Everyone wants to look good at every age and stage of their life, and it’s not just women who are worried about how they look after a certain age. Men too, are discovering the concept of cosmetic surgery as an option to fighting the aging process. Is it because we’re living in a society that is obsessed with looking good, or are we merely trying to stay young?

How we look affects how we feel about ourselves. Unfortunately, there are thousands – even millions – of people who are unsatisfied with a certain aspect of their body or face. Many women are self-conscious about their nose – it’s either too wide or too long. Men may want to have plastic surgery to fix a nose that was broke from playing football back in high school (or maybe a bad fight from their past). Whatever the reason, people are looking for ways to improve how they look, and if exercise can’t fix it, then the answer just may be cosmetic surgery.

How do you know if you’re a good candidate for cosmetic surgery? Well, it requires being completely honest with yourself when you look in the mirror. Ask yourself pertinent questions such as:

• Can this be fixed with exercise?
• Can changing my lifestyle or making healthier decisions fix this?
• Is this a physical defect that has been detrimental to my happiness and well-being?
• What is it about this part of my body/face that really makes me feel self-conscious? Is it something that has hindered me throughout my life? Has it played a factor in my unhappiness in life?
• Is the choice for reconstructing this part of my body or face merely to be or look like someone else, or is there genuinely something wrong that requires fixing?

Once you have asked these questions, consider whether or not the choice is purely vain or is it necessary? Keep in mind that there are also people who are not good candidates for cosmetic surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (plasticsurgery.org) has provided a list of criteria for those who would not be good candidates:

• Patients in crisis: These are people who are going through rough times in their lives, such as divorce or recent unemployment. People like this are typically looking for a quick fix to their problems, and having cosmetic surgery doesn’t cure the underlying problem. It’s a well known fact that women who experience bad breakups tend to change their appearance by getting a new hair cut, style or color. “These patents may be seeking to achieve goals that cannot be obtained through an appearance change.”
• Patients with unrealistic expectations: The latest and greatest trend in cosmetic surgery today is trying to look like your favorite celebrity. The television is crammed with shows of both women and men who want to be something they aren’t. These people believe that if they only looked like someone famous, they’re life would be so much better. These patients may also be people who want to restore their youth from many years ago. A fifty-year-old woman will never look twenty again, no matter how much plastic surgery she has done.
• Impossible to please patients: These patients seek advice from numerous surgeons in hopes of hearing what they want to hear. These could be people who see themselves as a possible anorexic may see herself: fat, when in fact she’s already too skinny. They look for someone to confirm their beliefs.
• Patients obsessed with a minor defect: We all have flaws, because let’s face it no one is perfect! But there are patients who are fixated on one minor defect and believe that if it were removed or changed their lives would be better. Just think if Cindy Crawford had removed her now-famous mole? Anyone else would have felt self-conscious, especially when agencies were telling her that she wouldn’t make it in the modeling world with a mole like that. But the very one thing that everyone saw as a flaw, eventually became her trademark, and lo-and-behold, everyone wanted a mole like Cindy’s.
• Patients who have a mental illness and exhibit delusional or paranoid behavior: “Surgery may be appropriate in these cases if it is determined that the patient's goals for surgery are not related to the psychosis. In these cases, a plastic surgeon may work closely with the patient's psychiatrist.”

Although cosmetic surgery can help you look and feel better, don’t expect instant happiness. It takes time to heal from any surgery, and it also takes time to adjust to the “new you.” Most people encounter a brief bout of depression because they physically feel bad, or may even see the bruises and bandages as an indication that something is wrong when in reality it’s part of the process.

Make sure that when your making big, life changing decisions, such as cosmetic surgery, that you have a good support system that will help you both physically and emotionally after the procedure. Some people are very comfortable in their own skin and don’t believes in cosmetic surgery. They consider it frivolous and a waste of money instead of viewing it as a necessity to one’s well being. During your healing process, try to avoid the nay sayers. You’ll need your strength to recoup and readjust.

If after surgery you still are feeling insecure about your body image or facial features, it may be necessary to consider other options to find out what the underlying issues may be. You may have lived so long with a physical defect and endured years of heartache over it. The thoughts of the past and ridicule you may have encountered don’t go away once the surgery has taken place. Pain and suffering from a physical defect should also be dealt with emotionally.

            Here are some steps to take if you are considering cosmetic surgery:

1. Be realistic about what you want done and then talk to your physician.
2. Be honest with your doctor about your concerns and medical history.
3. Come prepared with any questions about cosmetic surgery (benefits and risks).
4. Cosmetic surgery is costly, and most of the time is not covered under insurance, so figure out how you will cover the expenses. You may even need to put your surgery on hold for a few months while you save enough money for the procedure.

One last thing to consider about cosmetic surgery: Everyone is unique and beautiful in his or her own way. Stay true to yourself whether you decide cosmetic surgery is right for you or not. You never know, what you consider a defect may become the next Cindy Crawford mole.