Plastic surgeryis both a blessing and a bane.  When it comes to medical cases, such as in the correction of a birth defect or damage repair resulting from an accident, no questions are raised as to its necessity.  However, when the purpose is purely cosmetic, one needs to first weigh the pros and cons of plastic surgery before making the decision to undergo the procedure.  If you are one of those who are considering to plastic surgery to improve your looks, read on.

The most significant advantage of plastic surgery is its emotional and psychological effect on the individual. If you have a realistic expectation of the result of the surgery, then you would feel good about yourself.  The change in your appearance, whether it is the removal of ageing signs or damage caused by illness, acne scars from infection, or the reshaping of an inherited abnormality, will give your self-esteem a much needed boost.

You will experience an increase in your self-confidence enabling you to better interact with others.  You would feel more attractive because you believe that you have become beautiful to look at.

As much as these things are important, undergoing plastic surgery also has disadvantages and these include:

1. It is expensive and is not always covered by health insurance

2. Healing and recovery takes time.  You would not be able to go about your normal activities and attend to your responsibilities for quite a while.

3. Its side-effects include pain, infection and scarring.

4. There are risks involved which may lead to complications.

5. Depending on the type of surgery performed, you may have to stay in the hospital for a period of time or you may have to get extra help with the housework when you go home.

6. If your expectations are not met, you will be disappointed with the final result and regret having gone through the whole thing.

7. The surgery can bring negative consequences.  For instance, after liposuction, your body might react by recreating its fat deposits in some other part of your body such as the back of the knees; or if you had a dermabrasion or chemical peel, your skin might become ultra-sensitive to the sun something which is not only inconvenient but will require a drastic change in lifestyle especially if you love being outdoors.

If you are unhappy about the way you look, plastic surgery is not the only answer.  Keep in mind that it is still a surgery with all the risks and possible complications as other surgeries, not to mention the cost of money involved.  These are all very real issues that you must ponder on before making that final decision on whether you really need plastic surgery or not.