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Everyone ought to encourage and celebrate body positivity. But at times, being confident just as you are can feel impossible. It becomes even harder when people insist that plastic surgery and body positivity are mutually exclusive. But as any plastic surgeon will tell you, these two elements can coexist.
What Is Body Positivity?
Before getting into how those two are connected, you must understand body positivity. As much as people equate it with self-worth or self-image, it’s more than that. It’s about how you feel about your skin and body. Body positivity means the following things.
- Embracing your body
- Treating it with respect by keeping it as healthy as possible
- Understanding the limits of your body
- Understanding that there are times your body will fit in with current beauty standards and other times it won’t fit in.
- Appreciating the different ways your body works for you
- Celebrating the many things you can do with your body
Is Plastic Surgery A Body-Positive Choice?
No doubt, plastic surgery is a body-positive choice. As Joel Aronowitz, a plastic surgeon will tell you, no one should be embarrassed about undergoing plastic surgery. In fact, you shouldn’t feel less of a person because you underwent a cosmetic procedure. You’re allowed to celebrate your body whether you’ve undergone buttock augmentation, skin tightening, Botox, or fat removal surgery.
People opt for plastic surgery for many reasons. But many are looking to enhance their confidence. And that’s okay too. The choice to boost body confidence through plastic surgery doesn’t make one less entitled to talk about body positivity.
Everyone’s Journey To Self-Love Is Different
It’s important to diversify those narrow beauty ideals and not condemn people who find satisfaction in plastic surgery. After all, these procedures have some mental benefits. If a mum of two wants to undergo post-pregnancy plastic surgery to enhance her appearance, she should be able to without judgment from her peers. At the end of the day, body positivity is about being comfortable in your skin. And if plastic surgery helps with that, why not?
You Don’t Have To Choose Between Plastic Surgery & Body Positivity
As already mentioned, plastic surgery helps people feel comfortable and confident in their skin. When done correctly by a reputable surgeon, it has long-lasting effects on one’s self-image. Choosing plastic surgery doesn’t mean you’re sidelining the body positivity movement.
No One Size Fits All In Surgery
Plastic surgery does not aim to make all people look the same. It’s about embracing yourself as an individual. For some, it may be accentuating a body part of themselves that already makes them happy. For others, it may be eliminating something. And to ease any anxiety you may have, physicians are there to guide you. They will ask you about your goals to find the motive behind the surgery. They know that unhealthy motives such as body dysmorphic disorder cannot lead to a positive outcome. Good surgeons may even refuse to do the procedure if they know the motives behind the surgery can compromise your safety.
Plastic surgeons hope to provide you with great services that encourage you to feel good about your body on the inside and outside. And that’s why plastic surgery isn’t exclusive to body positivity.
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