Deciding to have plastic surgery is a very personal one.  Only you know how you feel about yourself and what difference it will make to your self-esteem to change the way you look.

Good plastic surgery will lead to an improved version of who you are, not a complete change.  

For most of our patients, a good result will be subtle, so they look younger, healthier, and happier, with people commenting on how well they look, rather than asking what plastic surgery they’ve had.  As a result, for most of our patients, handling comments or queries after they’ve had surgery is not such a big deal.  

The thing that causes the most concern is preparing to tell close friends, your spouse or other family members who will have to know about your plans before you go ahead with the surgery.  And understandably so. It’s natural for your loved ones to tell you that you don’t need surgery and that they love you as you are. But if you’ve decided that plastic surgery is for you, you’ll need to find a way to help them understand and give you the support you need.

Perhaps the single most important thing to do in preparing to tell your loved ones is to be clear on your motivations for surgery.  Understand your reasons clearly so you can articulate your thoughts and feelings more effectively.  

If you tell your loved ones you simply don’t like the way you look, you’re likely to be faced with objections which won’t really help and which can send conversations around in circles and lead to frustration.  However, if you talk about how you want to improve your self-esteem and confidence and this will help you live life more fully, then your loved ones will start to understand how the part of your appearance you want to change is affecting you and why. 

Another tip is to talk about what you’re happy with but emphasise that there’s a specific thing you want to change, this can help them keep the issue in context.

Aside from wanting to assure you they love you as you are, your relations may also be worried about the risks involved in surgery.  Again, by choosing to have your treatment with Manchester Plastic Surgery you will be able to let them know you’ve considered risks and taken them into account with your plans.  This is because we’ll cover the risks associated with the treatment you’re considering when you attend your pre-surgery consultations.  And, of course, choosing to have your surgery with Manchester Plastic Surgery means you’re working with a dedicated, experienced team which minimises your risks straight away.  

Once your loved ones know that their support is important to you, it may be helpful to involve them, where appropriate.  For example, if you’re married your spouse might like to attend a pre-surgery appointment with you.  Other relations may be able to be on standby to do household chores, childcare and other tasks for you when you come out of the hospital, enabling you to relax and fully recover.  

Ultimately, good communication is key.  Start with an open and honest dialogue and maintain that before and after surgery and you should then receive the support you need from the people who matter to you.

And if anyone asks why you look so well, you can pick and choose who knows about your surgery, and keep everyone else guessing!