Is Cosmetic Surgery Ethical?

Is Cosmetic Surgery Ethical
Assuming the informed consent process is complete, the patient has the right to decide whether they want to undergo a surgical procedure or not. Thus, cosmetic surgery passes this test of being ethical.

Is plastic surgery problematic?

Understanding the Risks of Plastic Surgery Cosmetic surgery, like any type of surgery, is not without risks. Plastic surgery procedures can result in complications ranging from an unattractive or unnatural final result to scarring or even death. Many people mistakenly assume that elective (optional) procedures, such as cosmetic surgery, aren’t as serious as other types of surgery.

But all surgeries, even simple dental procedures, present the possibility of, In addition to the, there’s always the possibility of issues arising due to anesthesia. In some ways, cosmetic surgery can be more challenging than more standard surgeries if the patient doesn’t tolerate surgery well. Many of these procedures are done in surgery centers or an operating suite in the physician’s office.

For most patients, this isn’t a serious concern. For the patient who becomes critically ill during surgery, being in a facility with an ICU and extensive resources for the very sick patient can make a tremendous difference in the outcome. Poor Cosmetic Outcome: This may be the greatest fear of a plastic surgery patient: a result that not only fails to improve appearance but actually makes one’s appearance worse than before the surgery.

Scarring: One of the greatest risks to achieving an attractive outcome, scarring is not always predictable, but can be controlled in most cases.
Patients can decrease the risk of scarring by not smoking, eating well after surgery and following the surgeon’s directions during recovery. Nerve Damage or Numbness: In some cases, or severed during any surgical procedure.

The result is more obvious, however, if it is a facial nerve. When those nerves are injured, the outcome can be the inability to make facial expressions or drooping of the eyes (ptosis) or mouth. Infection: All surgeries carry a risk of infection. Proper and frequent can minimize or prevent an infection.

Hematoma: A hematoma is a collection of blood outside of a blood vessel.
A hematoma can develop after surgery; this typically results in an area being swollen and bruised in appearance, with a pocket of blood beneath.
In some cases, this is minor, but a hematoma can be large enough to cause pain and even decrease blood flow through the area.

In the case of a large hematoma, the surgeon may choose to remove some of the collected blood with a syringe or other similar method. Necrosis: Tissue death can be caused by surgery or by issues that arise after the procedure. In most cases, is minor or completely absent, and normal wound healing removes any dead tissue from the incision area.

Bleeding: As with any surgical procedure, bleeding can and will occur.
Bleeding becomes an issue when it is excessive, or continues after the wound should have healed.
Post-surgery bleeding can be a sign that the patient is being too active too soon after the procedure.
Death: Every surgery has a,
While that risk may be less than 1% it’s possible for death to occur during the most minor of surgeries.

Seroma: A seroma is similar to a hematoma: it’s a collection of lymphatic fluid around the site of injury. In a seroma, clear fluid builds up in a pocket near the surgical site. If a large amount of fluid accumulates, the surgeon may choose to reduce the pocket by removing the fluid with a syringe.

Seromas are common with more invasive cosmetic procedures, such as a tummy tuck. Blood Clots: A blood clot is a common risk of many procedures, not just cosmetic surgeries. The most common type is a, a clot that develops in the leg. Most DVTs require medical attention but are not life-threatening unless the clot begins to move through the veins toward the heart and lungs.

A clot that moves to the lungs is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately. With any surgery, the patient has the ability to reduce the risk of complications. The best way to reduce the risk of a bad outcome is to who performs the procedure frequently.

Such as quitting smoking, are extremely important before surgery, as non-smokers heal faster and have less scarring. Some plastic surgeons will not perform surgery on current smokers because the final outcome may not be as good. In addition, eating a healthy diet before and after the procedure can speed healing and improve wound closure, which also minimizes scarring.

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Khunger N., J Cutan Aesthet Surg,2015;8(4):189-90. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.172188 Heeney A, Hand F, Bates J, Mc Cormack O, Mealy K., Surgeon,2014;12(3):121-8. doi:10.1016/j.surge.2013.07.005

Additional Reading : Understanding the Risks of Plastic Surgery

What is the code of ethics in plastic surgery?

