Psychological Considerations

Abstract

Why does society value variety in everything else but only seek perfection in appearance? the answer to this question is complicated. A great variety of coexisting psychological and social factors drive this intense need, especially for women, to “possess beauty and obtain perfection.” This marketing attempt that drives people to change themselves to seduce others used to largely be restricted to women. Now, with increasing acceptance, albeit reluctant, of transgenderism, birth males who identify themselves as females are also being lured into this. However, such change is expensive, especially when it comes to altering not only your clothes but yourself. For many, inadequate finances and insurance, and/or the lack of adequate information, prevent them from accessing the healthcare services they need. Perhaps ignorance of the consequences or a self-desire to minimize or disavow such risks, perhaps the council of a close friend, and perhaps the lure of a procedure that promises to be quick and simple results lead them to seek out those outside the healthcare sector, even if it means having an illegal procedure performed in a seedy hotel or a person’s home. They somehow manage to look past all this, perceiving only the potential to finally achieve their perfect version of themselves.

Treating such patients requires multidisciplinary expertise and coordination, including thorough assessment and prolonged follow-up by a psychotherapist or psychology team. Psychological assessment and therapy must begin preoperatively. In fact patients who are not psychologically prepared for surgery should not undergo it, as the likelihood is that they will be completely unable to cope with the results surgery produces.

There is no one psychotherapy template for all patients, because patients vary so extensively in the psychological and physical obstacles that they are facing and will continue to face and in their own personal resources to handle them.

Creative, patient-centered, multidisciplinary care that addresses both the physical and psychological illnesses of silicone injections and its treatment is essential. Above all, it is vital that patients never feel abandoned. The quality of their future lives, and sometimes their lives themselves, depends on it.