Reassessing The Need For Cosmetic Surgery
The untimely and tragic death of Kanye West's mother following cosmetic surgery forces the medical community to reassess the need for cosmetic surgery and the rewards vs. the risks.
In my judgement there are at least 3 reasons for the massive increase in and the need for cosmetic surgery worldwide.
First, as longevity increases there is a need for the human being to maintain functionality. Growing old gracefully is euphemism for "I don't want to do it so you shouldn't either". My mother lies in a nursing home bed unable to walk and barely able to communicate. Hundreds of thousands of people sit in nursing homes as virtual or actual invalids because of their inability to function in society. Millions of people see their faculties waste away as they can no longer find jobs, no longer enjoy relationships, no longer function in their familial societies. We are talking about quality of life! Just as functional organs are necessary for quality of life, so is appearance and the ability to relate to each other.
Second is the need for self-esteem in mental health. Vanity is a synonym for self-esteem. It is not narcissism. It is one of the main reasons getting up in the morning is fun. Now cosmetic surgery can function to enhance appearance and self esteem and this is ideally the goal of the cosmetic patient. And cosmetic surgery can function as a neurotic wish to repair self-abuse. It is the job of the cosmetic surgeon to differentiated between the two. Cosmetic surgeons are trained physicians who make diagnoses, evaluate the cause, evaluate options for repair, educate the patient, and facilitate the patient getting well. We are not cosmetologists. It is our job to differentiate the cause of the problem and to refer patients for appropriate help when cosmetic surgery will not meet their needs.
Third, we have a plethora of non-invasive treatments which have minimal risk to patients and maximize the self esteem resulting from appearance. It is no accident that I named this blog "health and appearance" and not just the latter.
In an age of instant communication, sober thought is needed to prevent castigating an entire medical sub-set with pejorative labels.
In my judgement there are at least 3 reasons for the massive increase in and the need for cosmetic surgery worldwide.
First, as longevity increases there is a need for the human being to maintain functionality. Growing old gracefully is euphemism for "I don't want to do it so you shouldn't either". My mother lies in a nursing home bed unable to walk and barely able to communicate. Hundreds of thousands of people sit in nursing homes as virtual or actual invalids because of their inability to function in society. Millions of people see their faculties waste away as they can no longer find jobs, no longer enjoy relationships, no longer function in their familial societies. We are talking about quality of life! Just as functional organs are necessary for quality of life, so is appearance and the ability to relate to each other.
Second is the need for self-esteem in mental health. Vanity is a synonym for self-esteem. It is not narcissism. It is one of the main reasons getting up in the morning is fun. Now cosmetic surgery can function to enhance appearance and self esteem and this is ideally the goal of the cosmetic patient. And cosmetic surgery can function as a neurotic wish to repair self-abuse. It is the job of the cosmetic surgeon to differentiated between the two. Cosmetic surgeons are trained physicians who make diagnoses, evaluate the cause, evaluate options for repair, educate the patient, and facilitate the patient getting well. We are not cosmetologists. It is our job to differentiate the cause of the problem and to refer patients for appropriate help when cosmetic surgery will not meet their needs.
Third, we have a plethora of non-invasive treatments which have minimal risk to patients and maximize the self esteem resulting from appearance. It is no accident that I named this blog "health and appearance" and not just the latter.
In an age of instant communication, sober thought is needed to prevent castigating an entire medical sub-set with pejorative labels.
posted by Edward Lack MD at 8:32 AM
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