Would you have cosmetic surgery?

[Sundae]

In this country it's called elective surgery.
And that term covers hysterectomy as well as breast implants.

Hope all goes well Sweetwater. I know from friends and family what a tough procedure it is, sometimes emotionally, always physically. Good luck.

[sweetwater]

It should change my outward appearance because of the sheer volume of, well, guts that will go, but that is not the reason for it. I've told at least 3 doctors I was ready to take a knife to myself - no matter the outcome, I'd be done with all. So perhaps this will count as cosmetic because I'm letting trained surgeons do the job instead of doing it myself with a dull hatchet or my Leatherman.

[Sundae]

I won't ETA because you've replied. But rereading my post above it implies that all hysterectomies are considered elective. Obviously you're intelligent enough to know what I mean. Just to set the record straight - where a patient decides to have surgery i.e. they will not die without it - it is termed elective. Even in cases where it will bring health benefits.

I think it's a less emotionally charged term than cosmetic.

SW, sorry that it got to such a dramatic point before you got what you wanted. At least you have your determination to get you through the aftermath.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by sweetwater

At the end of this month I am scheduled to have what feels to me a bit like a cosmetic (not required for survival) hysterectomy. I have significant quality of life issues, pain, discomfort, other issues about tissues that you'd probably rather not read about, but the truth is that I could survive without it. Just be miserable. After posting what I did I felt a bit dishonest not 'fessing up to planning this procedure and wanted to admit it.

You will feel much better afterwards. My wife had it done and the first thing she said, after healing, was something to the effect of "I should have done that 10 years ago!" Best of luck.

[morethanpretty]

Originally Posted by sweetwater

At the end of this month I am scheduled to have what feels to me a bit like a cosmetic (not required for survival) hysterectomy. I have significant quality of life issues, pain, discomfort, other issues about tissues that you'd probably rather not read about, but the truth is that I could survive without it. Just be miserable. After posting what I did I felt a bit dishonest not 'fessing up to planning this procedure and wanted to admit it.

Fibroid muscle tumors? My mother had those, had the hysterectomy at 45 I think. As for being opposed to cosmetic surgery, she is adamantly against it. Its a question of quality of life I think. If it'll significant improve your life's quality, then its necessary.

[sweetwater]

Yes, fibroids that are too large and ill-placed to be removed by less radical means. And now I just had to share this - today my keyboard broke: well, not seriously - but the period key fell off. That's right, my doctor is so good that I no longer have periods and I'm still pre-surgery! (I'm using Copy/Paste to get them here)

[Clodfobble]

That's hysterical.


Get it? Ba-dum chsshhhh.

[monster]

Ovary funny

you're going straight to hell for that one

[BigV]

Period Missing Syndrome?

[ZenGum]

I have long been opposed to cosmetic surgery, mostly on grounds already discussed (my body is good the way it is, medical risks, and also diversion of medical resources for less urgent purposes when there are folks who are dying, immobile, blind etc for want of medical care).

I have had three moles removed - they were showing early signs of turning cancerous. Snip snip.
But recently I had a fourth mole removed, for cosmetic reasons. It wasn't cancerous, but it was an unsightly blob a few cm below my lip, and a nuisance when shaving. I had it removed largely at the request of my lady friend. It is healing nicely now.
That done, I would never have anything implanted for cosmetic reasons, and would be very unlikely to have any procedure more significant than this.

I am in favour of remedial surgery for those with actual deformities/abnormalities (a few cases in IotD spring to mind) but I am mildly disapproving of people who want to make a normal body abnormally good. It's not worth the risk or the resources. Think Michael Jackson. Remember when he used to be black?

[morethanpretty]

To answer the question would I have cosmetic surgery:

I'm not really sure, I'm reasonably happy with my body as it is, there are a few pounds I need to lose in my stomach region. But that needs to be done for my health, and therefor I need to do it the healthy way with responsible diet and exercise (in an ideal world). If my butt could be a tad more bootylicious...it would put a huge smile on my face. I'm too free with swinging it around and showing it off as it is though, so that would probably just be a disaster waiting to happen :p . Do braces count as cosmetic surgery or just cosmetic something else (improvement)? I'm hoping to get started on that sometime next year, but at 20yrs I still have 4 baby teeth that need to be pulled. (Is having particularly strong rooted baby teeth a genetic condition or something, anyone know?) I'm trying to keep/get myself healthy and allow myself few vices. Hopefully this well keep me looking and feeling good about myself when I get older. If my boobs do get too droopy, I'll consider a lift and maybe an implant depending on whats available at the time. Definitely not until I'm past having children of my own, although I plan on adopting my children, if I somehow accidentally got pregnant I would want to have it and breast feed.

[sweetwater]

I had the surgery on Monday and am home in recovery now. Doing well. From the bruising (from heparin) and adhesives from bandages and swelling and all that, I can now state that this is definitely not cosmetic surgery.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by sweetwater

I had the surgery on Monday and am home in recovery now. Doing well. From the bruising (from heparin) and adhesives from bandages and swelling and all that, I can now state that this is definitely not cosmetic surgery.

Heal well, wishing you a speedy recovery. There is some stuff you can buy at most large chain drug stores that help with scar healing, just ask the pharmacy people. It paints on like nail polish but decreases scar formation, unless you are prone to keloids.

[Juniper]

I could stand to lose about 30 pounds, but that's not a surgical procedure. Dental work isn't either, really, unless you're talking implants, and I could use some of that too. I'd like to get those metal fillings removed; mercury in the amalgam and all that.

If there were a way to fix the bags beneath my eyes, I'd have it done. But there's a cashier I see all the time in the grocery store who apparently had this done and instead she has four symmetrical, puffy scars around her eyes. Now, if that were me, I'd have sued that doctor and ended up with enough money that I wouldn't have to be working as a cashier at the grocery store.

As it stands, no, I wouldn't have cosmetic surgery. But if I had a flaw like a cleft palate, hook nose, or other serious deformity, I probably would. You only go around once in this world; might as well make the best of it!

[Stress Puppy]

(preface, I didn't read the whole thread, or in fact most of it)

If LASIK counts, I'd definitely get that. I'm so sick of my glasses (which I've been wearing since 7th grade, and I should have had them in 5th or 6th). I may also get dental surgery to straighten my teeth if it meant I wouldn't have to get braces to do so. Mostly it's because my front teeth are crooked enough that it's a pain to brush them effectively, but also because if I straightened my teeth my canines would look like fangs.