Are You Emotionally Ready for Breast Augmentation Surgery?

Apr 1
09:15

2011

Andrew Stratton

Andrew Stratton

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You may feel ready and excited about having a breast augmentation, but are you truly emotionally and mentally stable for the procedure? There are a few ways to tell if you are a good candidate or just a trend hunter.

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Just because you can afford to undergo breast augmentation doesn't mean that you should. Many women have unrealistic expectations and warped self-images that make them poor candidates for surgery. While physically they may be healthy and perfectly suited for the procedure,Are You Emotionally Ready for Breast Augmentation Surgery? Articles mentally and emotionally they may be a high liability for surgeons. So how do you know if you want cosmetic surgery for all the right reasons? There are several warning signs to be aware of if a patient is too unstable for surgery.

If you've always found yourself dissatisfied with your body image from a very early age, specifically your breasts, you may have a healthy desire to undergo cosmetic surgery for self-improvement. A good candidate for breast augmentation should have a fairly strong level of confidence and self-esteem. She should also have realistic expectations of the procedure, including that good body image comes from an overall healthy lifestyle, exercise, and acceptance of limitations. Most plastic surgeons can tell quickly during a consultation which women are emotionally prepared for surgery. She will have a good understanding of the procedure, including risks, complications, and recovery, as well as a clear idea of what she wants.

A trend hunter seeking breast augmentation for all of the wrong reasons can also be easy to spot by a skilled and honest plastic surgeon. These types of women will often come across as unsure and will not have performed much research into the procedure beyond the superficial size and implant options available. They will seem overly concerned with results and achieving an impossible level of perfection rather than wanting to understand the details of the procedure and its risks. Some may have already had several other cosmetic surgeries in the recent past or may currently be seeking multiple simultaneous procedures including a breast augmentation, although this isn't always indicative of a poor candidate. A good plastic surgeon will politely decline to work with the client and in extreme cases may even warn other surgeons that they are not suitable clients.

So where do you fall in these two categories? Think about if you were unable to undergo the surgery, whether it be a decision by the plastic surgeon or for financial or health reasons. Would you still be able to live a content life or would you have an impatient fit? If your first instinct is to accept your body and move on with your life, you are probably emotionally stable enough to undergo breast augmentation. If you find yourself stricken with panic or extreme depression if you cannot have your way, to the point where you are already considering alternative surgeries to satisfy your needs, you should re-evaluate your reasoning. 

You also can't depend on a surgeon to make the decision for you, as some may miss the signs of emotional instability, or they may ignore them and go through with breast augmentation anyways. Women who are unstable will often be depressed following surgery, so much so that they seek removal, further enlargement, or another type of unnecessary revision immediately, often before healing has even completed.