The psychological background of aesthetic surgery

Aesthetic surgeries, today, are current currency. It is normal to feel uncomfortable about how we see you. That there is any specific issue in our aspect that does not like and we want to modify.

The problem we will address here today is that of aesthetic surgeries. It is not strange that there are background psychological problems that can lead someone to decide to go through one of them. In many of these cases, the solution to the problem is not to modify the aspect, but in treating a more entrenched problem with the most indicated treatment.

If you want to learn more about the possible psychological background of cosmetic surgery, then keep reading.

Content

• Aesthetic surgeries, what are they for
• Problems that can hide behind cosmetic surgery
  • 1. Dysmorphophobia
  • 2. Low self-esteem
  • 3. Social acceptance
  • 4. Addictions
• In conclusion
  • Sources

Aesthetic surgeries, what are they for

Aesthetic surgery is a branch within plastic surgery. These are two terms that are usually used as synonyms, but they are not the same. We must know how to differentiate them to understand what we mean.

Plastic surgery is a specialty of medicine. It encompasses both aesthetic and repairing surgery and its purpose is to rebuild or alter parts of the body or face. The difference between aesthetic and restorative surgery lies in the reasons why someone decides to submit to them.

In repair surgery, it seeks to rebuild a part of the body. Either due to previous surgery, an accident, for a disease or a birth condition. These types of interventions are performed, for example, by placing skin grafts on burns or making breast reconstructions in people who have suffered breast cancer.

Something very different is Cosmetic surgery. To her, a patient decides to submit to improve or restore her appearance. These people wish to modify an issue in their appearance. For example, in liposuction body fat is extracted, the size of the breasts is increased in rhinoplasty, in rhinoplasty the appearance of the nose is modified.

Many are the people who resort to cosmetic surgeries to modify something in how they look. The problem lies in the reason that leads them to do it. What may seem a harmless attempt to change the aspect, can be hiding serious psychological problems. These problems can range from have a distorted image of the body or face, to an addiction.

It is crucial to be clear, before deciding to submit to cosmetic surgery, what reason is that moves us to do so. Therefore, in this article, we will tell you what are the most common psychological problems that can lead a person to resort to surgery of this class. To recognize and be able to treat them from their root, not going through a scalpel.

Problems that can hide behind cosmetic surgery

A medical intervention to modify our appearance may not be adequate for all people. At least not until we deal with deeper issues than an attempt to modify the image itself can hide.

Here we will tell you what are the most common psychological problems for which someone decides to resort to cosmetic surgery. This can be a solution not very suitable for some cases, such as those we will mention.

1. Dysmorphophobia

Dysmorphophobia is one of the many reasons that can lead to someone to modify something in their appearance and, in some cases, resort to cosmetic surgery. It consists in believing that you have a defect in the physical aspect. So far there seems to be serious problems, but Who suffers as dysmorphophobia, becomes obsessed with the fact of having a defect and cares about him in an exaggerated way. Many times, the question is rationally imperceptible to others, but for them it is of extreme gravity.

Dysmorphophobia goes hand in hand with distorted thoughts. Since those who suffer from them usually have a different perception of the real regarding how they look.

2. Low self-esteem

Another driving reason for cosmetic surgery can become low self -esteem. These people do not have objective judgments about themselves, They are not valued and do not believe that others should do so. Many times, by the hand of aesthetic interventions, it seeks to try to raise missing self -esteem. Believing that the operation will be the solution of the psychological problem behind, when it is not.

3. Social acceptance

This is another extremely important point that affects many. The attempt to achieve social acceptance is an issue that generates anguish, and leads people sometimes to Believe that, by possessing certain qualities, they will be accepted. A harmful and erroneous association, of course.

They are people from, in general, low self -esteem. They seek to content others to please, at the costs of their own criteria and health. Definitely, this problem is not corrected with a scalpel and must be analyzed by a psychologist to treat it at the root.

4. Addictions

There are people who become addicted to "touch up" their body and face. They present obsessive thoughts that lead them to modify your appearance again and again. Usually develops by underlying insecurities, that lead to seek to change how these people look. Then, a custom becomes, the existing change is not enough and wish.

Needless to say, it is an extremely risky obsession, which can end up deriving in deformations. You can until ending the life of a person due to the risks that are assumed by undergoing this type of interventions.

In conclusion

An aesthetic surgery, deciding to modify some part of our appearance, can have a serious psychological background. It is necessary to evaluate the decision that leads to someone to undergo an intervention.

For some problems, such as those mentioned, it is not enough to go through an operating room. These issues must be analyzed and dealing with adequate therapy, in order to remove the root problem, without recidivities or relapses.

We must accept ourselves, learn about self -love. Thus we will know how to value our body and respect it. If they want to alter their appearance, think of the reason that drives them to do so. If any of the ones we mentioned before, then the solution is not in surgery, it is in another place.

Sources

• Bradbury, e. (1994). The Psychology of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 18 (3), 301-305.
• of the tooth, and. G. C. (2004). Dysmorphophobia. Psychiatry monographs, 16(2), 25-31.
• Elliott, a., & Pérez-Henao, H. (2011). Extreme Plastic: Aim of the Culture of Aesthetic Surgery. Anagramas-rumbos and senses of communication-, 9 (18), 145-164.
• Gtresonline, (2020). What are the most frequent reasons to want to undergo cosmetic surgery? Recovered from: https: // www.hello.com/be-well/20200924175873/reasons-some-cirugia-eastica-psychologia-gt/
• Raich, r. M. (2004). A perspective from the health psychology of body image. Advances in Latin American Psychology, 22 (1), 15-27.