Although society is increasingly obsessed with physical appearance, cosmetic surgery is not a solution to finding happiness, many experts warn.
“You have to understand the reasons why you do it, and above all understand that it can’t change how you really feel inside of you,” explains Stéphanie Léonard, a psychologist specializing in body image.
It can change how we perceive ourselves, (…) but we do not send a message of acceptance and benevolence.
Infinite Quest
For years, social media has bombarded us with images of perfect bodies. Influenced by this social pressure, clients are tempted by cosmetic surgery in search of a more beautiful face or a more advantageous silhouette.
For some, “it’s like a kind of quest that never ends”, notes Ms. Léonard, who recently launched the site good with my bodywhich helps young people with body image issues.
“Before being a plastic surgeon, we are doctors. If the patient is depressed, the scalpel is not always the solution. You have to be honest with the patients,” emphasizes Dr. Joseph Bou-Merhi. “You don’t find happiness in cosmetic surgery,” he says. Look for happiness elsewhere.”
Honeymoon
According to Ms. Léonard, cosmetic surgery often causes a honeymoon at first, but then fades. Although she does not demonize cosmetic surgery, she wants people to be more informed, to make the decision for the right reasons.
“We don’t like to see bodies age, so this industry jumped at the chance,” she thinks. It’s a shame, we should more honor the fact that our body changes after having one or more children.
How to make an informed choice
- Clearly define your expectations, and be aware of the risks of surgery
- Meet several surgeons
- Ask all questions, and express your concerns before the operation
- Choose the surgeon who makes us feel comfortable, trust is important
- Price and waiting time should not be the only criteria
- Check the doctor’s disciplinary history
- Watch for signs of infection
- Consult in case of concern; doctors are required to do postoperative follow-up
- Discuss with your surgeon if there is dissatisfaction to find an agreement
Unrealistic standards
More and more clients are presenting themselves to their surgeon with photos of the ideal body they want to obtain, while these images are often retouched and impossible to reproduce, deplore doctors.
“If we invent faces and bodies from scratch, and people aim for that as a scale to obtain, it’s a recipe for disaster,” reacts Dr. Benoit LeBlanc, plastic surgeon in Laval.
“Social media floods people’s imaginations with photos and beauty standards. People are bombarded with images, and what is conveyed sometimes (…) is not necessarily a reflection of the reality of what we can accomplish,” adds Dr Éric Bensimon, president of the Association. specialists in plastic and aesthetic surgeons from Quebec.
Switchboard unreachable
Indeed, each body reacts differently to surgery, so the result may not be the same for everyone. Also, the filters used to retouch the photos, and to embellish them, also distort the perception of what can be obtained in surgery.
Sometimes the difference is so striking that the person does not even look like their photos in reality.
“It’s as if we had invented a new person! laments Dr. LeBlanc. If young people trust that as their gold standard, we are in trouble. »
Impossible expectations
Obviously, these perceptions of beauty ideals remind us of the importance of having a good discussion with your surgeon before the operation, says Dr. Bensimon.
“It’s sometimes difficult to properly frame what the patients have in mind, and sometimes the body does not heal in the same way. There is still a gray area in terms of the result on which we must be well informed.