When Plastic Surgery isn't Enough

Plastic surgery is here to stay as a part of our culture and our lives and it is constantly on the rise as a surgery of choice-but it can become an obsession with some people who quickly cross the line and go too far with their surgical alterations. You only have to look at the late Michael Jackson to see the results of cosmetic surgery that no longer enhanced bur rather made a once normal looking man look like a cartoon version of himself. Even country crooner Kenny Rogers who was aging gracefully- wrinkles and all went to the extreme end of cosmetic surgery with a face lift that made him look decades younger but it also made him look like a whole different person with skin pulled back so tight he literally looked like he was caught up in a wind tunnel.

We would hope that a plastic surgeon would say no to clients who are going too far and exhibiting signs that they are obsessed with their surgeries. And most surgeons will turn down clients who they feel are seeking unneeded and unnecessary cosmetic alterations but there are- as evidence by Jackson- plenty of doctor who don't turn down patients.
The desire to change everything about how you look on the outside has more to do with how you think you look and how you feel on the inside than what you see in the mirror. This obsession to turn to the scalpel when your emotional needs aren't being met is no different than people who overeat, shop or gamble to fill an unmet emotional need. There is no mental diagnosis for this obsession with plastic surgery-yet but as the number of people who are obsessed increases it is likely a mental health label will follow.

How can you tell if you're dealing with someone who has gone from a healthy interest in cosmetic procedures to someone who has become obsessed with the pursuit of perfection through plastic surgery?

The person will likely view plastic surgery as a means towards perfection- and since perfection in itself is not an obtainable goal the end results are never right. They will likely run up thousands of dollars of debt for unneeded surgeries just like any addict- they work for their fix or get the money by doing things out of character like stealing or degrading themselves.
An addict to cosmetic surgeries will likely isolate themselves from friends or family members who express concern or try to stop the person from continuing their pattern and risking their health to fill their obsession.

Plastic surgery should be done for the right reasons and in limited doses and most surgeons recognize this and will refer someone who is demonstrating the telling signs of obsession to a psychologist for help rather than do more unnecessary cosmetic work on them.

But as we have seen from Hollywood stars that have gone too far- the obsession and sickness can affect just about anyone even the rich and famous.