DeNeb De Luna Composition April 10, 2002 Cosmetic Plastic Surgery: Is It the Right Choice?           The morning after her appointment, Martha woke up with a horrifying thought.  She knew she wanted to change her physical appearance but was very scared of going into surgery.  Martha wanted to feel good about her image.  She believed her self-esteem would be higher after such surgeries because she was tired of people criticizing her looks, tired of people staring and laughing.  Her doctor previously advised Martha that a cosmetic surgery of this type would bring great benefits to her health.  Martha would have a complete face change; she was going to go through rhinoplasty (nose job), blepharoplasty (eye lift), and rhytidectomy (face lift).  Now she wondered how dangerous these surgeries could be.  She also wondered if it was really worth it.  After much thought, she decided surgery was definitely the answer to her problems.           Like Martha, many people consider plastic surgery because of low self-esteem and social rejection.  Deciding whether to have corrective surgery can be among the most difficult decisions anyone can face in a lifetime.  Corrective surgery is not always the answer to looking or feeling better.  There are many advantages as well as disadvantages when considering corrective plastic surgery.            Although it is not visible, the greatest advantage a patient will have after plastic surgery is psychological.  Plastic, cosmetic, and reconstructive surgeries have an important psychological dimension because of the high value placed on outward appearance in society.  Many people who are born with visible deformities develop emotional problems due to social rejection.  These people then turn to plastic surgery for comfort.  In Martha's case, plastic surgery brought a whole new perspective into her life.  She felt rejuvenated and confident about her new look.  She saw her reflection in the mirror and finally felt comfortable with it.             After her surgeries, Martha developed a few complications.  There was a formation of undesirable scar tissue around her nose.  She also had persistent pain, redness, and swelling around the eyes.  She never thought much of it because she believed it was part of the process.  Fortunately for Martha, she did not develop any other side effects.  Some of the most common serious side effects are infections inside the body due to the insertion of prosthesis, anemia or fat embolisms, rejections of skin grafts or tissue transplants, and loss of normal feeling or function in the area of the operation.            Before having any type of plastic surgery it is always safe to research for a well-credentialed doctor.  Many cash-hungry doctors will advise patients to have numerous surgeries even if they are not necessary.  In Martha's case, her doctor was very considerate of the adjustments he had to make.  He only advised Martha to make the changes he considered healthy.             It is always necessary to be realistic when evaluating one's faults.  Some people have unrealistic expectations of cosmetic surgery and think it will solve all their problems.  The true answer is that plastic surgery is not always the answer to looking better or feeling better about one's appearance.