Tech advances like social media have made both men and women increasingly concerned about the way they look. If this describes you, cosmetic surgery aims to make you feel better about yourself. But what does that mean?
Studies show that those who undergo cosmetic surgical procedures like tummy tuck, breast augmentation, gynecomastia surgery (for men), and rhinoplasty are generally pleased with their results.
Those same studies show that cosmetic surgery can improve one’s self-worth. More specifically, cosmetic enhancement can help with both self-esteem and confidence. Most people use these terms interchangeably, but that’s not quite correct.
There are differences between the two terms, and cosmetic surgery can help with both as long as you maintain realistic expectations.
Let’s dive into the true meaning of the terms self-esteem and confidence and how cosmetic surgery could give you a new lease on life.
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Self-esteem is the amount of value you place on yourself. You develop self-esteem based on your interactions with others and life experiences.
You need healthy self-esteem to have the confidence to meet life’s challenges head-on.
When you have healthy self-esteem, even if life hands you lemons, you’re ready to whip up a batch of lemonade.
Low self-esteem can develop into a harsh inner critic. You might find yourself trashing yourself when you’re stressed or being negatively judged by others.
Confidence is about knowing and trusting in your own abilities. Self-confidence can change depending on the situation you find yourself in. You might be confident at playing chess, but you might lack confidence when playing sports, for example.
With low confidence, when life throws you obstacles, you might feel as though you deserve it for being so worthless.
Does that clear things up a bit?
To develop both healthy self-esteem and confidence, it is important to practice self-acceptance and to get to know yourself.
And if there is a body part that you feel could look better, cosmetic surgery can often be a terrific way of loving yourself. Once again, healthy expectations are key to achieving favorable results with cosmetic enhancement.
Having one or more body parts you dislike can make you feel insecure. You might then have low confidence when it comes to things like applying for a better job, getting a date, or striving to be your best.
With countless cosmetic procedures available, nearly any body part can be altered, improved, and corrected.
Whether you have loose skin, excess fat, facial aging, loss of breast volume, sagging breasts, excess breast growth (if you are male), or nose shape or size concerns, cosmetic enhancement can help.
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Everyone is different, but most people feel a surge of confidence when they are pleased with their appearance. When you are embarrassed or unhappy about a portion of your body, your self-esteem can take a hit. Depression can follow. You might even socially withdraw, exacerbating your inability to feel confident about yourself.
Women with saggy breasts may struggle with intimacy in the bedroom. The same with men with gynecomastia. This can affect your relationship with your partner, not to mention negatively affecting your social well-being.
Cosmetic surgery can lead to a greater sense of satisfaction with your appearance. People who undergo popular cosmetic procedures like breast augmentation, tummy tuck, gynecomastia surgery, facelift, and Brazilian Butt Lift tend to carry themselves more confidently. As a result, their relationships improve, and they’re more likely to achieve their professional and life goals.
On the other side of the coin is someone who is constantly worried people can see their stubborn fat, large nose, small breasts, or flat buttocks, and judge them harshly for “not being good enough.” Of course, most of this negative self-talk is most likely all in the person’s head. But if cosmetic surgery will help you hold your head up a bit higher, then undergoing one or more procedures can help you feel more confident, allowing you to get the most out of life.
Studies show that people who undergo cosmetic surgery and who also possess realistic expectations tend to feel healthier and less anxious following their procedures. They also developed higher self-esteem, which helped to improve other areas of their life, such as intelligence, physical activity, and shyness, to give some examples.
Cosmetic surgery doesn’t just improve your appearance. A tummy tuck can give you the confidence to be yourself when wearing a bathing suit at the beach. Rhinoplasty can give your confidence a boost when applying for a job where you have to interact with a lot of people. Breast augmentation can help your favorite clothes fit better, reducing any self-consciousness you may have felt before. All of these procedures can lead to better social confidence. They make it easier to meet new people, engage in public speaking, and date.
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A study published in Clinical Psychological Science reported that people who underwent cosmetic surgery experienced greater joy in life, a better mood, and a higher sense of satisfaction. These attributes can help with all your relationships with co-workers, your significant other, family members, friends, and even acquaintances.
A study completed by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine showed that patients who underwent cosmetic surgery had improved body image and self-image in social settings and their work environments. Feeling better about yourself at work can help you speak up during meetings, ask for raises and promotions, and lead to better job performance.
Being realistic with your expectations means that you understand that cosmetic surgery can improve your looks, but not perfect them. If you can accept this concept, you are more likely to be happy with the results cosmetic enhancement can bring you.
Many cosmetic surgery patients bring photographs of celebrities with them to their cosmetic surgery consultations. When meeting with the surgeon for the first time, these people want the professional performing the surgery to know just how much improvement they want. However, no amount of cosmetic surgery can make you look like a particular movie star or model. You can use those images as guides but be realistic in what cosmetic surgery can deliver.
Cosmetic surgeons are careful to only operate on those individuals who do possess realistic expectations. If you have a mental health issue, such as body dysmorphic disorder, no amount of cosmetic surgery will bring you body satisfaction, unfortunately.
The known increase in self-esteem following cosmetic surgery experiences could explain the growing trend of people signing up for the 15 million cosmetic procedures performed in this country each year.
The most popular surgeries performed by cosmetic surgeons include liposuction, breast augmentation surgery, tummy tuck, rhinoplasty, and eyelid surgery.
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As technology and surgical techniques become more advanced, the results of cosmetic enhancement will only continue to get better with less invasive procedures required.
There is no one right answer to this question. If you have a body part you feel self-conscious about, cosmetic surgery can help you feel more at peace with your appearance. Most of us have that one body part that drives us a little crazy. We often say to ourselves, if only my love handles weren’t so big (liposuction), or I wish my tummy wasn’t so flabby (tummy tuck), or why can’t my breasts be rounder and more lifted on my chest (breast augmentation)?
Of course, in some cases, two or more cosmetic procedures can be performed at the same time. These include popular procedures like the mommy makeover and daddy do-over surgeries.
With a mommy makeover, you can return your body to pre-pregnancy conditions with a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, liposuction, and Renuvion for skin tightening.
The daddy do-over can include gynecomastia surgery, tummy tuck, eyelid surgery, and facelift. These are just some of the possibilities open to you. It depends on what you feel you need to improve about yourself.
Read our article: Combining Multiple Cosmetic Plastic Surgeries for Superior Results
Many cosmetic procedures can last a decade or longer, depending on how well you maintain your skin and weight. Some procedures, like injectable neurotoxins need to be repeated every few months to maintain your results.
No cosmetic improvement can hold age at bay, and gravity also plays a part. But if you choose the right surgeon and do your best to maintain your results according to your surgeon’s recommendations, you can enjoy boosted self-esteem and confidence for many, many years to come.
In closing, the effects of cosmetic surgery on self-esteem and self-confidence are well-documented. By improving the parts of yourself you dislike, you can improve your quality of life, relationships, working life, sex life, and many other areas. That is, as long as you maintain realistic expectations.
Ready to learn more? You can open up an entirely new world of possibilities by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Babak Moein of Moein Surgical Arts in Los Angeles, California.