Advantages and Disadvantages of Cosmetic Surgery - Literature review Example

Cosmetic Surgery Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecture Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 31st October, 2012. Introduction Cosmetic surgery procedures have increased in frequency in most hospitals fuelled by attitudes among people that they need to improve their physical appearances. Despite reducing disposable incomes in developed countries, these expensive procedures have been on the rise in most countries. In 2010 there were over 14 million cosmetic surgery operations in the United States; the industry was estimated to have been worth $10.1 billion (The Guardian 2012b). The most common procedures preferred by Americans were nose jobs, collagen and Botox injection, breast and buttock uplifts. The 14 million people who underwent cosmetic surgery represent a 37 per cent increase from the 11 million procedures in 2007 (The Guardian 2012b). This considerable increase in the number of cosmetic procedures represents a worldwide trend seen in most developing countries. The Guardian (2012a) claims that the number of cosmetic and plastics surgery done every year are more than all other surgical procedures combined. Cosmetic surgery is defined as a group of medical procedures that are meant to enhance the appearance of an individual. According to Kristi (2009), a medical procedure is deemed cosmetic if it has no functional purpose other than to improve appearance. Cosmetic surgery is distinguished from plastic surgery by the fact that plastic surgery is aimed at functional considerations. Plastic surgery is concerned with reconstructing body parts to what they formerly were; while cosmetic surgery goes further to make them look better than they were. However, some of the procedures used for plastic surgery form the starting point of Cosmetic surgery. The multibillion cosmetic surgery industry has been shrouded in controversy over the ethical value of the procedures and the exorbitant amounts cosmetic surgeons charge for simple procedures. Secondly, commentators on the cosmetic surgery debate claim that those who engage in the procedures unnecessarily expose themselves to unsafe surgical procedures. But this opinion is refuted by those who think cosmetic surgery is a necessary part of today. Therefore, the question of whether cosmetic surgery is unsafe or it is a necessity that is worth risk comes up. This paper first discusses the arguments that have been put forward by those who view cosmetic surgery as unsafe and unnecessary risk. Secondly, it discusses the argument presented by those who view cosmetic surgery as a necessary part of today’s culture where people have to look as attractive as possible. The paper looks at the views of various authorities on both sides of the debate of whether cosmetic surgery is unsafe or necessary. Finally, it analyzes both sides of the argument and concludes that cosmetic surgery is unsafe and is therefore not worth the risk. Why is Cosmetic surgery Unsafe Cosmetic surgery procedures are deemed unsafe by many commentators on the topic. It is alleged the lucrativeness of the cosmetic surgery business has seen many unqualified medical personnel enter the profession (Gilmartin 2011). In the medical field, doctors are not required to have any specialized knowledge to perform cosmetic surgery procedures. In America, the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery certifies medical practitioners with Diplomas in General Cosmetic Surgery, Facial Cosmetic Surgery and Body, Breast and Extremity Surgery (Vick 2012). However, the law does not prevent uncertified doctors from operating on patients. Therefore, recipients of aesthetic surgery procedures risk by being operated by person who have very little knowledge of the procedures they do on their bodies. According Shepelavy (2011), everyone with medical training can claim ability to carry out a cosmetic surgical procedure successively. Secondly, some of the chemical elements and compounds used in cosmetic surgery procedures are harmful to the health of patients. Among them Botox has been shown to lead to the death of young celebrities who had used it to lift their breasts. According Davies and Callender (2011), Silicone Gel implants previously used as breast implants were rejected by the Food and Drug Authority as unsafe. A major company whose implants caused ill health to a woman was forced to pay 3.2 billion for harmful effects of their silicone gel implants (Davies and Callender 2011). Thirdly, cosmetic surgery practitioners treat some procedures trivially as if they do not give it the required focused medical attention given to ordinary surgery. One of the cosmetic surgery procedures that are open to this lack of professional attention is Liposuction. The continued trivial treatment of liposuction procedures by both qualified and unqualified practitioners contributes to the declining safety of cosmetic surgery procedures. Consequently, complications associated with liposuction procedures