Natural Results

Did she have work done?

A majority of people who want plastic surgery want to feel and look better but not with drastic changes. Everywhere we look on social media we are bombarded with memes and GIFs of plastic surgery gone wrong: it’s overdone, it’s botched or it looks extremely fake. Various media outlets report stories of plastic surgeons who’ve tried too hard to meet their patients’ unrealistic expectations and the average patient is filled with fear and uncertainty. Read on to learn what the term “natural results” actually means. Why are natural results important? How and why does plastic surgery end badly?

What does the term “natural results” mean?

The process of plastic surgery is subjective from start to finish. To begin with, the patient forms an opinion of themselves that effect a trip to the plastic surgeon. Maybe the patient has always admired a certain celebrity’s jawline. A post-bariatric patient who’s lost enough weight to create another person still has enough excess skin to wrap around that second person; this patient finally decides it’s time to get that skin removed. A middle-aged mother who is most definitely done having children is ready to get her stomach muscles repaired. 

For these examples and a myriad of others, patients turn to plastic surgery. They want to fix a real or imagined flaw. At this point, the doctor’s opinion becomes involved. For the sake of objectivity, this post will define “natural” as an appearance that does not make others question whether the patient underwent plastic surgery. “Natural results” could be part of an appearance that’s untouched by modern medicine. 

Why is a natural appearance important?

The patients who want a natural appearance without looking like they’re full of plastic strive for results that improve their looks without making them stand out. Women born with a lesser breast volume than desired may want to increase their size without looking like ladies of the night. Patients with flat rear ends might just want modest Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs). Understand that a natural outcome is the product of a realistic request. 

Many plastic surgery patients who have always had low self-esteem regarding a specific body part want to correct the situation without drawing excessive attention to the area. The most important person who will notice the upgrade stares back at them every day in the mirror; additional recognition from outside sources might be devastatingly awkward.

Some patients simply do not have a genuine support system at home. Friends and family may harshly judge or shame them if made aware of the surgery. This judgment can be based on a variety of reasons, including religion, financial capability or social/cultural norms. 

Where does it go wrong?

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reported a 44% increase in botched cosmetic procedures worldwide just two years ago. They attribute the increase to unsatisfactory training as well as miscommunication between patients and surgeons. The Harley Clinic has additional details about this study here. 

Understand that even with this increase, the majority of plastic surgeries end positively with extremely pleased patients. If you do your research and find a qualified surgeon you can trust as well as communicate freely with, you will come out of recovery with the body you desire.

Are natural results possible?

Without a doubt, yes, natural results are possible if your goals are realistic. The size of your enhancements must be proportionate to your body size and structure. Be straightforward and honest with your surgeon when discussing what you want to look like after surgery. Have practical expectations and your results will follow suit.

Overdone physical features are often the product of surgical error. Perhaps the surgeon has upsold the patient into a larger size of breast implant or additional Botox. Why get a small chin implant when a larger one will give you a more chiseled jawline? Like any business, there are doctors and clinics with the sole goal of making money. Your health and best interests are not their priority so they will mainly tell you what you want to hear to make a sale. This devastating problem usually exists in medical tourism, where patients do not live near the clinic. Accountability is difficult to maintain when patients must fly home. 

Then there are the surgeons who honestly want to please their patients so much that they overextend themselves past their skill sets. Despite their best intentions to grant their patients’ wishes, these doctors are not surgically proficient enough to deliver and sometimes fall short in the quality department. 

To wrap it up

We acknowledge that plastic surgery can make you look as processed as Velveeta cheese because social media and certain news outlets report on flubbed surgeries all the time. And some people strive for Velveeta. It’s an acquired taste. The overprocessed results are repeatedly published and made infamous while the rest of the surgical patients - with natural enhancements - are able to sneak under the radar. There are plenty of successfully natural-looking former patients walking around the world right now. You just can’t tell who they are.