Everyone wants to have a perfect body and silhouette. Some would timidly say that they only need a few improvements, while others are willing to undergo several plastic surgery procedures if they can only afford them, just to achieve that perfect body curve. But now, psychologists and psychotherapists are becoming concerned about the growing mental and psychological problems these clients experience after surgery. They believe that you as a patient should discuss with a consultant about your expectations. So one may ask, do I need a consult a mental health consultant before getting into plastic surgery?

Let’s imagine a lady who, growing up, has been exposed to medial sources depicting the woman’s body like an hourglass figure accentuated by huge breasts. While she was growing up, she has been dreaming of one day developing her breasts into the size that TV and print portray as ‘larger is more beautiful’. When she reached her 20s and her breasts did not reach the size she has been wanting to have, she resorted to breast augmentation. After a few months, her dream became a nightmare. She realized that having big breasts that are not proportional to your body will cause so many complications instead of advantages. She developed back pain, discomfort, and the realization that the results didn’t really suit her and gave her the benefits she thought it would give. She realized that she would not have undergone the surgery if someone was wise enough to counsel her and tell her the consequences of her actions. This is an ideal example to see the importance of a mental health consultant or life coach before a cosmetic surgery procedure.

Identify the real reason for the surgery. Why do you want to undergo the surgery in the first place? Does the surgery answer your needs directly? For

instance, if a patient wants to undergo rhinoplasty to correct sleep apnea or a deviated septum, then her intentions are correct since a rhinoplasty directly corrects the function and not just the appearance of the nose. However, if the patient wants to have a nose job because she just wanted to look like her favorite actress, then some counseling should be needed to let her understand the pros and cons of the surgery.

It is difficult, not to mention very expensive, to revert or revise a plastic surgery result. One may have done it out of impulse, peer pressure, or the dire need to feel desirable and beautiful. One may be suffering from depression and feels that plastic surgery is the answer to make her happy in life. A mental health consultant can assess this type of patient and recommend seeking professional help so they can be treated accordingly without resorting to plastic surgery. Recognize realistic expectations. Some doctors or cosmetic establishment conceal the common side effects of undergoing plastic surgery, often blinding their clients with images of their future self once the surgery is successful. It is the goal of a life coach to guide the patient into finding her inner happiness and contentment without resorting to physical changes and improvements.