Cosmetic Surgery- What to Consider

Cosmetic surgery is defined as a type of surgery that restricts itself to the enhancement of appearance through surgical and medical procedures. It is specifically designed for maintaining normal appearance, restoring it, or enhancing it beyond the average level. (Wikipedia 2009) Studies have shown that plastic surgery was performed by the Egyptians as far back as 3,000 years ago, and in 1927 John Peter Mettauer was the first American surgeon to perform the cleft palate operation with medical instruments he designed himself. (Wikipedia 2009) What Doctor Mettauer did not know then was that this simple operation was going to turn into the phenomenon we call plastic surgery. Although plastic surgery is a trend that has increased tremendously throughout the years, there is so much to know about it before having it done. Many individuals make the decision to undergo surgery off of impulse without doing their research one hundred percent.

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There are several types of cosmetic procedures that people choose to get for personal satisfaction and health purposes. Each procedure is different and varies in price and risks. In this essay, I will address some reasons why people think about getting surgery and essential facts that they should consider before making their final decision.

Plastic surgery is divided into two main procedures, reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery is performed to correct impairments on victims who suffer from tumors, burns, birth defects, development abnormalities, and accidents. For example, a victim whom suffers from severe burns may choose to go under the knife to reconstruct their damaged skin to make it appear normal again. Cosmetic surgery is an elective surgery that people choose to get to enhance a body part that already appears normal. The most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries are rhinoplasty, liposuction, and breast augmentation. For instance, a person...