However if you are having the surgery due to medical reasons this is another story and while the decision will be a little easier to make you will probably still wonder if you are doing the right thing by having it. Anyone who is thinking of having cosmetic surgery should ask themselves a few questions before taking the drastic step.

Questions you should ask are

• How will the surgery change my life, will it make a difference to how I feel about myself?
• Am I only considering surgery for reasons of vanity?
• Can I afford to have the surgery?
• Where does cosmetic surgery fit on my priority scale?
• Do I have realistic expectations of the change the surgery can make to my life?
• Will I be able to stop with just the one procedure?
• Am I aiming for perfection due to vanity?
• Will the surgery give me what I need?

Of course even after having asked and answered these questions you still might be unsure if you should have cosmetic surgery or not, listed below is a questionnaire that you can take. There is no right or wrong answers and you will only benefit from taking the questionnaire by being absolutely honest with your answers.

1. What do I actually dislike about my appearance?
2. Why does this particularly bother me and does it bother me at times more than others?
3. Do my feelings about my appearance stop me from taking part in a normal healthy relationship?
4. Do my feelings stop me from taking part in normal activities?
5. Do I hide the feature I dislike from others?
6. Why have I decided to have the surgery now?
7. What expectations do I have for the surgery?
8. How do I see my life changing after the surgery?
9. Can I think of any disadvantage to the surgery?
10. Do I think people will act differently to me after the surgery?
11. What have my friends and families reactions been to my surgery?
12. What problems does your dislike cause you now?

It is worth taking time going over the questionnaire and answering as honestly as you can, if you have a close friend or family member then you could discuss it with them too. You should certainly talk over any concerns you have with the cosmetic surgeon at the initial consultation and talk with them about your expectations for the outcome of the surgery.

Who can benefit from this type of surgery?

Very fine wrinkles can form close to the eyes and around them and also around the mouth, due to the precision of the laser; these fine wrinkles can easily be removed. This type of surgery is suitable for anyone who has problems in these particular areas and is usually performed in conjunction with a face-lift or similar type of cosmetic surgery.

The surgery

This surgery consists of using a laser which the surgeon will use to direct a beam of laser energy which will vaporise the upper levels of damaged or wrinkled skin and this can be very precisely controlled in sensitive areas such as the corner of the eyes.

Laser resurfacing has many advantages over other types of resurfacing, the precision which the surgeon has over the laser is of course the major benefit but also there is very little if any bleeding and recovery times from the surgery are also quicker.

All resurfacing surgery basically work the same way with the outer layer of the damaged areas of skin being stripped away, when this happens new skin will form during the healing process and this skin will appear younger looking, be tighter and smoother.

Because this is a relatively new process, there isn’t much long term data to go on it but studies have shown that the skin reacts the same to laser resurfacing as it does to Dermabrasion or chemical peel surgery.

There are different levels to laser resurfacing, for superficial or medium resurfacing the laser can just be used on the epidermis and papillary dermis.

When deeper resurfacing is needed, the upper levels of the reticules dermis can also be removed. With the laser, being versatile, varied penetration allows for very specific treatment of spots and wrinkles.

Recover times from the surgery will vary also with very light resurfacing requiring very little recovery time while this might have to be repeated more than once to achieve the required results.

This type of cosmetic surgery will normally be done on an outpatient basis and will be performed under local anaesthetic; you will usually be given a sedative just before the surgery to ensure that you remain relaxed but awake. However if the surgery is going to be extensive then your surgeon might use a general anaesthetic and it may require a short hospital stay.

Depending on the extent of the surgery it can take from a few minutes to 2 hours, this will depend of course on the area involved in the treatment. After the surgery it is quite normal for you to experience some discomfort and mild swelling and your face will be bandaged during the first week.

When the bandages have been removed you will experience itching as the skin heals and scabs form, you should refrain from scratching at this stage as this could lead to scarring. The final result from the surgery can be seen several months after the surgery and during this time, you should protect your skin from the sun.

