Plastic surgery is becoming more and more common. People all over the country are realizing that plastic surgery is not just something that famous or wealthy people can afford or take advantage of.

However, plastic surgery is not for everyone. “Plastic surgery aims to correct parts of a patient’s body that make the patient unhappy,” says Dr. Joseph Bauer at the Swan Center for Plastic Surgery in Atlanta, Georgia. “This can vary from removing deposits of fat that are unaffected by diet and exercise, to reshaping a nose.”

Plastic surgery is also different than reconstructive surgery, which attempts to restore the look or function of part of a patient’s body that has been affected by disease, genetics, injury, or medical treatment.

If a patient is unhappy with their appearance, plastic surgery might provide them with a way to look better, and also feel better. Many patients who are unhappy with an area of their body will receive a boost in confidence, improved relationships, and more overall enjoyment with life after their plastic surgery.

This does not mean that plastic surgery is a cure for depression. Plastic surgery simply provides a way for people to feel satisfied with the way they look if they have an aspect of their body that displeases them.

For a patient to determine if plastic surgery is right for them, they should educate themselves about all aspects of the procedure they want, the possible risks and complications that are associated with the procedure, and the expectations desired from the plastic surgery.

“Plastic surgery should be viewed as a last resort for some procedures,” says Dr. Dean Fardo in Atlanta, Georgia. “For instance, a tummy tuck or liposuction procedure should be viewed as a weight loss technique, both are designed to provide the patient with an improved body contour.”

Prior to plastic surgery, the patient should review all forms of the procedure they want. There are different types of liposuction, for instance, including tumescent liposuction and ultra-sonic liposuction. Being informed about the different procedures will allow a patient to better determine if the plastic surgery procedure they want is really the right one for them.

A plastic surgery patient should also be aware that all plastic surgeries have potential risks and complications associated with them. For some procedures, like BOTOX®, the possible risks and complications are fairly small. During the initial plastic surgery consultation a patient will be able to go over possible risks with the plastic surgeon.

One of the most important aspects of deciding on plastic surgery is the expectation the patient has for their plastic surgery procedure. A good plastic surgery patient will understand that plastic surgery is not a way to achieve perfection, but rather improvement. Plastic surgery can improve a patient’s appearance so that they feel better about the way they look, and are more confident about their appearance.

When deciding on having a plastic surgery procedure, a patient should schedule an initial plastic surgery consultation with an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Bauer or Dr. Fardo. During the initial plastic surgery consultation, the patient will be able to have all their questions about the procedure answered.

Also, the plastic surgeon will be able to examine the patient and determine if the plastic surgery procedure they want will achieve the expectations and results they want. If a patient has unrealistic goals or expectations, a plastic surgeon may be able to suggest an alternative treatment for the patient.