[ANSWER]HCM301 – Reflective Essay: The Appropriateness of Cosmetic Surgery: A Psychological Perspective

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Reflective Essay: Whereas most people may derive a sense of bodily satisfaction from cosmetic surgery, some studies report otherwise. It has been shown that the likelihood of committing suicide is four times higher in women who undergo breast augmentation than in those who undergo other types of cosmetic surgery (Sansome & Sansome, 2007; Zuckerman, 2005).

This does not necessarily mean that other types of cosmetic surgery are not associated with a significant risk for poor psychological wellbeing. In their review, Honigman et al. (2004) found that while most patients who underwent mammaplasty, rhinoplasty or face lift had higher perceived satisfaction with their body, some experienced long-lasting psychological problems like depression and anxiety. Undergoing cosmetic surgery has also been found to cause self-harm behaviour and social isolation (Wildgoose et al., 2013).

In their study, Mattei et al. (2015) observed that cosmetic surgery had little or no effect on the psychological wellbeing of subjects who had a body image-related psychological disorder. For some experimental studies, satisfaction with body image has been found to increase in both subjects who underwent cosmetic surgery and those in the control group (did not undergo cosmetic surgery) (Zuckerman, 2005).

This suggests that increased satisfaction with body image is not necessarily associated with bodily modifications through cosmetic surgery; other factors such as aging may also change how one perceives their physical appearance. For example, an individual may have lower perceived body dissatisfaction during adolescence, but the dissatisfaction may reduce or even disappear in adulthood.

This further demonstrates that cosmetic surgery is not necessarily the ultimate solution to body dissatisfaction. In addition to not enhancing psychological wellbeing as anticipated, cosmetic surgery presents serious physiological risks. Research has reported that the majority of women with breast implants develop at least one adverse effect in…[Buy Full Answer for Just USD 9: 2920 WORDS] (Reflective Essay)

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Type: Essay

Word Count: 2920

Grade/Mark: 87 (Distinction)

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