Self-love is not one-size-fits-all.
For some people, self-love means doing yoga and meditation. For others, it’s making aesthetic changes on the outside to match how they feel on the inside. Cosmetic procedures have become an increasingly popular way for people to invest in themselves.
Truth is…
This isn’t some superficial or vain decision.
It’s about being confident in your skin.
Quick peek of what you will find out:
- Why self-love and procedures are not mutually exclusive
- What are the top beauty enhancements people get these days?
- What are the psychological findings on how the beauty procedures impact confidence?
- How you can know for yourself if it’s the right step for you
Self-Love and Aesthetic Procedures: A Match Made in Heaven
Let’s bust a myth first.
Self-love is not what you typically see on Instagram. Spending hours in bubble baths and saying affirmations is great for some people.
For others, it means taking action on something that has been a frustration for years. Stubborn fat in an area that just won’t disappear no matter how much you exercise. Wanting to enhance or augment natural curves.
This is where aesthetic procedures come in, especially ones like fat transfer breast augmentation. This type of breast enhancement takes your own body fat and uses it to create fuller, more natural-looking breasts. It’s two-for-one because you’re reducing fat in one area while simultaneously using it to augment another area.
Pretty powerful, right?
The point is that deciding to get an aesthetic procedure does not mean that you do not love yourself. In fact, it often means the opposite. It can mean that you have finally decided to invest in yourself and your confidence.
The Most Popular Enhancements These Days
Cosmetic and aesthetic procedures have evolved quite a lot over the years.
It’s not the obviously overdone results from past decades. These days, it’s all about natural-looking results that enhance your unique features.
Some of the most popular aesthetic procedures right now include:
- Breast augmentation: one of the most popular surgeries worldwide
- Body contouring: this can mean anything from liposuction to fat transfers
- Facial rejuvenation: which can be anything from fillers to facelifts
- Non-surgical procedures: like botox and lasers
The biggest shift in trends has been a move toward personalisation. Instead of all patients striving for the same cookie-cutter image, today’s plastic surgeons work with their clients to help them enhance the features that make them unique.
Score for everyone!
What the Research Says about Cosmetic Procedures and Confidence
Let’s take a look at some data for a minute.
A Pennsylvania School of Medicine study found that 87% of cosmetic surgery patients reported satisfaction along with an improvement in their emotional wellbeing after the surgery.
And if that isn’t impressive enough…
Statista research shows that satisfaction among patients who have had top cosmetic surgery procedures in the U.S. can be as high as 95%.
This was specifically in relation to breast augmentation patients. To the point that almost all of them would do the surgery again. We’re talking 5-star ratings.
It makes sense when you think about it. Time and again, studies have shown a boost in body image satisfaction following cosmetic surgery.
As a result, people who have surgery report increases in their confidence levels including:
- Feeling better in social settings
- Performing better at work
- Improvement in intimate relationships
- Overall life satisfaction
There are psychological benefits to procedures, and the research is starting to back it up.
Is it the Right Step for You?
Cosmetic procedures are not necessary for everyone.
But if there is something that has been a source of dissatisfaction for you for a long time. If you’ve tried everything else and nothing has stuck. If you are doing this for you and not to try and please someone else.
It might be time to consider it.
Ask Yourself the Following
Motivation is key.
The best candidates are those who want a procedure done for themselves. Not because their spouse wants it. Not because of what social media will have you believe you need to look like. For themselves.
When the motivation comes from the correct place, the satisfaction is much higher.
Realistic Expectations
Cosmetic procedures can do incredible things for your body.
But it cannot fix deeper issues like self-esteem or relationship problems. It’s not a magic wand.
Use it as a tool. It can help make you feel more confident and enhance your appearance. But it cannot fix what is on the inside.
Choose Your Doctor Wisely
This is by far the most important part of the entire process.
Look for:
- Board-certified surgeons, with a particular emphasis on a surgeon’s specialty
- Before and after photos that match the goals you are looking to achieve
- Honest conversation about potential risks and results
- A consultation process that leaves you feeling good
The surgeon you choose to work with is so important. Make sure to take your time and choose someone who understands your needs.
Beauty is Confidence
Here’s the thing…
Beauty and confidence go hand-in-hand. This is not a new concept. It has been that way for as long as people have been conscious of their appearance.
There is nothing vain about wanting to show your best self to the world.
Beauty makes you feel better about yourself. Try on an outfit that makes you look amazing. You feel a shift in your mood, right? Imagine feeling that way about your body all the time.
This is one of the things that aesthetic procedures can do for people when the process is done correctly.
Body positivity has helped change how people view aesthetic procedures as well. It’s less about feeling like you need to meet some standard and more about the fact that your body is yours. You get to make the rules.
Plastic surgeons have changed their approach as well. It’s not just about the surgery these days.
Many are incorporating:
- Pre and post-operation support
- Mental health support
- Making sure their clients have realistic goals and expectations
It’s about the entire wellbeing picture.
Reality of Recovery
Every procedure has a recovery time attached to it.
Prepare for it ahead of time so that you are not blindsided by downtime or healing time. Some procedures have a few days of downtime. Some have weeks of careful healing.
Plan it into your schedule. Take time off of work if you need to. Line up help in the home to support you for the first few days, even if it’s just help with cooking or cleaning.
It’s not just the physical healing process either. There is also an emotional adjustment period while you get used to your new look. Be kind to yourself during this time.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Before you schedule any consultation, write down and think about the following:
- Have you wanted to make this type of change for a while?
- Are you in a healthy emotional place to make this decision?
- Do you have realistic expectations of the results?
- Is this decision for you and you alone?
- Have you done your due diligence on the procedure you want?
If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you are in a good place mentally and emotionally to look into your options.
Wrapping Things Up
Self-love is not one-size-fits-all.
Cosmetic procedures can be a part of your journey. It is not about changing who you are. It is about enhancing what you already have going for you.
Research backs up that the majority of people who get procedures experience a boost in confidence and well-being. When they go in with the right motivations and choose the right provider, results can be life-changing.
To wrap things up:
- Aesthetic and cosmetic procedures can be a valid form of self-investment
- There is research to back up the psychological benefits from these procedures
- Motivation and expectations determine whether a patient is satisfied
- Choosing the right surgeon is one of the most critical decisions you will make
At the end of the day, your journey is yours and yours alone.
Whether you go down the road of aesthetic procedures or not, all that matters is that the choices you make come from a place of self-love.
You deserve to feel confident in your own skin no matter how you decide to get there.