Expectations in Plastic Surgery
“We must be aware that each person is a different world, therefore, it would be useless to think that, after a surgical intervention, the results between two patients with different characteristics will be exactly the same.”
By Lefny Díaz
Often, patients come to the consultation with an ideal of how the result should be to be perfect, not taking into account that the anatomical characteristics vary from one person to another, as well as factors that have to do with age, lifestyle habits and the ability to heal, the state (elasticity and texture) of the skin that is affected by smoking or exposure to the sun and the desirable proportion with the adjacent areas.
It is in a first consultation that the plastic and aesthetic surgeon will assess and explain to the patient the advantages and disadvantages of the intervention, as well as the possible complications that may appear. It is important that he is honest with the results that can be obtained in his particular case, the effects of these in time and that the patient understands that, although cosmetic surgery helps to raise the patient’s self-esteem, it will not change his life or the perception that a third party has about you.
Thus, we can consider these “realistic expectations” as a criterion for plastic surgeons and patients to jointly assess the foreseeable results of each intervention, above economic factors or personal aesthetic wishes.
These real expectations of an intervention are elaborated by surgeons by analyzing the different characteristics of the patient: age, physical condition, skin condition, habits, anatomical characteristics, scarring, etc. They are of great importance since they help patients to put their feet on the ground and get a real idea of the results after the operation, so they have all the necessary information to decide, whether or not they want to undergo the intervention.
Even so, we must be aware that each person is different, therefore, it would be useless to think that, after a surgical intervention, the results between two patients with different characteristics will be exactly the same.
Taking into account the characteristics of each of these interventions and the criteria that we have mentioned, the real expectations of these treatments are considered:
Breast augmentation: The evaluation consists of carrying out an examination and measurement of the chest and thorax, including the height and weight of the patient and analyzing possible anomalies. For this, the tools we use to simulate the possible result using different volumes and types of implants will be useful.
Liposuction: The patient is recommended to achieve an adequate weight through diet and exercise so that the results are the most optimal, taking into account that there is the possibility that a second intervention will be needed to touch up small imperfections that may have remained after the first intervention.
Blepharoplasty: A detailed study of the skin in the area of the eyelids that is going to be intervened must be carried out to know its elasticity, hydration and mobility of the ocular muscles, as well as a previous check-up of the patient to know if it could be affected by present dry eye syndrome after the intervention.
Rhinoplasty: It is in this intervention that patients usually come to the consultation with an ideal nose that is not related to their facial anatomy and requires a detailed study of the facial structure and features of the patient, since the ideal is to get some natural results in harmony with the rest of the face.
Abdominoplasty: With this treatment, not only excess skin and fat are removed by stretching the abdomen, but it also requires reducing the flanks in order to achieve a harmonious figure and structure as a whole.
Breast reduction: the patient’s figure will be assessed so that this reduction is in harmony with the rest of her figure as well as the consideration of lifestyle habits that make healing difficult.
Mastopexy: In breast lift the surgeon will assess the elasticity and texture of the skin, which may have been affected by breastfeeding, to achieve the best results. This treatment may also require a second intervention or touch-ups.
Otoplasty: The expectations of this intervention that is often directed at school-age children to correct “protruding ears” are, in general, those that parents may have. The time of rest until the soft tissues heal and an adequate postoperative period are essential requirements for good results.
Facelift: In this case, the plastic and aesthetic surgeon will carry out a detailed study of the facial three-thirds of the patient’s face and its proportions. It will also inquire if your expectations are objective and you want to improve a specific aspect of your face or if they are subjective and you simply want to please someone else.
Buttock augmentation: Currently presents the most unrealistic expectations influenced by social icons and personalities with excessive or unnatural buttocks. Due to the fact that simulation cannot be used, as in the case of breast augmentation, the plastic and cosmetic surgeon must determine if he is a good candidate for this intervention without having to resort to unorthodox techniques or unreasonable volumes to achieve the objective.
