Who Makes a Good Candidate for Plastic Surgery?
Not everyone makes a perfect patient
Most potential cosmetic surgery patients simply assume that if they are able to pay for the procedure, they are a fine candidate. However, for a variety of reasons, not everyone is a good candidate for plastic surgery. There are numerous factors that are taken into account before any surgeon will wheel you into the operating room.
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An ideal candidate for plastic surgery is in good general health. Beginning with the initial consultation process, your surgeon will need to know if you are in good physical health before he or she can make any decisions about the operation. A physical exam and detailed assessment of your medical history will determine if there are any indications for complications from anesthetic or the surgical procedure itself. If your physical status indicates that the procedure could carry some undue risk or danger, the surgeon will likely decline to operate on you.
Poor habits like smoking raise the risks associated with most surgeries - not simply cosmetic procedures. Your surgeon may recommend a smoking cessation program, or, at the very least, advise you to stop smoking well in advance of the procedure date. Often, the health risks associated with obesity will immediately raise the risk in any surgery, and surgeons will advise patients to diet and exercise to reach the ideal weight appropriate for surgery.
Especially for liposuction surgery, which is not a weight loss tool, patients should be at least within 30 pounds of their normal body weight. If your physical limitations are adjustable through lifestyle modification, your potential surgeon will probably recommend the steps you need to take to lower those risks.
Often, plastic surgeons step into the role of psychologist in order to determine if a patient is a good candidate for cosmetic plastic surgery. Emotional and mental stability is a large factor that plastic surgeons take into account before scheduling a procedure. The initial consultation will also include a frank discussion of your wishes, expectations and motivations behind the surgery.
Having realistic expectations of the surgery is essential to your success as a patient. Your surgeon will assess your expectations and seek to understand your motivation for having the procedure. An ideal plastic surgery patient will have a stable life and be fundamentally happy with themselves, but concerned about a certain aspect of their physical appearance. A divorce, loss of a loved one or other life-crisis is often not the time to be making major decisions and an ethical surgeon will decline to operate on anyone under emotional strain.
Ideal candidates for cosmetic plastic surgery also understand that a new nose or perkier breasts won’t fix their life, but will likely improve self-esteem. Surgery cannot repair emotional problems and a surgeon may recommend psychological counseling in order to be confident that the motivation for surgery isn’t due to mental instability.
These are not hard and fast rules, but common guidelines that most board-certified plastic surgeons follow when assessing fitness for cosmetic plastic surgery. Your ability to follow post-operative instruction and understand the possible risks and side-effects are also important considerations. Ultimately, your doctor will have the last word about whether you make a good candidate for the surgery. It's up to you to be honest about your expectations, habits and motivations. Keep in mind that the risks involved with cosmetic plastic surgery are real and serious, and in the end, the only person dealing with the consequence of a bad decision will be you.
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