There’s no denying it: We all have a little extra spring in our step when pleased with our appearance. That chest-out-chin-up swagger tells the world that today we feel great because we look great.
It’s for these reasons that many surgeons and psychologists believe that plastic surgery can have lasting, positive affects on a person’s self-esteem. It also explains why elective surgeries have seen a steady increase over the past few years, despite the economic downturn putting a damper on non-essential spending.
In one of the largest studies of its kind, professors at Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum in Germany and the University of Basel in Switzerland wanted to see how plastic surgery affected patients’ lives after the procedure. These patients were compared to those who chose not to undergo surgery.
Participants demonstrated that the tendency is to take an emotional standpoint where one’s physical appearance is concerned. A technique called “Goal Attainment Scaling” was used to help patients judge outcomes based on initial goals of what they expected to achieve through plastic surgery. Many expressed the desire to “feel better” or “develop more confidence.”
The findings indicated that those who chose to go under the knife felt healthier, less apprehensive and more attractive as a whole. While the researchers would likely be the first to say these findings neither advocate nor oppose cosmetic surgery, it’s clear that the psychological affects of altering one’s appearance have an overwhelming effect on one’s confidence and quality of life.