Cosmetic s urgery refers to an elective procedure that patients undertake to improve their physique for aesthetic purposes. The non - essential procedures are undertaken by qualified medical practitioners referred to as cosmetic surgeons or plastic surgeons as registered by various state medical boards. Though there is no distinct motivation , many patients attribute the procedures to the need to improv e how people perceive them. This goes a long way in influencing their emotional gratification as they feel more fulfilled resulting in a higher self - esteem. They reckon that the procedures are aimed at eradicating parts of their body that cause them embarrassment or stress. Based on this perspective , cosmetic surgery is thus defined as a medical procedure aimed at reshaping or changing the physique of a body part . This may include alteration of a part ’ s colour, texture, appearance or structur e . However , there are other non-surgical procedures that also serve to alter the structure of tissues in an effort to improve aesthetic look of an individual , with the aim of improving their self - esteem. Unlike plastic surgery that is aimed at reconstructing a damaged or disfigured body part , cosmetic surgeries are primarily done to improve appearance and physique ( Akhlaghi et al. , 2015) . Thus, undeniably, cosmetic surgery significantly promotes self-esteem.
Background
The origin of modern augmentation and plastic surgery procedures dates back to the 18 th century. However, there has been a tremendous advancement in the set of tools and techniques used to execute these procedures over the years. The concern over one's appearance also dates back to the early civilization where ointments and beads were used to improve appearance. The ancient medicine men and doctors thus embraced such procedures as tattooing, scarification and piercing to enhance their clients’ appearance. They further advanced to ripping, injection, stitching and snipping to smoothen and beautify their body organs. These developments led to the introduction and development of reconstructive surgeries (McCollough, 2011) . A review of data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) depicts a rise in the number of patients seeking cosmetic procedures. This is further anchored by the fact that cosmetic procedures constitute 77% of the revenue of the sampled physicians’ facilities. These figures negate media findings that facelift procedures were no longer relevant. The data also depicted a rise in adoption of between 21.9% and 21.8%. Advancement in the medical industry leading to the development of less intrusive procedures that guarantee lower recovery time for permanent results has motivated patients to undergo cosmetic surgery (McCollough, 2011) .
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Current Trends
The number of patients undergoing liposuction, breast lift, upper arms and blepharoplasty is on the rise. These procedures have doubled digits in demand over the last five years depicting a growing wave of awareness and need to correct natural organs to boost self-esteem. Patients seeking breast lifts have increased by between 13.9% and 57.5% while blepharoplasty patients who seek to change their eyelids have increased by between 26.3% and 33.5% ( McCollough, 2011 ) . There has been a similar demand with respect to upper arm lifts that saw a rise of between 20.1% and 59.1% in demand. Liposuction has also tremendously increased in demand accounting for an increase of between 16.5% and 58.0%. These statistics have informed a forecast that cosmetic surgery revenue is expected to hit $21.97 billion by the year 2023. This implies that demand is expected to increase by estimated 7.8% between the years 2017 to 2023. The United States (U.S) takes the biggest market share owing to the awareness campaigns and acceptability of cosmetic surgery. The development of polymer implants and silicone technologies is further driving this demand. The tourism industry in Latin America and Asia Pacific is, however, advancing significantly and may disrupt America’s dominance in the cosmetic surgery market .
To understand the cosmetic industry ecosystem, Market Research Future has previously documented the industry’s key players, market synopsis and the social factors that influence the growth of the industry. The report documents the historical, current and anticipated market scenario of the cosmetic industry. This is in regard to the market value, volume, technology as well as economic factors that influence cosmetic surgery. The report further examines the strategies employed by the various stakeholders to market and revolutionize the industry in order to meet the ever-changing market demand in different regions and segments (Market Research Future, 2017 ) . The report further reported Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Cutera Inc, Genesis Biosystems, Johnson & Johnson, Allergan Inc and Syneron Medical Ltd as the leading cosmetic surgery industry players. The cosmetic industry is driven by cultural and social factors that include but not limited to fashion, desire to please others, film industry, changing beauty landscape and the media. The development of tourism clusters such as Bangkok and Miami has also heightened the demand for cosmetic surgery. Also, for some members of the society to claim to belong to this social status, they have to undergo the surgeries so as to look like the rest of the individuals in the cluster.
