These days, plastic surgery is often much maligned, and while the apparent levity with which it is sometimes undertaken and its almost epidemic-type spread can seem rather worrying, the benefits of plastic surgery can easily be overlooked. While there is an overwhelming array of various plastic surgery horror stories reported in the press, the quiet stories of success often remain untold. For the right candidate, plastic surgery can truly be a life-enhancing procedure.

It would be wonderful to live in a world where everyone is truly accepted, regardless of their physical appearance, and while this type of world might one day evolve, these days, being different is undeniably difficult. For those people who suffer under the weight of a single feature that seems to swallow the rest of them whole, plastic surgery is simply the door to a new life. One of the first things that many patients notice after surgery is how the correction of this feature can bring a sense of balance to their whole appearance. For the woman with big breasts or the man with prominent ears, the hated feature can dominate their self perception, and its alteration to a state that blends in more easily with those of others, truly allows the rest of their self, both physically and spiritually, to blossom.

The most important element of the plastic surgery picture is the surgeon who will perform the procedure. A good plastic surgeon will first evaluate the patient's suitability for treatment, both physically and emotionally, and will help them to approach the surgery with realistic expectations. A good surgeon will adapt the problem feature to match not only the patient's physical appearance, but their personality also, allowing the person who has been hiding behind the perceived imperfection to really shine. Because this is what plastic surgery does, at its best - it does not have the power to change the way a person feels about themselves, but in changing something that has been oppressive to the patient, it allows them to find their confidence again.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Plastic Surgery Resources a website providing information on cosmetic surgery.