Vanity Or Absolute Necessity – The Two Impulses Which Drive Consumers To Adjust Their Physical Appearance By Way Of Surgery
Posted on 20 March 2010
When talking about plastic surgery, people tend to connect it to cosmetic surgery procedures that enhance a person’s appearance. These words frequently and conversely get thrown around when referring to surgeries that physically change the individual’s appearance. But are they really just one and the same? The answer is not as straightforward as a simple yes or no. If you are on the verge of deciding to have plastic or cosmetic surgery done, it is important to know what you’re talking about.
Cosmetic surgery is basically a surgery procedure with a goal of improving form. It is changing the shape of your body to look and feel better.
Cosmetic surgery is elective surgery. If you are considering cosmetic surgery, you should know that there are certain decisions you have to make to minimize the risks and possible complications of surgery. When considering cosmetic surgery, there is no bodily function affected and there is no threat to the general health to begin with, so the procedure is not compulsory and does not require urgency. A person simply wants to undergo cosmetic surgery to appear more attractive in most cases. Breast enlargement or breast implants are seen as a cosmetic surgery procedure because the body parts are normally functioning structures that only need enhancing. Cosmetic surgery is performed for psychological reasons where the patient needs to have his or her body altered to give or regain self-confidence.
Reconstructive surgery on the other hand, involves reconstruction – it could be moving the tissue around or removing a cancerous tissue, for instance. Reconstructive surgery is the aspect of plastic surgery where the focus and concentration of interest is towards the treatment, restoration and recovery of forms as well as function. Sometimes reconstructive surgery is done to treat non-healing wounds or ulcers due to injury, diabetes, or burns.
The line that separates cosmetic and reconstructive surgery can be so thin it tends to create ambiguity on the category of procedure to be performed. If a child is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate, for example, not only is their appearance impaired, but their speech function is severely hampered. A plastic surgery procedure that is both reconstructive and cosmetic would be able to repair the functionality of the child’s mouth and improve their appearance allowing them to live a full and normal life.
You can probably say that this delicate distinction is more on the aim and objective for undergoing the procedure. The fundamental reason for reconstructive surgery is often to bolster the health of the individual, both physically and sometimes mentally. For cosmetic surgery, the predominant factor is “art” and the interest is focused more on enhancing the shape to bolster the person’s self-worth.
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