Hundreds of thousands of people a year go under the knife for plastic surgery – whether it’s for bigger boobs, a smaller nose or even to look like their favorite celebrity.
And while most people are fine to shell out thousands of dollars for the traits they desire, not everyone is a good candidate for cosmetic procedures.
Typically, doctors advise people who are very young, suffer from health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes or people who have had past surgical complications to avoid an elective operation.
Now, Dr Charles Lee, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, has revealed why certain people shouldn’t get plastic surgery.
Below, DailyMail.com details the people Dr Lee says should avoid cosmetic procedures and why.
People with body dysmorphia
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition that causes you to excessively and obsessively criticize perceived defects or flaws in your appearance that are usually minor or non-existent.
The person’s fixation is far beyond the typical dissatisfaction people may have – like wanting to lose 5lbs – and can cause a person to constantly feel embarrassed, ashamed and anxious to the point they avoid social situations.
Nearly two percent of Americans have been diagnosed with BDD as of 2024, according to National Alliance of Eating Disorders.
As a result, people suffering from body dysmorphia may seek out plastic surgery as a solution to fix their imperfections, but in one TikTok video, Dr Lee advises them not to do so.
The expert explained: ‘So someone who looks at a perfectly normal part of their body but they see a big problem, you’re not going to get that fixed with surgery that really needs to be taken care of.’
Instead of plastic surgery, doctors suggest seeking out mental health professionals who can help evaluate the situation and suggest appropriate treatment such as therapy and medications.
Control freaks and perfectionists
Dr Lee added that people who are extremely particular in life and cannot bear slight asymmetries should not undergo procedures.
Perfectionists and control freaks tend to have a strong drive for flawlessness, which can lead to unrealistic expectations about the outcome of plastic surgery.
But, there is always a risk of complications or flaws when it comes to cosmetic procedures.
In cases of a rhinoplasty (nose job) and eyelid surgery, it is normal to expect a bit of unevenness. However this may cause extreme disappointment among perfectionists – causing them to book more appointments and procedures.
Dr Lee explained: ‘Surgery is not that precise, and if you can’t accept a few millimeters off here and there, you should not get plastic surgery, especially the more precise procedures, such as rhinoplasty or eyelid surgery.
‘A fraction of a millimeter can be seen, but a surgeon can’t necessarily correct all that, plus we have some asymmetries that cannot be corrected as well.’
The specialist also noted plastic surgery requires a ‘lot of patience and a lot of ability to accept the unknown’.
He added: ‘You’re going to be swollen for a while. You’re going to heal a certain way. Nobody can predict exactly how the outcome is going to be.
‘We have a general idea, but it’s in the 95 percent precision rate and that last five percent is kind of random and you have to be willing to accept that.
‘And you may not know for six months, 12 months, sometimes two years, what the final result is.’
People with delusional expectations
Over the last few years, social media has convinced people that plastic surgery can completely ‘fix’ their problems and make them look perfect.
But Dr Lee says this is unrealistic and people shouldn’t expect instant gratification.
It’s important to understand it is impossible for plastic surgery to completely alter facial and bodily structures.
The surgeon revealed: ‘I’ve had a lot of cosmetic surgery myself. I had rhinoplasty, chin implant, whatever. I can’t go into surgery expecting to look like Tom Cruise, no matter how much surgery I get.’
He also emphasized it is extremely important for patients to be grounded in reality as plastic surgery ideally cannot reverse signs of aging, improve relationships or alter any negative thought patterns about your body.
Easy bleeders
Lastly, Dr Lee highlighted that people who have a tendency to bleed easily or excessively should opt out of elective surgeries.
He explained that ‘one in 10 people’ have a tendency to bleed during surgery and while those with milder conditions, such as vitamin K deficiency, should treat those before seeking treatment, but other ‘severe bleeders’ need to be careful.
Conditions such as hemophilia – a condition where blood does not clot – and Von Willebrand disease – a genetic bleeding disorder caused by low levels of a clotting protein – may lead to prolonged and difficult-to-control bleeding.
Frequent cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can also cause issues.
Alcohol can cause blood to thin and an accumulation of cigarette smoke in the chest can lead to complications during the healing process.
Dr Lee explained: ‘The big thing that we worry about related to bleeding during surgery is substance abuse, including cigarettes.
‘That’s a huge one, because cigarette smoke and other smoke, but cigarette in particular has nicotine and carbon monoxide, tar, things that really clog up the oxygen flow to the healing areas and that can cause necrosis, meaning tissue death, poor scarring and a bad outcome.
‘So you really should not smoke for almost any of these elective procedures. Alcohol, there’s another one. Red wine causes bleeding.
‘Other types of alcohol can prolong the swelling phase, and sometimes, if it’s swollen for too long of a period, you’re not going to get a good result.’
