If we were all comfortable with our looks and our body, then no one would need cosmetic surgey. However, the marketing push from doctors making a living from the body business attracts people, who for various reasons see going under the knife as an answer to their problems.
There's no debate that some people feel great after a cosmetic procedure. You don't have to go far to find testimonials about how "it changed my life". But there are other people, for whom surgery would be unwise.
If there is emotional distress that is motivating the desire for a procedure this can compromise a patients ability to give informed medical consent.
Experienced surgeons recognise this and some have fomal procedures to screen patients for emotional and psychological conditions that would make them inappropriate for surgery.
The American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery identifies as inappropriate people who are:
- people in crisis: going through divorce, death of a spouse, or job loss;
- people with unrealistic expections;
- people obcessed with a minor defect;
- people with a mental illness,a dn exhibiting delusional or paranoid behaviour.
The Cosmetic Surgury Inquiry held in 1999 recommended that a Code of Ethics on Appropriate Patient Selection be developed for cosmetic surgery requiring doctors to evaluate and discuss with patients their expectations in terms of self-esteem. This is yet to be developed, so we'll keep you posted.
Reference: Inquiry into Cosmetic Surgery, Journal of the Health Care Complaints Commission Vol. 2 No. 1 January 2000, p15-21.