have been on the rise lately. Moreover, the place where cosmetic surgery procedures are done is also very important while considering matters of safety. Some practitioners have been known to operate on patients from their offices and small clinics. Hygiene and especially sterilization of a surgeon’s tools is very important while doing any medical procedure but the hygiene of an office is in sharp doubt where cosmetic surgery operations take place. Expensive rates for in-hospital procedures and lack of medical cover for cosmetic surgery procedures, patients opt for the cheaper clinics and doctors’ offices. In recent years, several patients have died while undergoing aesthetic procedure. For example, between 2002 and 2004 eight patients died while undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures in Florida. The most effective argument for those who view cosmetic surgery operations as an unnecessary risk is that there are no surgical procedures which are completely free of risk. Tummy tacks and liposuction are two of the procedures that have been quoted as being most problematic. According to Boulton and Malacrida (2012), the longer a patient stays in tummy tuck operation the more blood he/she loses. According to Shepelavy (2011), everyone who is undergoing a surgery must sign a surgery consent form that shows they understand the risk. It can be argued that, if cosmetic surgery is safe, then patients would be exempt from signing the surgery consent forms. A typical consent form asks a patient if they understand the nature and rationale for the procedure, the benefits versus the risk of the procedure, the potential risk of complications and alternatives available for the procedure (Elliott, 2009). An affirmative answer in cosmetic surgery operation is an understatement as most patients do not understand the real risk involved in any surgical operations. Among the complications involved with cosmetic surgery operations are infection, Hematoma (Blood clot), Seroma, death of skin tissue, delayed healing of wounds, bruising, swelling, poor healing of scars, lack of symmetry, Irregularities, dimples and tucker (LaGasse 2011). The above complication is more pronounced in patients who are known to have other health conditions. For example smokers are prone to delayed wound healing. According to Vick (2012), it is hard for medical practitioners in the cosmetic surgery field to predict the emotional reaction of a patient to the results of the cosmetic surgery. Most cosmetic surgery procedures drastically change the appearance of a person in the part of the body where it is done. A person may come out from a procedure with a completely different face from his old one. The effect of drastic changes emotionally is affected by a person’s perceptions of how they should look like and how those he interacts with perceive the changes. Some people who have undergone cosmetic surgery operations have suffered from being referred to in a derogatory way. Although, some cosmetic surgery practitioners provide pre-counselling and post-counselling services they are inadequate. Why is Cosmetic Surgery Necessary? According to Kristi (2009), people who opt to take on the risk of having cosmetic surgery procedures on their body, the effects of the procedures on their physical appearance is well worth the risk. According to LaGasse (2011), people who choose to alter their appearances in one way or the other cite increased self-confidence as one of the factors prompting them to take the decision to engage in cosmetic surgery. According Gilmartin (2011), proponents of cosmetic surgery one should be free to make the decision of what they want and what makes him feel comfortable in front of people. When a person realize they have become more noticeable to people their self-confidence starts to increase. Enhanced appearance enables a person overcome self-doubt in one’s ability which is associated with low self esteem. It is particularly important for persons who are constantly in the public glare to want to look good. Secondly, People who work in some careers cannot afford not to look attractive. News reporters for example have to look fabulous in front of the Cameras every day. Catwalk models are another example of people who have to constantly worry about their appearance. (Boulton and Malacrida 2012). Due to the pressure from their work the members of the two careers have little choice but to undergo some cosmetic procedures. With these professions a person may lose his/her job if there appearances fall below what is expected as agents of their organizations. However, there is no empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that enhanced appearance as a result of cosmetic surgery hands job candidate’s advantages over rivals. Thirdly, when it comes to finding life partners, appearances are very important. According to Boulton and Malacrida (2012) wrinkled faces, bulky bellies and crooked noses will not get anybody far when it comes to finding dates. Cosmetic surgery helps people who are