Is anybody able to have cosmetic surgery?

Eligibility for cosmetic surgery isn’t something that everyone will know that they need to consider, but like many decisions in life, there are certain questions that need to be asked up front before it can be established whether cosmetic surgery is suitable for you.

There are three main things that you need to ascertain before you’re able to progress with a cosmetic surgery procedure:

  • How is my overall health and well-being?
  • Have I chosen an operation that my body is suitable for?
  • Am I doing this for the right reasons?

Firstly, your overall health is extremely important when you’re planning for an elective operation. Surgeons will need to feel satisfied that you are living a healthy life, exercising sensibly and eating well. They will ask various health-related questions to ensure that they’re getting a good picture of how well you live and your overall levels of fitness.

Cosmetic surgery consultation questions

Questions you should expect to be asked may include:

  • What medications are you taking, if any?
  • How much exercise do you undertake each week, if any?
  • Do you believe you consume a balanced diet?
  • To what extent do you consume alcohol?
  • Do you have any underlying medical conditions (such as diabetes, heart condition etc) that we should be aware of?
  • Are you a smoker?
  • Do you take any vitamins, supplements or herbal medicines?

Once your general health has been assessed it will be important to talk about the procedure you wish to have. This will be discussed in the context of your body’s suitability for the operation.

Your age will be a consideration, for example if your body is still developing (i.e. you’re too young to undergo the procedure) then it will be recommended that you wait until your body has stopped changing naturally. Your life stage will also be considered; for example, if you’re planning on undergoing a tummy tuck yet plan to bear children in the near future, it is sensible to consider the order that these events take place. The same is true for any other ‘tuck’ surgeries. If you’re planning on losing weight as well as having the operation, it is recommended that weight loss efforts take place first.

Finally, you need to make sure that you’re planning to have an operation because it is the right thing for you. Your surgeon will need to be satisfied that your overall state of mind, reasons for wanting the operation and expectations for the outcome are all suitable before agreeing to progress.