Cosmetic Surgery and Self-Esteem
Research shows that the rapid change in people’s lifestyle and the consumption of junk food has led to an increase in incidences of obesity, a condition that has greatly reduced the self-esteem of many in the society. Likewise, the music and film industries have stereotyped and depicted various body shapes as being ideal. This has made the individuals with deviations to be less appreciative of their bodies. This has forced many individuals to resort to undergoing cosmetic surgery in a bid to attain the ideal body shape. The surgeries have divergent views in the society, with most individuals reporting a positive impact on their self-worth ( Akhlaghi et al. , 2015). Nevertheless, a section of the society despises the individuals who undergo cosmetic surgery viewing them as individuals who went out of their way to challenge their natural endowments. Some individuals have been humiliated publicly after the procedures yielded negative results forcing them to undergo a second reconstructive surgery. This heightens their suffering as they have to bear the shame of overcoming public ridicule. Researchers believe that this ridicule may be driven by the fact that the procedures are more elective than necessary and thus many view them as unnecessary. Their impact, however, after reconstruction cannot be downplayed. This is because patients have reported positive changes in self-esteem and perception from others which significantly influence their productivity in the society ( Akhlaghi et al. , 2015).
Types of Cosmetic Surgery and their Impact
Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift
This is a surgical procedure popularly referred to as a ‘ boob job ’ or augmentation mammoplasty which involves insertion of breast implants and transfer of fats to the breasts to increase their size. The procedure is done to increase breast volume lost after pregnancy or weight loss. The loss is associated with reduce d self - worth and women embrace this procedure to restore their initial breast size and symmetry. A survey by A S A PS involv ing women who had undergone breast augmentation showed that there was high satisfaction amongst clients, with 90% of them reporting improved self - esteem . This is due to boasted s elf-image and confidence (Thaller & Panthaki, 2012; Blondeel et al., 2009) . Breast lift refers to a surgical procedure aimed at lifting sagging breasts to restore their shape, appearance and firmness. The procedure may entail the remov al of excess skin or addition of implants to foster the shape of the breasts. S agging of breasts may be attributed to old age, breastfeeding, weight loss, gravity and childbirth. C osmetic surgeons thus remove the excess skin or reduce the breast tissue in an effort to make the breasts firm , creating the desired shape and appearance. All this is intended to improve the self-image and confidence thus improving self-esteem (Thaller & Panthaki, 2012).
Liposuction and Tummy Tuck
This is a surgical procedure that reduces excess and unwanted fat in the human body. R eduction of body fat helps improve the appearance of body parts by smoothening the irregular shape. The procedure is commonly executed on the cheeks, hips, thighs, ankles, abdomen and breasts. It's, however, a painful operation both in execution and recovery , and may lead to severe complications. There are four types of liposuction . These include tumescent/fluid injection, laser-assisted, super wet technique and ultrasound - assisted liposuction. In tumescent and super wet liposuction , a fluid is injected into the patient's body to reduce the pain, reducing bleeding and swelling as the fluid is sucked out with the excess fats. In ultrasound and laser-assisted liposuction ultrasound and laser energy are used to turn fat cells into liquid and liquefied forms respectively before being drained out of the body tissues (Copeland, 2009) . The procedure has been attributed to improved body shape where body parts have not responded to healthy diet nor prescribed exercises. The process thus enhances the patients ’ self - image and self - confidence. It’s worth noting that the procedure isn’t a remedy for weight loss nor is it a treatment for obesity. The same results can be achieved through regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Tummy tuck , also popularly referred to as abdominoplasty , is a procedure that is aimed at removing excess skin and fat in the tummy region (Copeland, 2009) . The procedure is expected to restore weakened muscles as well as reconstruct the abdominal profile to be smoother and firmer. Like liposuction , a tummy tuck isn't a remedy for weight loss and is only used to reduce excess sagging skin resulting from pregnancy, aging, hereditary defect, prior surgery or sudden fluctuation in body weight. Thus , women who are planning to get pregnant may postpone the procedure until they are through with childbearing. The development of a lean and firm tummy is a dream that h as driven many women to work - out programs and to enrol in gyms to achieve. Tummy tuck thus improves self - image and goes a long way in instilling confidence in women ( Akhlaghi et al. , 2015) .
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
This surgical procedure can either be used to add or remove excess skin or fat in the eyelid. Reduction of fat and skin on the upper eyelid can be done to eradicate aged appearance, widen the upper vision while reducing puffiness. The removal of the excess upper skin or fat is referred to as upper blepharoplasty and can be done to improve the upper field of vision as well. Lower blepharoplasty, on the other hand , is aimed at minimizing or increasing fat to improve the contour. The addition tightens the eyelid thus eradicating sagging. Many Asians have changed their appearance through this procedure in an attempt to westernize their look (Grant & Chen, 2010) .
Botulinum Toxin and Hyaluronic Acid
Botulinum toxin , popularly referred to as Botox , refers to a toxin that was approved by the FDA in 1980s as a remedy for muscle spasm. The toxin is used to improve a patient’s appearance through the treatment of facial creases and wrinkles. When administered on the face muscles , the toxin blocks the nerves in these muscles thus inhibiting their contraction or relaxation. The muscles, therefore, cannot wrinkle or tighten. This procedure for controlling the relaxation of muscles has been recommended in the treatment of frowned forehead lines, aging eye lines, auxiliary hyperhidrosis, crow's feet and increasing armpit sweating. Th e procedure is thus aimed at improving someone’s shape and appearance which are critical aspects in boosting once self - esteem (Grant & Chen, 2010) .
