Most press coverage regarding cosmetic surgery tends to focus on the negative aspects especially in regards to the celebrity culture that seems to dominate modern society. With all this negative press are we forgetting about the potential benefits of cosmetic surgery?
These stories tend to get more attention and are far more likely to cause headlines but it distorts the reality of the industry. There are a great many lives improved everyday with cosmetic surgery procedures from minor procedures to dealing with more serious conditions.
Being able to take care of a minor ailment might not seem as attention grabbing as some of the headline stories but these small procedure can make an incredible difference to an individual’s life and can give them both physical and mental benefits.
Professor Ray Fitzpatrick of Nuffield College researched the benefits of cosmetic surgery and had this to say on the matter.
“For many patients receiving cosmetic surgery the benefits, in terms of health and quality of life, were very substantial and from that we concluded that one should not think of this as a purely cosmetic procedure.
For example, for women who had breast reduction surgery, it became apparent to us that they were not having it for purely cosmetic reasons.
It considerably reduced pain and discomfort and significantly improved quality of life.”
Being able to cure ailments that sufferers may have endured for years can not only give them the physical benefit it seems. The mental benefits and new found confidence that patients can get following from surgery can be just as great.
There are also the bigger stories that do make it into the lower end of the media. Although they may not have the razzmatazz of the celebrity based stories there are genuine human interest cases where people have been helped considerably by cosmetic surgery.
Recent stories of a mother having facial reconstruction after losing a considerable part of her face to necrotising fasciitis and a 3 year old child having the 16th surgery of his life following a rare facial tumour, made local news and shone a light on the good work that cosmetic surgery continues to produce and helps people rebuild their lives in difficult circumstances.
Perhaps it will take a high profile case for us to see more attention given to these enlightening stories.
You can read some of our testimonials from Snowberry Lane clients here.