WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE?

Cosmetic surgery can be a rewarding and life-changing experience for the right patient, but what motivates people to go under the knife? Alice Hart-Davis investigates.

Trying to get a fix on the psychology of cosmetic surgery is a bit like looking through a kaleidoscope. Shift the focus a bit and the whole picture changes. Is surgery empowering, enabling women – and, increasingly, men – to change their looks as they see fit or is it simply indulging vanity? It depends who you ask.

I would not advise surgery if a patient has very high expectations

As Norman Wright, a psychotherapist who works with cosmetic surgery patients, points out, given the numbers of people suffering with body dysmorphic disorder – 600,000 cases diagnosed and many more, surely, undiagnosed – the likelihood of prospective cosmetic surgery patients having underlying emotional or psychological issues is high, which is a problem for surgeons.

He encourages doctors and surgeons to “see the person behind the patient”. He says: “What I’m trying to do is not to talk people out of having cosmetic surgery, but to get surgeons to give patients the chance to explore the emotional and psychological issues of the procedure that they have chosen to have.”

Read the full article here

Norman answers such questions as: How important is family support during breast augmentation?

Cosmetic News April 2013 issue

Page 50

Antonia Mariconda spends a Day in the Life of leading psychotherapist and founder of The Wright Initiative, Norman Wright.

With the British government now shining a spotlight on the cosmetic surgery industry with proposals for reforms and tighter regulations to be implemented, leading psychotherapist Norman Wright, MSc, Dip Sup, Dip SW, and founder of The Wright Initiative has pioneered a support programme for prospective aesthetic and cosmetic surgery patients to address their emotional wellbeing as well as their desire to improve their physical appearance. Here, Norman takes time out from a hectic schedule to talk to Antonia Mariconda about a day in his life.

“Home is Nottingham, where there is never a dull moment, I am blessed with a fantastic family; which includes a wonderful son and daughter. I wake at 6.30am every morning. This is my time! We’re strange creatures of habit us humans aren’t we? Hence why I always start my day with a slice of wholemeal toast, real orange juice and real coffee, the real stuff makes all the difference. I confess I am not a dedicated gym visitor but I do my morning crunches and my morning Yoga Asana’s as well as meditation.

I travel to work by car, I listen to Jazz FM which uplifts and soothes me in preparation for my day ahead, my working day normally starts at 8.30am. When I arrive at work I check the emotional temperature of the space and how it fits in with my own. I then meet with my Practice Manager to go through my day.

There is no set routine in what I do, so it would be hard to describe a ‘typical’ morning, but I usually I will see a combination of clients, and do some reading for the panels on which I sit on or ensure with the marking of various assignments for my students on their BSc programme. My mornings are always busy and diverse. Variety is a wonderful thing to work with in any profession: variety.

I am a pescatorian and my absolute favourite is sea bass, so whenever I get the chance I will stop for lunch. I qualified from Derby University and The Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute in Nottingham. My previous role was changing so much that I decided to retrain in order to do a job that actually makes a difference to people’s lives as well a realising my own value, worth and skills.

There have been so many people that have inspired me in my life including my Mother, Frantz Fanon, and Homer Simpson. It is an honour and privilege to journey with clients and students as they embrace, discover and appreciate themselves in a new way. I have pioneered my PaPPS Initiative (Pre and Post Procedure Support) as a consequence of becoming aware that as a Psychotherapist the skills I have can be extremely beneficial in addressing the Emotional, Relational & Psychological wellbeing of cosmetic surgery and aesthetic patients.

This is currently lacking in the cosmetics and aesthetics industry. I created PaPPS to satisfy the consumer driven market that patients need. The British Government are now realising and looking at the psychological wellbeing of patients as an integral part of the journey. PaPPS is a support programme that not only addresses the psychological wellbeing it also ensures peace of  mind for both the patient and the surgeon. I encourage all surgeon’s and clinics to have PaPPS as part of their patient pathway. We are being constantly reminded how important it is to be mindful of our body image and it seems to me that the idea of looking as good as you can for as long as you can is an innate need of human beings that is being capitalised by society in many ways. The Cosmetic Surgery and Aesthetics industry is constantly growing and evolving, clearly many treatments and procedures increase the self-esteem and confidence of patients, but more support is needed for when things do go wrong as we know that they do.

