14 DAY TRIAL // A recent study presented recently at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), Plastic Surgery 2006 conference held in San Francisco showed that plastic surgery can be very beneficial for some recipients, not only by enhancing their self-esteem, but also by cutting their need for antidepressant medication. Even if previous studies have considered plastic surgery 'the newest type of addiction' and linked it to increased rates of depression in receivers, it seems that for many patients plastic surgery really works by making them feel better about themselves.
Bruce Freedman, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and leader of the current study explained: "Plastic surgery patients are taking a proactive approach in making themselves happier by improving something that has truly bothered them. While we are not saying that cosmetic plastic surgery alone is responsible for the drop in patients needing antidepressants, it surely is an important factor."
The research was conducted on 362 patients who had previously received plastic surgery, out of whom 17% were on antidepressant treatment. The 6 month follow up study found that 31% of the patients who received plastic surgery and were on antidepressants had no need of the medication to treat depression after enhancing their look. Moreover, 98% of the participants in the study reported that plastic surgery has made their lives better by boosting their self-esteem and making them more confident in themselves.
Plastic surgical interventions included most popular ones, such as tummy tuck, facelift or breast augmentation. After having their physical 'flaws' corrected, a great part of the middle-aged women in the study were found to completely benefit from the changes. "We have just begun to uncover the various physical and psychological benefits of plastic surgery. By helping our patients take control over something they were unhappy about, we helped remove a self-imposed barrier and ultimately improved their self-esteem," concluded Dr. Freedman.