Cosmetic Surgery Research Proposal

Cosmetic surgery, also known as “plastic surgery”, is defined as surgery that is unnecessary from a medical perspective, but is carried out to improve ones appearance. In recent years, these surgeries have become increasingly popular, resulting in the question of: Does cosmetic surgery actually have mental health benefits? I think this topic is important because I feel that when people hear the words “plastic surgery” the first picture that comes to mind is someone with a fake looking “over-botoxed” face and ridiculously large breast implants. However, not everyone that opts for cosmetic surgery is looking for attention or trying to look like a celebrity. This specific topic is important to me because one of my best friends had rhinoplasty done to re-shape her nose, and she has never been happier. It was her biggest insecurity her whole life, and since her surgery she has a new found confidence and a higher self-esteem. So yes, I do believe that cosmetic surgery has mental health benefits. The procedures alter a part of the body that the person is not satisfied with, and doing so helps create a more positive self-image. Self-image and self-esteem are two very important things in a person’s life because it can affect how they act. A positive body image will increase a person’s quality of life, making them more confident and happy and if cosmetic surgery is what they feel they need to make them happy, then why not? In presenting my argument, I will be using various sources to prove my thesis. These sources will be magazine articles, internet sites, different statistics about the results of plastic surgery, and interviews from patients that have undergone different cosmetic