Most of us confuse cosmetic surgery with plastic surgery. The term plastic surgery has become synonymous with Botox, a few tucks here and there, etc.
The common thing when talking about cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery is that they’re used interchangeably. The difference between them lies in the reason and the procedure of the surgery. Cosmetic surgery is done by people who want a change in their features, not really for medical reasons.
A person wanting a narrower nose for aesthetic purposes would undergo cosmetic surgery as opposed to a person with a cleft lip who would be going for plastic surgery.
Dr Ishwor Lohani, Professor of Plastic Surgery at TU Teaching Hospital, explains, “Cosmetic surgery falls under plastic surgery. One cannot be a cosmetic surgeon without studying plastic surgery. Here in the hospital, most people come for plastic surgery and there are only a few people who come to us for cosmetic surgery.
Under plastic surgery, we treat all kinds of deformities while people who come for breast reduction, abdominoplasty and blepharoplasty fall under cosmetic surgery.”
Samridhi Rana, freelance writer and consultant physiotherapist at Norvic International Hospital, also says, "Plastic surgery doesn’t just mean reconstructive procedures like lip augmentation, breast reconstruction or cleft lip repair.”
She further adds, “There are also cosmetic procedures available to correct or enhance appearances without going under the knife, and I wouldn’t mind considering something like microdermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing in the future just to get rid of the marks on
my face."
Our constant issues with our bodies are something that could be pushing us to opt for a bit of a change here and there. We would be happier with a prettier nose, a flatter tummy and lips with a good pout, wouldn’t we?
But would we? How comfortable are people with getting the desired image of their body through cosmetic surgery? Are you someone who would consider it, or do you scrunch your nose at the mention of plastic surgery?
“The little knowledge that I have of plastic surgery comes from the TV programs that I watch. I always thought of plastic surgery as a way of enhancing your looks. I would never go for it because I don’t need it. I think everything’s fine with my face and I’m satisfied with the way I look,” says Archana Maharjan, 21, a Bachelor’s student in Business Studies at Shanker Dev College.
People who are constantly in the limelight are perhaps more prone to succumbing to the pressure of looking good. The demands of today’s times are such that already perfect people are airbrushed to appear more perfect to please the critical masses.
So why would they not grab ways of looking beautiful, and why would their ‘fans’ not feel a tad low each time they admire their pictures?
Anu Limbu, 24, currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Science in Information Technology from Lord Buddha Education Foundation, opines, “People from the glamour industry have the pressure to look good, and normal people look up to celebrities. But no one is perfect. While I understand that plastic surgery is a personal choice, I find it a fake and so it’s definitely not for me.”
Makeup artist Sneh Rana has a reasonable statement in support of plastic surgery. She says, “I think it’s okay for people to undergo surgery if they want to. After all, not everyone is born beautiful, and what God doesn’t give us, the doctor can provide. If it makes you confident and happy, then why not go for it? I would surely consider it if something was creating a big hindrance in my life, for example, if I wasn’t getting a job.”
But singer Smriti Bajracharya laughs at the mention of surgery. “I’m not in favor of plastic surgery. I believe in ageing gracefully, and anyway, I’m scared thinking of the whole process of the surgery.”
What all of us need to do is breathe a sigh of relief. For the many choices we have before us and for the right we have of exercising that choice without any great interference. Surgery or not, we need to respect the decision made by anyone else. We do have the right to be beautiful, inside and out.
Related story
No limitation to beauty
