Are there psychological risks to having a facelift or some other kind of surgery to make you look better?
Are you thinking about having a facelift? What used to be a procedure that the rich and famous dropped out of sight to have done so that no one would know about it is now extremely popular and accepted.
There is simply no denying the fact that aging is not kind to the skin on our face. Sun, gravity, stress, toxins in the air and a whole list of other things combine forces to create changes that no amount of sunscreen or spa treatments are going to prevent. The process may have been best described by Dolly Parton’s character in the movie “Steel Magnolias”:
“Honey, time marches on and eventually you realize it is marchin’ across your face”
Why Choose a Facelift?
A facelift, or more technically a rhytidectomy, is designed to target particular areas on the face that have been affected by aging. Some of the indicators that you might benefit from a facelift include:
- Skin sagging or drooping around the mouth, nose and in the cheeks
- Small lines appearing around the eyes
- Laugh lines around the corners of the mouth that are anything but funny
- Double chin or jowls forming in cheeks and jaw, even if not overweight
- Loss of fullness due to diminished fat levels in skin
Even though new nonsurgical procedures seem to come out every day and do a great job with facial rejuvenation, facelifts are still very popular. Not only are the results more dramatic, but they should age right along with you. We have yet to come up with a technique to stop the aging process, but if your facelift is done by an experienced and skillful cosmetic surgeon, you should continue looking younger than you would have had you not had the surgery done.
A facelift and other procedures that are often done at the same time, like a brow lift or eyelid surgery, can make a big difference in appearance, and that is the goal for having this type of cosmetic surgery done. It’s important, though, to first ask yourself why you feel the need to improve how you look and to have realistic expectations about the outcome.
There are aisles in bookstores filled with advice about how it’s never a good idea to change your appearance or other things about yourself in an effort to please someone else. That is especially true when it comes to surgical changes. Patients who choose procedures like facelifts in order to feel better about themselves for themselves consistently report a better experience.
There have even been studies that indicate that making this sort of change for the right reason can actually improve an individual’s quality of life. According to “Well-Being from the Knife? Psychological Effects of Aesthetic Surgery”, made available by the independent academic publisher SAGE, 544 patients were followed for a year after having cosmetic surgery for the purpose of improving their appearance. The results suggested positive outcomes in the following areas:
- anxiety
- social phobia
- depression
- body dysmorphia
- goal attainment
- quality of life
- life satisfaction
- attractiveness
- mental and physical health
- well-being
- self-efficacy
- self-esteem
How can you make sure that a facelift or other cosmetic surgery is the right choice for you? Besides examining your motivations and talking with a trusted family member or friend, it is extremely important to find the most experienced and highly skilled surgeon to consult with. Ask questions. Listen. Make sure you understand exactly what to expect. Together, you should then be able to come up with what is right for you.
Dr. Brian D. Cohen is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with extensive training in cosmetic/reconstructive plastic surgery and has had years of experience performing a wide array of cosmetic surgery procedures, specializing in procedures of the face, eyes, nose, breast and body and is known for his exemplary and compassionate care by his patients. Knowing that Dr. Cohen has been selected by his peers in Super Doctors for 8 years in a row in 2020 gives you the confidence that he is highly respected for his performance in his specialty.
Information on locations and office hours for Cohen Plastic Surgery can be found by clicking here.