The findings of a new survey in the JAMA Journal of Dermatology reveal something about cosmetic surgery that many of us already knew: Patients get cosmetic procedures for more complex reasons than just their appearance.

The survey was conducted by researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and asked 500 respondents (mainly white women over the age of 45) who had undergone minimally invasive procedures about their reason for undergoing the procedure.

Impressively, seven out of 10 respondents said they chose to undergo their procedure or procedures not just to look better, but to feel better, too. Patients cited mental well-being, professional advancement, increased self-esteem and even improved physical health as reasons for undergoing their chosen procedure or procedures.

In addition to showing that patients choose cosmetic procedures for a variety of reasons, the survey also shows that many patients are looking to make minor changes without having to undergo a major surgery. That is apparent in the variety of the patients’ procedures, including those that resurface skin, reduce scarring or brown spots, shrink blood vessels, hide scarring, reduce body fat, remove tattoos, and more. Patients achieved their desired results with procedures like laser and light treatments or chemical peels.

If you are interested in learning more about the many different minimally invasive treatment options available at Chau Plastic Surgery, such as VASERshape, Sculpsure, Sculptra and more, please give Dr. Chau’s office a call at 248-799-2880.