On the other hand , Hyaluronic Acid is a natural substance in the human anatomy. It’s conventionally found in joints and eye fluids. The acid can however be cultured by bacteria in a lab or through rooster combs extraction. After extraction , the acid can be injected or orally administered to maintain skin glow. The acid thus improves and maintains the skin appearance, texture and reduc es joint pains all which are aging factors. Its properties have allowed i t to be included in lip balms, eye-drops, joint and anti-aging skin serums. The application of the acid in the cosmetic industry that improves peoples self-image and consequently their self-esteem (Grant & Chen, 2010) .
Dermabrasion, Microdermabrasion and Hair R eplacement
A nother non-surgical cosmetic procedure that is aimed at improving the patient's self-esteem is dermabrasion. The procedure involves the use of an abrasive used to scrub away layers of the skin in a controlled environment to treat scarring and old age (Grant & Chen, 2010) . Microdermabrasion , on the other hand , is a non - surgical procedure that aims at removing the dead skin layer to improve texture and appearance. Hair replacement refers to a number of approaches aimed at eradicating baldness in men and women. Traditionally men were accustomed to living with baldness while women used wigs to hide their bald head s . Today , a number of options are available for humans to regain their self-image through the application of topical ointments, hair transplant, scalp reduction and hair replacement systems .
Nonsurgical Fat Reduction and Chemical Peels
This refers to non-surgical procedures that utilize heat, lasers or sound waves to break down excess or unwanted fat in the body. This procedure isn’t very effective when dealing with large fat mass. The procedure , unlike liposuction which sucks fat from the body, relies on metabolism to break down the oil and release it out of the body part as a by-product of metabolism. The non-incision procedure guarantee s quick recovery time with little-to-no chances of infection and less swelling. The procedure , however , may take weeks or months to effectively reduce unwanted fat distorting the self-image of an individual (Grant & Chen, 2010) . Chemical peel is a non - surgical cosmetic procedure that involves the use of an acidic solution to remove dead or damaged skin layer. The procedure is often done on the face to improve texture and appearance. Cosmetologists utilize phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) on the patient ’a skin to execute peeling. Th is treatment improves an individual’s self-image by eradicating uneven pigmentation, wrinkles and blemishes on the skin. The new layer o f skin has an improved texture, colour and tone thus improving appearance and consequently self - esteem of the individual (Grant & Chen, 2010) .
Conclusion
The issues raised in this paper clearly outline that individuals venture into cosmetic surgery to restructure their body image in an effort to boost their self-confidence and esteem. This means that to measure the impact of a cosmetic surgery procedure effectively, one has to assess both satisfaction with the procedure as well as the psychological impact that the procedure has on the individual. This psychological impact may range from how the individual p erceive s their body, how others view them or how they conform to norms and doctrines dictated by the society they inhabit. The psychological impact is hard to capture and document, but the paper tries to document and analyze the purposes versus outcomes of the various surgical and non-surgical cosmetic surgery procedures. Individuals who were suffering from depression and low self - esteem as a result of being despised due to their physique reported improved self-worth after the cosmetic procedures. H owever , it’s crucial for the individuals undertaking th ese procedures to have realistic expectations as these procedures may not improve such essential factors as their relationship s or employability status. Nevertheless, it's indubitable that cosmetic surgery boosts self-esteem as it promotes positive self-image and self-confidence.
References
Akhlaghi, F., Zadehmohammad, A., Ahmadabadi, Z., Mohammad, G. M., & Motamedi, H. K. (2015). Effect of Cosmetic Surgery on Self-Concept and Self-Esteem. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience , 17 (3), 647-651.
Blondeel, P. N., Hijjawi, J., Depypere, H., Roche, N., & Van Landuyt, K. (2009). Shaping the breast in aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery: an easy three-step principle. Plastic and reconstructive surgery , 123 (2), 455-462.
Copeland, M. (2009). Change Your Looks, Change Your Life: Quick Fixes and Cosmetic Surgery Solutions for Looking Younger, Feeling Healthier, and Living Better . Zondervan.
Grant, R., & Chen, C. (2010). Cosmetic surgery. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.
Market Research Future (2017). Aesthetics Market Research Report- Global Forecast To 2023. Retrieved from https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/aesthetics-market-3136
McCollough, E. G. (2011). Cosmetic surgery: The genesis and evolution of a specialty. The American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery , 28 (2), 84-89.
Thaller, S., & Panthaki, Z. (2012). Aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery : Solving Complications and Avoiding Unfavorable Results. Informa Healthcare.
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