Although cosmetic surgery is exciting for most people, that
doesn’t mean it won’t come without fears and anxiety. It’s natural to be
fearful of what may happen during your surgery of choice, how you will react to
anesthesia, or how painful and unpleasant your recovery will be. In fact,
having some of these fears and anxieties will better prepare you for what you
may face before, during, and after your procedure.
Being aware that the process may not be painless or without
its risks and struggles, will help you face the actual process head on. You
will feel more prepared for what is ahead of you and you can find the best ways
to deal with these issues beforehand.
Let’s discuss some of the most common cosmetic surgery fears
and how to best overcome these anxieties.
I am scared of being
given anesthesia…
You are getting major surgery, so of course, you will be
given anesthesia, which comes with risks in and of itself. Many people hear
horror stories about people having horrible reactions to this anesthetic and
it’s enough to scare them out of getting the plastic surgery they desire.
However, it is important to remember that anesthesia has been improved over the
course of decades and there is a very minimal chance anything will happen when
a patient is given anesthesia.
According to Medscape, there is only 1 death out of 100,000
patients who have been given anesthesia. You should be more concerned about
having some vomiting, nausea, sore throat, or incisional pain after waking up
from anesthesia. Therefore, just know the chances of anything happening are
extremely rare, especially if you are a healthy and fit adult.
I am scared of waking
up during surgery…
Let’s start off by saying that there is a less than 1%
chance anyone will wake up during his or her surgery. Even if you did wake up
during the procedure you are not able to move and you do not feel any pain. Episodes
only last around 5 minutes or less. Most occurrences of people becoming
conscious during the procedure are with surgeries that require lighter
anesthesia doses like a C-section or heart surgery.
Therefore, you have an even lower chance of becoming
conscious during a plastic surgery procedure. Additionally, many doctors
monitor brain activity and heart rate during the procedure, which can alert
them to their patient possibly regaining consciousness and can then up the dose
of anesthesia so the patient won’t actually wake up on the operating table.
I am scared it will
be very painful…
Yes, there will be pain of course – that goes for any kind
of major surgery. However, your doctors will strive to minimize your pain as
much as they can. Your surgeon and their team will often give you pain-relief
medication before you even go into surgery so when you wake up you will be in
less pain. Furthermore, the actual procedure will not be painful since you will
be under anesthesia and that will keep you from feeling anything.
When you leave the hospital, you will also be given pain
medication or other items that will be you lessen any post-surgery pain. In
fact, many patients are very happy to find that there is less pain after
surgery than they anticipated.
I am scared I won’t
like the results…
Believe it or not, this is the most common plastic surgery
fear, even over the scariest thing of all…death. Many people are scared they
will not like the results of the surgery, a cosmetic mistake will be made, or
that they will drastically change from how they used to look. However, this is
definitely not something you should be worried about. You will have extensive
planning with your surgeon to make sure you will get the results you are
seeking. Your surgeon is also expertly trained to make sure mistakes are not
made throughout the procedure and to not alter your appearance so drastically
you won’t recognize the person in the mirror post-op.
Choosing to move forward with getting plastic surgery in
exciting. You should be more excited than nervous when going into your planned
procedure. One of the most important things you can do to make sure you are
safe and will get the results you want, is to make sure you choose the right plastic
surgeon.
Dr. Arash Moradzadeh, a member of a select group of surgeons
double trained in ENT/head and neck surgery and facial plastic and
reconstructive surgery, and his team, strive to make sure you are safe and
comfortable before, during, and after your procedure. If you’re interested in
further exploring the options available to you, AM Facial Plastics can help.
For more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Arash Moradzadeh
please visit www.amfacialplastics.com or contact us at 310.659.9900.