How plastic surgery can improve physical and mental health – not just make you look good
- Frequently mistaken for being driven by vanity, cosmetic surgery can also improve a person’s health and even alleviate anxiety and depression
- But in many places, especially in Asia, plastic surgery is not well accepted by the general public and carries with it a certain taboo
Sophie was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer just three weeks after losing her mother to the disease.
When consulting an oncologist and a plastic surgeon in England where she lived at the time, her list of questions included: “Is a double mastectomy my best chance of survival given my strong family history? And can you reconstruct my boobs immediately, please?”
The answer to both questions was yes. Three years on, the Hong Kong-based mother-of-two says plastic surgery helped to bolster her confidence during the bleakest period of her life.
“I was an emotional wreck when my mum died. I saw what cancer did to her and I hated the thought of my children seeing me deteriorate in the same way. Plastic surgery helped me look and feel more complete. Plus, I love having pre-pregnancy boobs again. Having choices made me feel like I had some control over my body at a time when everything around me was spiralling out of control,” Sophie says.
Sophie requested anonymity because she believes she will be criticised for admitting concern for her breasts in a life-or-death situation. “People will think I’m vain for saying this but not having boobs would’ve been unbearable. It would’ve affected me, my relationship, my kids, my confidence, everything. Some procedures aren’t a nice-to-have; they’re a necessity.”