• Abnormal heart rhythm.
• Obstruction to the airways.
• Blood clots developing.
• Brain damage.
• Heart attack.
• Death.
• Malignant hyperthermia.
• Damage to the nerves.
• Temporary paralysis.
• Stroke.

Obstructed airways

Anaesthetic can sometimes cause problems with the airways and this can then lead to the vocal chords going into spasms and can then block the airways.

Brain damage

If blood vessels are depressed at dangerous levels then the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen and brain damage can then occur.

Malignant hyperthermia

Although this is very rare it does happen and it occurs when the body temperature, blood pressure and the heart rate all rise to hyperactive levels, it is a condition which can be inherited and if it isn’t recognised early then it can lead to death.

Temporary paralysis

This is easily detectable and treatable and can occur if the muscle relaxants haven’t completely worn off after surgery.

Aspiration

If you vomit during surgery then the vomit can enter your lungs, it can then cause problems such as mild discomfort, lead to infections; cause a chronic cough and cause an obstruction in the lungs.

Blood loss

Excessive blood loss during surgery can cause major complications; during surgery, this will be noticeable by pooling blood or by a drop in the blood pressure. If it occurs after the surgery, it can accumulate under the skin and it might require additional surgery.

Complications typically associated with cosmetic surgery

Necrosis

This will usually follow an infection and those who smoke are more at risk from this, the skin will be surgically removed and this may have an effect on the cosmetic outcome.

Slow healing

This can be due to age, failure to follow the doctor or surgeon’s advice or your skin type.

Numbness and tingling

This can either be only temporary or it can be a permanent loss of sensation or tingling and numbness, this results from damage to the sensory or motor nerves.

Dimples, puckers or divots

These can occur due to error made by the surgeon or from healing irregularities or problems during the healing process.

Seroma

This can usually occur after breasts augmentation, tummy-tucks or liposuction and occurs when fluid collects under the skin.

While there can be complications cosmetic surgery is a relatively safe process, figures have shown that:

• The rate of serious complications is less than half of 1 percent.
• The mortality rate is very low only one in 57,000 cases.

If you are at all concerned over any type of procedure, you should ask your plastic surgeon to fully explain any risks or complications of that surgery before you commit yourself it. Your surgeon will be happy to talk over any aspect of the surgery including methods used and the type of anaesthesia that will be used for the surgery and complications associated with it.

Finding a surgeon that is a registered member of cosmetic and plastic surgery is a must as surgeons who are listed with a board of cosmetic surgery will normally have had specialised training in the field and will have had at least five years of surgical training and two years training in the field of cosmetic or plastic surgery.

What can I expect during a consultation?

The surgeon should only be too happy to spend as much time with you as needed outlining the type of surgery you require and will give an honest and open opinion about how the surgery could turn out for you. As well as talking about the procedure, you should also ask questions regarding their experience and background.

Questions you should ask before committing to surgery are

• How long have they specialised in cosmetic surgery?
• Do they perform procedures purely for cosmetic reasons or do they take on other cases?
• Ask if they recommend alternatives to surgery.
• What techniques do they use to perform specific surgery?
• Are they registered with a board of cosmetic or plastic surgeons?
• If so how long have they been registered?

Once you have satisfied yourself that you have found the right cosmetic surgeon for you, you can then book an appointment for an initial consultation for the surgery that you require. This is the time when you should ask the surgeon any questions you might have regarding the surgery, questions you could ask are:

• What are the risks if any to the surgery?
• What are the recovery times?
• Does the procedure require a hospital stay?
• What type of anaesthesia does the surgeon prefer to use?
• How will the surgery be performed?
• Is there any alternative to the surgery?
• How long does it take to perform the surgery?
• Will there be any scarring after the surgery?
• Will I need to take time off work due to the surgery?
• How much will the surgery cost and are there payment plans?
• What will the outcome of the surgery be?

Most cosmetic surgeons should be able to give you a good idea of what you can expect from the surgery by using a variety if means such as computer software.