Introduction
Nowadays, cosmetic surgeries are standard practice for people from developed countries. Patients can change their body and face features with long-lasting results. Even though trained doctors perform such procedures, cosmetic surgeries are associated with many risks that are impossible to predict. Therefore, they may lead to adverse health outcomes and deteriorating health. At the same time, patients make their own choices to improve their self-image and confidence. Cosmetic surgeries should not be banned but should be better regulated by law and medical standards.
Main Body
Many types of cosmetic surgeries involve side effects, which can significantly influence a patient’s health. For example, breast implants can cause “burning pain, loss of sensation, hardening of breast tissue, and serious infection” (Edmonds, 2012). However, it would not be possible to predict such complications before the surgery, which puts patients at risk of complications development.
Cosmetic surgeries can be considered contrary to the principles of healthcare as they can deteriorate a patient’s health without the intention of preventing or curing a disease (Edmonds, 2012). Such practices, therefore, may do more harm than good to many people who need to cope with the consequences later. Surgeries are aimed at resolving the most acute health issues, while cosmetic surgeries provide patients with aesthetic improvements at the expense of excessively high health-related risks.
Due to the possible risks, cosmetic surgeries should be regulated by better standards to become safer for patients. Calculating the potential impact on a patient’s overall health is complex. Edmonds (2012) states, “With most surgeries, the risks are weighed against expected health improvements.” Cosmetic surgeries do not improve patients’ health or provide any information for risk evaluation. People can experience unexpected side effects or complications after the procedure, resulting in health deterioration. It may lead to conditions that otherwise would not have appeared. Therefore, patients should be informed of any risks related to the surgery. The problem is that doctors need help identifying possible complications, which requires better training, testing, and more information.
Despite the potential harm cosmetic surgeries can bring, patients make an informed choice before a procedure. Many people need cosmetic surgeries to improve their mental rather than physical health. The study by Furnham and Levitas (2012) found that certain groups of people are more likely to undergo a procedure due to “low self-esteem, low life satisfaction, low self-rated attractiveness” (p. e47). Therefore, cosmetic surgeries can be a means to improve self-esteem and gain better satisfaction with life.
People can change their body features by being aware of all the possible complications. It can help them cope with a lack of confidence and related anxiety. Cosmetic surgeries, from this perspective, can be seen as prevention of developing adverse mental outcomes and possible psychological conditions attributed to poor self-image. The ban on such procedures would lead to the growth of underground surgeries, which carry an even greater danger.
Conclusion
Cosmetic surgery bans should not be imposed due to the critical role that the practice plays in people’s lives. However, the government should regulate this field better with higher medical standards. For example, patients should be informed of all potential risks, even the most rare, to decide. Doctors should be certified and evaluated with higher requirements, while medical equipment, including implants, should be better tested. Certain efforts can reduce the number of complications related to cosmetic surgeries, making them safer for patients.
References
Edmonds, A. (2012). Is it time to ban cosmetic surgery? Los Angeles Times. Web.
Furnham, A., & Levitas, J. (2012). Factors that motivate people to undergo cosmetic surgery. The Canadian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 20(4), e47-e50.