Since cosmetic plastic surgery patients come from all walks of life, the plastic surgeon must learn how to relate to people with a wide range of cultural, financial, and educational backgrounds. An approach to building trust with one patient may be completely different from what is needed to build trust with another. That relatability is key to an open, honest, and trustworthy relationship between the patient and surgeon. In fact, in some ways, plastic surgery seems to unify people irrespective of background. Everyone wants to feel good about themselves, to be accepted by the people around them, and to look good.
People in sales jobs or the public eye especially want to look refreshed, pleasant, and approachable—and that transcends all differences. Because childbirth physically changes a woman’s body pretty significantly, women from all races and cultures come to us for procedures to help them regain their pre-pregnancy bodies and start feeling like their younger selves before they have children. While we all have similar objectives—to be accepted and to feel good about ourselves—in my practice I’ve seen how our perceptions differ along cultural lines about the definition of beauty and how to achieve it. People from different cultures want surgery that accomplishes different goals, and certain surgeries are desired more by certain cultures than others.
For example, some cultures see beauty in curves and fullness, so women from these cultures more often request the procedure known as the Brazilian butt lift or fat grafting to augment the bottom. Culture can also influence expectations regarding outcomes. For instance, women from cultures that value fuller figures typically ask us to leave some curves when performing liposuction. Other cultures seem to focus more on facial features, requesting fillers and other procedures to help restore volume lost in the cheeks and lips. Regardless of culture, we’ve seen that the definition of beauty can change over time. What matters in your twenties may not be what matters to you in your forties.
For example, someone who had large breast implants placed when they were in their twenties and implants were in style may come in years later looking for a reduction in their overall breast size. That reduction may involve a smaller implant or a reduction of natural breast tissue. As we age, our bodies continuously change, as does our ideal body image. As a patient’s goals evolve over time, cosmetic plastic surgery offers a wide range of procedures to meet those changing needs. You would think that replacing large implants with smaller ones would surely make someone unhappy, but every woman who has performed that surgery says they feel better physically, and they feel better about themselves.
When they were young, getting implants was about fitting a perceived image; now, taking them out is about their own self-happiness. They are no longer concerned with impressing someone else; they have become content with who they are and what is most comfortable or practical.
When it comes to cosmetic plastic surgery, it’s not about what other people think—it’s about what’s best for you. People who are the most critical of others often have many issues themselves. What one person likes, wants, or needs may not fit someone else. And that’s OK—it’s OK to want something different than what others want. If you try to do for yourself only what someone else thinks is reasonable, you’re not going to be happy.
At some point, you have to decide what matters and whether the procedure is right for you. After that, it’s the role of the plastic surgeon to determine whether plastic surgery can deliver the expected results. When you’re happy with your outcome and more comfortable with your new self, when your family and others see that you had cosmetic plastic surgery to bring to the surface your inner beauty, then they’ll be more confident and understanding of your new you.
Adapted from: Forbes
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