The aim of plastic surgery is twofold. To correct bodily defects and elevate the self-esteem of a chosen patient, effectively changing lives and solving years of mental and physical issues any given patient may have. It is important, however, that patients looking to have plastic surgery have sensible expectations regarding the results of the procedures they choose to undertake. For instance, patients who have rhinoplasty or breast implants should realise these invasive surgeries need months to heal and develop into their desired shape. There are millions of stories of happy patients who have undertaken their dream surgeries and blossomed into their desired self-images. It is these stories that prove the benefits of cosmetic surgery a million times over.

Facelifts are one of the most expensive and invasive cosmetic procedures any woman (or man) can endure. A female patient from the USA, aged 44, speaks about how much the facelift had changed her life for the better. She worried about her sagging neck for 22 years, becoming camera shy and hiding out from her friends and family. After consulting with her friend, an anaesthesiologist, and learning about the best surgeon in California, she decided to take the plunge and booked herself in for a full facelift, chin implant and TCA peel to remove the bags under her eyes. Her doctor suggested these procedures as their combined effects would create a young, fresh look. The surgery went well and after only three and a half weeks, she was ready to face her friends and family. Everyone commented on how well rested she looked and her procedure fashioned her face into a natural look, as one of her biggest fears going in was having a ?pinned-back? facade. Her story was a happy one.

Our next story is about Laura. Laura had inherited her father's ?generous? nose, as she put it. A nose job was on her mind since she started using the internet and researching different nose job procedures. She did not enjoy having a hump on her nose and especially so as a woman. After months of discussing the operation with her husband, she finally booked herself in for the procedure she had been waiting for her entire life. There are countless plastic surgeons on the internet and it was a difficult decision picking a great one for her specific procedure. She narrowed her choices down to only surgeons certified with "The American Board of Plastic Surgery". She eventually chose a fantastic surgeon, who specialised in the ear, nose and throat surgeries. Laura's consultation went very well. Her doctor got straight to the point and recommended a straightforward rhinoplasty with no correction of the nasal passages. Laura's surgery was booked for April and she describes the wait for it as ?an agonising pleasure?. On the day of the surgery Laura was very nervous as she was to be put under local anaesthetic, meaning she would be partially awake. Her surgery went very well and she described it as a floating experience. It was only an hour long, yet she woke up with a awful headache. After some pain medication, Laura was whisked away for recovery back home. She described her appearance as ?gross? and bruised, yet noticed that her bump was gone and knew that it all went well. A year later, after many post-operative visits, Laura finally has the dream nose she wished for her whole life. It took this full year for her nose's puffiness to subside and for the true results to take shape. This was her dream surgery and all her wishes had finally come true

These are only a snippet of the myriad of stories related to successful cosmetic surgery procedures. Research and careful planning is needed before any surgery, so do your homework and set your expectations realistically. Your surgery can and will change your life.