regarded as having ugly features to survive in a world that is highly stereotyped about appearance. The problem of being regarded as ugly is also found in the competition for employment vacancies. In a situation where all candidates have the same academic qualification and job experience. According to Lin (2009), interviewers result to facial appearances to judge the candidate who eventually takes the job. Sometimes it is not the intention of the selection panel to pick the most attractive individual but the y unconsciously settles on the person whose appearance is most pleasant. According to the people who view cosmetic surgery procedures as an unnecessary risk exercising and good diet can keep the body in perfectly good natural shape. However several people have followed this tough lifestyle but the results are not always consistent. According to Boulton and Malacrida (2012), a woman had exercised for most of her live but once she reach the age of 30 her breasts began sagging and her tummy became loose. The husband of the woman started to show discomfort in the appearance of the woman. For a woman who is such a situation it is imperative that she retains her youthfulness and therefore cosmetic surgery is a necessity and the negligible risk associate with cosmetic surgery can be ignored. Conclusion From the discussion above it can be concluded that cosmetic surgery is unsafe, and therefore an unnecessary for those who offer themselves for enhancement by the surgical knife. It has been shown that most of the practicing cosmetic surgeons have not attained the necessary qualification to practice in any particular speciality of cosmetic surgery. Secondly, the paper discusses the compounds and elements used for cosmetic surgery implants and casts doubts about their effects on the body both on the long-term and the short-term. It also casts doubt on the ability of the facilities including clinics and doctors’ offices to provide a safe environment for safe cosmetic surgery operations. The paper also notes that most cosmetic surgeon regard cosmetic surgery operations as trivial, therefore ignoring the basic principle of taking all the necessary precautions as any surgical operation may develop complications. Most importantly, the paper lists a number of serious complications that may arise as a consequence of backfired cosmetic surgery procedures. It shows that in some cases mishandling of cosmetic surgery procedures may lead to fatalities among patients who had no health problems previously. The second part the paper discusses the rationale given by those who view cosmetic surgery as a necessity. All the reasons discussed can be summed up to the need to maintain a youthful appearance so they can obtain for themselves social or economic advantage. This reason alone satisfy the rationale of undergoing cosmetic surgery with the knowledge that you may die or be exposed to some of the lesser serious risks of cosmetic surgery. References Boulton, T, & Malacrida, C 2012, Women and Cosmetic Breast Surgery: Weighing the Medical, Social, and Lifestyle Risks, Qualitative Health Research, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 511-523. Davies E & Callender, V 2011, Aesthetic Dermatology for Aging Ethnic Skin, Dermatologic Surgery, vol. 37, no.7, pp. 901-917. Edmonds, A 2011, Almost invisible scars: medical tourism to Brazil', Signs, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 297-302. Elliott, T 2009, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, radical surgery and the limits of consent, Medical Law Review, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 149-182. Gilmartin, J 2011, Contemporary cosmetic surgery: the potential risks and relevance for practice, Journal of Clinical Nursing, vol. 20, no. 13/14, pp. 1801-1809. Kristi, S 2009, Cheating Darwin: The Genetic and Ethical Implications of Vanity and Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, Journal of Evolution and Technology, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 1-8. LaGasse, N 2011, Plastic Surgery: Plastic Surgeon and Cosmetic Dermatologist: Complications and Liability, Journal Of Legal Nurse Consulting, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 15-19. Lin, P 2009, Therapy and Enhancement: Is There a Moral Difference? Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, vol. 29, no. 13, pp. 6-7. Shepelavy, R. 2011, nip/tuck nightmare: Who is Holding the Knife, Health (Time Inc.), vol.25, no.8, pp.120. The Guardian 2012a, UK plastic surgery statistics: breasts up, stomachs in, The Guardian June 20, 31 October 2012, http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/jan/30/plastic-surgery-statistics-uk The Guardian 2012b,US plastic surgery statistics: chins, buttocks and breasts up, ears down, The Guardian July 22, 31 October 2012, http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jul/22/plastic-surgery-medicine Vick, L 2012, The perils of cosmetic surgery/medical tourism, Clinical Risk, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 106-109. Read More