Does Plastic Surgery Make People Happy?
Plenty of studies have been conducted over the years to measure the impact of plastic surgery on patients’ lives. As reported in Science Daily, a new study by Jurgen Margraf of Bochum University in Germany suggests that people who are interested in cosmetic surgery may in fact feel happier once they have it.
Note that the study does not investigate whether patients are satisfied with the physical results of the procedure they elect. In our experience in our practice in New York, plastic surgery patients are nearly always pleased with their surgical outcome, if not delighted.
The research performed by Margraf and colleagues from the University of Basel in Switzerland measured whether men and women who wanted cosmetic surgery were actually happier after their operation. The scientists surveyed groups of 544 first-time plastic surgery patients, 264 people who wanted surgery at one time then decided against it and about 1000 people who had never considered going under the knife.
The psychologists evaluated the three groups before the patients had surgery, then again at the three, six and twelve month marks. Generally, the 544 patients reported achieving their goals, which most often included feeling better, banishing imperfections and improving self-confidence. Not only that, people in the cosmetic surgery group tended to feel healthier, experience lower levels of anxiety and better self-esteem throughout the term of the study, compared to those who had decided to bypass surgery.
The researchers reported observing no adverse effects of plastic surgery on the group of 544 patients. Interestingly, they deliberately included some questions about unrealistic ideas in their measurement tool, such as plastic surgery having the power to solve all problems and make a patient feel like a completely new individual. Only 12% of the actual patients chose goals like these.
These results, and results of all studies on the impact of plastic surgery, should be of interest to everyone in the profession. It is encouraging to note that the overwhelming majority of the 544 cosmetic surgery patients studied achieved such high levels of satisfaction.
But not everyone is a candidate for a cosmetic procedure—perhaps many of the 264 who chose not to have surgery were discouraged by a savvy physician. Among the other interesting findings, Margraf and his colleagues may be hinting that plastic surgeons are becoming more and more skilled at patient selection.
Are you considering plastic surgery? We promise to spend all the time you need to help you arrive at the best decision for you. Fill out our online contact form and we will get in touch, or give us a call at 212-870-6080.
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