The Code of Ethics for Board-Certified Facial Cosmetic Surgeons –

WHEREAS, the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery (ABFCS) is a surgical certifying board organized to examine physicians in the area of facial cosmetic surgery; and
WHEREAS, the ABFCS is a surgical certifying board organized to promote the safe practice of facial cosmetic surgery;
NOW, THEREFORE, the ABFCS has established the following policy:
As a Diplomate of the ABFCS, I pledge myself to

Strive for excellence in all aspects of my medical practice.
Maintain the highest standard of personal conduct.
Provide patient care impartially; provide no special privilege to any individual patient based on the patient’s race, color, creed, sexual orientation, national origin or handicap.
Abide by the highest ethical standards in activities designed to attract patients to my practice.
Maintain the confidentiality of privileged information entrusted or known to me by virtue of my role as a facial cosmetic surgeon within the constraints of the law.
Promote and encourage the highest level of medical ethics in providing competent medical service with compassion and respect for human dignity.
Continue to study, apply and advance scientific knowledge, make relevant information available to patients, colleagues and the public, obtain consultation, and use the talents of other health professionals when the best interests of a patient so indicate.
Use only legal and ethical means in the provision of care to my patients and strive to expose those physicians deficient in character or competence, or who engage in fraud or deception.
Recognize and discharge my responsibility and that of the medical profession to uphold the laws and regulations relating to the practice of facial cosmetic surgery.
Use every opportunity to improve public understanding of the role of the Facial Cosmetic Surgeon.
Cooperate in every reasonable and proper way with other physicians and work with them in activities contributing to the advancement of quality patient care.
Accept no personal compensation from any party that would influence or require special consideration in the provision of care to any patient.
Maintain loyalty to the goals and objectives of the ABFCS as stated in the By-Laws.

: Code of Ethics – American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery

Is plastic surgery taboo?

Aesthetic medicine taboo and media Generally, cosmetic surgery is traditionally framed as artificial, man-made, and socially unacceptable.

What are common ethical issues in surgery?

Informed consent for surgery, truth-telling (to patients, relatives, and colleagues), consent for the involvement of trainees in surgical procedures, and confidentiality and respecting patient’s requests (for procedures/ particular surgeons) are some of important ethical issues in the context of respect for autonomy.

Why don’t people admit to plastic surgery?

They Don’t Want to Admit Their Flaws – There are some people who have elective cosmetic procedures feel as if they are flawed in some way, and they believe surgery will improve them. For many of those people, admitting to the surgery is the same as admitting their flaws – the flaws they went under the knife and paid a lot of money to reverse.

Why is plastic surgery okay?

What are the benefits of plastic surgery? – For most people, the benefits of cosmetic or reconstructive surgery outweigh the risks. There’s a lot you can gain from pursuing these procedures, including:

Better quality of life. Enhanced body image and self-esteem. Improved safety, such as seeing better after removing extra eyelid skin. More natural appearance. Pain relief and greater independence after correcting defects that make it difficult to move. Restored functioning, like eating solid food after recovering from jaw surgery.

What is an unhealthy obsession to plastic surgery?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Plastic Surgery – Patients suffering from body dysmorphic disorder are overly obsessive about their body image that they will consistently check themselves in the mirror or seek reassurance from others. The imagined or small defect causes them significant distress hindering their ability to function well daily.

Plastic surgery addiction, on the other hand, is a behavioral disorder.
It happens when a person constantly seeks surgical procedures to change their appearance.
People with this disorder are willing to spend more and risk their lives in exchange for their unrealistic expectations.
Body dysmorphic disorder is one of the major underlying causes of plastic surgery addiction.

Has anyone ever regretted having a tummy tuck?

They say that hindsight is 20/20, but when it comes to a tummy tuck, the last thing you want is to come away with regrets. Luckily, few people regret the procedure itself. Instead, they wish they hadn’t gone quite so conservative when planning their abdominoplasty.

Why is plastic surgery negative?

2. Surgical Risks – There are inherent risks associated with any surgical procedure. These include the risk of bleeding, blood clots, or infections. Patients also have to deal with side effects of the surgery, which often include discomfort, bruising, and swelling. The best safeguard you can take to lower the risk of complications is to work with a highly qualified Baton Rouge plastic surgeon.