgery performed under general anesthesia:
* Abnormal heart rhythm
* Blood Clots—Blood Clots can be fatal and are difficult to predict. To lower the risk, patients should not stay in any one position too long. Flexing the feet often helps too.
* Airway Obstruction—Anesthesia may irritate air passages, which causes the spasms of the vocal cords. This can block the airway.
* Brain Damage—Brain Damage may occur if blood circulation drops to a dangerous level.
* Heart Attack
* Malignant Hyperthermia—A rare but real complication when blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature rise to a dangerous level. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, death may occur.
* Stroke
* Nerve Damage
* Death
12. There can be many serious and ugly complications to plastic surgery - In addition to complications of general anesthesia, there are other serious general risks associated with the procedure itself. The following are general risks for cosmetic surgical procedures:
* Asymmetry: A range of normal to several asymmetries. Moderate to severe can mostly likely be corrected with a second surgery. Mild asymmetry is considered a normal result.
* Irregularities, dimples, puckers, and divots: occur due to the individual’s genetic make-up, surgeon’s error or healing irregularities.
* Seroma: A deposit of clear fluid that sometimes develops in the body after surgery such as liposuction, tummy tuck or breast augmentation. Typically, a drain is inserted in the affected area along and whenever possible, compression. In some instances, this doesn’t work and further treatments are necessary.
* Skin Necrosis (Skin Death): typically occurs after an infection or hematoma. The odds for skin death are greater among smokers. The dead skin is surgically removed. This may or may not change the results of the cosmetic procedure.
* Slow Healing: Due to health related problems, age, type of skin, or neglecting to follow doctor’s advice.
* Numbness/Tingling: occurs when the sensory or motor nerves are temporarily or permanently damaged, resulting in a loss of sensation.

Cosmetic surgery is a nice addition to one’s quest for bodily satisfaction. The journey to become the person we hope to be often entails a physical change somewhere along the way. Most patients who use cosmetic surgery to achieve their aesthetic goals will never experience a problematic addiction.