What to Ask Yourself Before Cosmetic Surgery

The decision to start your cosmetic surgery journey is a significant one. For many patients, it’s a desire they’ve had for years, the ability to say goodbye to whatever area of their body that bothers them. The good news is that cosmetic surgery has come so far in recent years that the hopes you have will likely match the results you get. That said, you should still ask yourself a few questions before your big day to make sure that you are not only choosing surgery for the right reasons but that you have a good idea of what to expect.

Who Am I Doing This For?

Of all the questions you should ask yourself before you make the final decision to undergo cosmetic surgery, this may be the most important. Often, both women and men claim that they are choosing to have surgery to please another person, whether it be a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, or even to simply fit in with what they believe the “social norm” is. While this is a common reason patients give, it doesn’t make it a good one. Cosmetic surgery of any kind is an intensely personal choice. The only person who should have any final say in what you do to your body is you. Your body is what will undergo the stresses of surgery, your body is what will go through recovery, and your body will experience the changes provided. Cosmetic surgery can give life-altering results; it can finally allow patients the body they’ve desired and worked for yet haven’t been able to achieve on their own, and this happiness is something that lasts years and years. As long as you are starting out on the right foot, you will more than likely be happy with the results.

What Results Am I Looking to Achieve?

Whenever you read about candidacy for a surgical procedure, you will likely come across a statement similar to this: “Patients should have realistic expectations of their results.” Plastic surgery has a lot of misconceptions today. The internet and social media are bombarded with stories of “Celebrities Who’ve Had Plastic Surgery” or “Plastic Surgery Fails.” Because of these stories, it can sometimes be difficult to fully understand and realize the actual results that are possible with cosmetic surgery; these stories generally only focus on the extremes—usually, it’s the patients who have taken cosmetic enhancements to bizarre new levels. The vast majority of patients who choose plastic surgery have absolutely nothing in common with those stories, since many are merely wanting to fix a specific area that causes them to be insecure. Dr. Bonaldi believes in enhancing one’s own beauty with artistically balanced results. This means that after the procedure, you will still look like you. Maybe the skin on your face will be a little tighter, or your cheeks will be a little higher, or perhaps your breasts will be a little fuller, or your stomach will look a little flatter. But at the end of the day, you will still look like you, just with less of what makes you insecure.

How Will My Body React to Surgery?

Any time that you undergo a surgical procedure, you are putting yourself at risk. These risks are small and unlikely, but unfortunately, they are still possible. There are ways to minimize the chance of these risks even further; one way to minimize them is by ensuring that you are in ideal health before your surgery. Additionally, patients are required to stop smoking at least one month before their surgery. This is a vital choice not only for safety but also to allow for the best quality of results. Smoking affects many aspects of your body, including blood flow and your ability to heal. Why put yourself at risk when stopping is all it takes? Before surgery, you should also make sure that you are in good general health, with no serious medical concerns lurking around the corner. The healthier and closer you are to your goal weight (you don’t have to be at your ideal weight, but somewhere in the ballpark), the better your surgery and the better your recovery will be.

To learn more about cosmetic surgery or any of the procedures Dr. Bonaldi offers, call Bonaldi Aesthetics today at (775) 828-7400.