It’s a scenario faced by many men and women hoping to undergo a plastic surgery procedure: The patient knows what he or she wants and can’t wait to see the changes, but there’s something standing in the way of their big transformation – family.

While for the most part, patients undergoing plastic surgery have the support of their family, some are met with a host of objections. The question then remains, Do you listen to your family, or do you ignore their wishes and undergo your desired procedure anyway?

Here’s what you should do if someone you love is against your plastic surgery.

Your Spouse

Believe it or not, not all men like breast implants. Some men prefer the look, feel or smaller size of natural breasts. In these cases, the husband of the patient interested in undergoing a breast augmentation may have objections to his wife’s desires. If your husband is dead set against your augmentation, the first question to ask is why. Once you understand the why, you can begin to change his mind. Is he afraid your breasts will look too high or round? Is he afraid they will feel unnatural? Is he afraid of the pain or cost involved? All of these objections can often be overcome by bringing your husband with you to your second evaluation appointment, where Dr. Chau can go over in detail what your spouse can expect from your surgery. Often, hearing from the doctor can help put a concerned partner’s mind at ease.

Your Children or Family

Picture this: You’ve finally scheduled a rhinoplasty after years of living with that annoying bump on your nose. It’s a family trait, and that family is less than thrilled to hear that you’re removing it. What now? The first thing you need to ask yourself is why is your family so against it? Is it jealousy? Concern? Are they worried you will be in pain, or that you can’t afford the procedure? Once you understand their intentions, you can help alleviate their objections. If it truly is jealousy, don’t let that stop you. In fact, maybe your new look will inspire others in your family to get a similar procedure instead of just being envious.

Your Friends

Friends can be very influential forces in our lives. After all, the term “peer pressure” didn’t come from nowhere. So, what can you do if your best friend is vehemently against you getting that tummy tuck you’ve been wanting for ages? Maybe she heard it’s a long recovery, or she’s concerned you may miss a lot of work or an important event. Perhaps she’s envious that you can afford the procedure and she can’t.

If you can’t overcome her objections or you can’t seem to get a straight answer as to why she’s upset, try not to give it much thought. It’s your body, and your choice – unless she’s paying your bills, you don’t owe her an explanation for your decisions.

When Should You Not Get a Procedure Due to Outside Objections?

Though they are rare, there are times when you should listen to family or a spouse about not undergoing a procedure. First, if your spouse is concerned about the cost of a procedure and is afraid your family cannot afford it, even with financing, you should figure out your budget with your spouse before taking on any debt. Maybe you won’t be able to get that eyelid-lift today, but you can in a year after you’ve paid off your car or one of you gets your annual bonus. The reward of your results will be that much sweeter if you don’t feel like you’re always maxed out and overworking yourself to pay for it.

Another time you should heed the request of family is if you are a minor. Most procedures require you to be at least 18 years old, and in some places silicone implants are only permitted at age 21 or older. If you are not of legal age and your parents refuse to grant permission for you to undergo a plastic surgery procedure, Dr. Chau will be unable to perform the procedure on you until you are of legal age.

Finally, in some rare cases, patients can have what is known as body dysmorphic disorder, in which they see problems that don’t exist or see an exaggerated version of a flaw when they look in the mirror. Though it is rare, there may be instances in which Dr. Chau will not agree to perform a surgery on a patient because he believes they do not need it or would not benefit from it. If this is the case, you may be referred to a psychology practice to help address any underlying issues that may be causing you to see flaws where none exist. If your friends and family have seen you undergo the same procedure three or four times and still see no problem, you may want to take a step back and listen to what they’re saying – and figure out why you’re so unsatisfied with your appearance.

If you have any questions or concerns about your procedure, or if anyone in your family has a concern that you believe Dr. Chau or his staff could assist with, please give Chau Plastic Surgery a call at 888-966-9471.