There are many misconceptions and presumptions about aesthetic surgery, in part caused by the idea that plastic surgery is a significantly smaller field than it really is.
Whilst the mind may immediately turn to Harley Street, home of the plastic surgeon in London, aesthetic surgery is an exceptionally broad group of treatments that range from tummy tucks to life-saving skin grafts, with entire fields in between that help to improve lives and provide positive outcomes.
With that in mind, here are some of the most common myths, misconceptions and mistakes made by people about the world of plastic surgery.
It Does Not Involve Plastic
Like many fields of medicine, the term ‘plastic surgery’ can sometimes invoke the idea that artificial materials and methods are being used to create certain aesthetic enhancements, when in reality that is seldom the case.
In this case, plastic comes from the Latin word ‘plasmo’ which refers to moulding, forming and sculpting, and is more similar to the term plasticity than the plastic that often comes to mind.
It Is Not Just An Aesthetic Option
Whilst plastic surgery can be purely elective and primarily have aesthetic outcomes as the reason for undergoing surgery, there are many reasons to have plastic surgery and it is part of many different treatment pathways.
One of the biggest examples of this is the treatment of burns and chemical injuries, for which a skin graft is a vital part of treatment to reduce pain and the risk of infection, although it can also be used as part of removing tumours and even reattaching fingers.
Aesthetic Treatments Do Not Always Require Surgery
It is often described as going ‘under the knife’, but there is a wide range of non-surgical aesthetic treatments that are used in place of surgical intervention, depending on the treatment outcome required.
Dermal fillers, chemical peels, laser skin treatment, injectables and other non-surgical alternatives are available and are often used as part of a wider aesthetic treatment to either augment or replace surgery, depending on the desired outcome.
Aesthetic Surgery Is For Everyone
This is less of a misconception in the age of social media, but some people continue to believe that plastic surgery is limited to celebrities or major procedures when elective aesthetic surgery is available at a range of price points for a range of reasons.
More common trends in aesthetic surgery are a range of smaller treatments that provide a major impact, rather than larger treatments. This can include eyelid surgery, facelifts, rhinoplasties, tummy tucks and liposuction which can provide a dramatic effect at a more limited cost.
Plastic Surgery Is Not Always Permanent
Most people who opt for aesthetic surgery consider it and consult experts for years, and one of the reasons for this is a belief that any treatment will last a lifetime.
In reality, whilst this is true for many treatments, other treatments, particularly non-surgical aesthetic options, will last a limited time, and others, such as breast enlargement or reduction, are often reversible or adjustable to ensure the best potential outcomes.
Before any treatment is undertaken, however, you will receive a comprehensive consultation on your options, realistic expectations for results as well as the length of treatments and potential recovery times.