Much like my mornings, my afternoons will include the addition of clinical supervision or my own personal supervision or teaching as well as SKYPE sessions with clients. A typical day is always busy, and no two days are ever the same. Since time immemorial, human beings have strived to make themselves as attractive as they can. I do not see this going away anytime soon. With the addition of developing technology and media, the concept relating to the importance of body image have become even more pronounced in society as a whole. In five years’ time I hope to complete my PhD and start up a number of retreats for Mind, Body and Soul.

I end my hectic days with a glass of port to ruminate on my day, to which I usually conclude that Life is not about what you have done. Life is not about what you should have done. Life is not about what you could have done… it is about what you can do and what you will do.”

IN business A Day in the Life by Antonia Maricona

Antonia Mariconda also known as ‘The Cosmedic Coach’ is a health and beauty writer, and author of four books. She is quoted in national and consumer press such as the BBC, Top Santé, The Evening Standard, Daily Mail, and Metro, for her knowledge on beauty and aesthetics, and cosmetic surgery. Antonia also independently advises clients both from the UK and around the world on where and where not to shop safely for cosmetic surgery, beauty, aesthetic medicine, and anti-ageing treatments. Her client list includes A-list celebrities, Royalty and VIPs.

With an increasing number of people seeking cosmetic surgery, the demand for therapeutic support has risen. Pre- and post-operative evaluation is essential in helping the surgeon to assess the Emotional, Psychological & Relational (ERP) wellbeing of the patient.

One group that appreciates the importance of good therapeutic support is The Wright Initiative (TWI). Headed by respected psychotherapist Norman Wright, TWI specialises in offering patients one-to-one support, both before and after undergoing cosmetic treatment. Norman has devised the PaPPS Initiative. Pre & Post Procedure Support. https://thewrightinitiative.com/papps-initiative/

The goal of The Wright Initiative is a simple one: they believe that every patient should be able to make an informed decision about the procedure they are interested in. This means ensuring that the patient considers, among other things, the impact that cosmetic treatment may have on their ERP wellbeing, both in the short-term and in the more distant future. Is the patient prepared – mentally and physically – for the changes they will experience after surgery?

It is these issues that have impelled TWI to launch the PaPPS Initiative – Pre- and Post-Procedure Therapeutic Support. The programme grants patients the opportunity to obtain reassurance about the procedure and to establish that they are ready for the changes that cosmetic surgery will engender.

The specially-devised programme takes the form of focal sessions that are held in TWI’s Nottingham and Harley Street clinics. During the course of a 60-minute assessment, the patient will attain the peace of mind that comes from knowing that their ERP welfare is being cared for.

The patient feedback on their experience has been positive:

“ My session allowed me the time to reflect and ask myself some questions about what I needed emotionally to get through my surgical procedure and come out psychologically comfortable”

“My PaPPS session made me reflect upon questions I would not have normally asked myself”

“ I welcome PaPPS and feel very strongly that it should be part of everyone’s journey”

For cosmetic surgeons, the PaPPS Initiative is to be welcomed, for it provides an added safeguard, ensuring that patients who elect for surgery are mentally prepared and are comfortable with the decision they have made. Surgeons who recommend the PaPPS Initiative to their patients will be able to demonstrate that they have their patients’ wellbeing at heart and see them, not as clients, but as people with ERP needs. Mr Sultan Hassan of Elite Surgical is working with TWI offering PaPPS as part of the patient journey. https://www.elitesurgical.co.uk/Patient-Support-105-c.html

Proper patient selection is an integral part of cosmetic surgery. Because the process is initiated by the patient, it is the surgeon’s prerogative to screen each patient and ensure that they are suited to and ready for the procedure in question. As Adam Searle from BAAPS notes: “Plastic surgeons need to be alert to the possibility that some patients may have an underlying psychological disorder…Ultimately, a reputable practitioner will use his or her best judgment, perhaps in consultation with a mental health professional, to determine whether or not a particular patient can reasonably be expected to benefit from aesthetic surgery.”

BAAPS has gone so far as to issue guidelines for aesthetic surgeons to consider during patient selection. These are designed to help surgeons identify patients who may be suffering from body image issues. A comprehensive checklist enables the surgeon to consider the patient’s physical and mental wellbeing and satisfy themselves that the procedure should go ahead. By offering dedicated PaPPS, The Wright Initiative aims to support both surgeons and patients, making sure that cosmetic surgery is performed safely and with the patient’s best interests at heart.

For more information on The Wright Initiative and PaPPS, call 0115 8890 330 or email [email protected]