4 Tips for Setting Healthy Beauty Standards Before and After Surgery

3 Minute Read: 

Have you admired your favorite models online and felt like your appearance looks a bit off? 

Has social media changed what you notice in the mirror? 

If you answered yes to either of the above questions, chances are you are negatively affected by modern beauty culture. It can be difficult to separate yourself from the constant barrage of images highlighting the current expectations.

It is important to cultivate an inclusive and healthy beauty standard for yourself. Here are four tips to help you love your looks and all their differences. 

cartoon of woman questioning beauty standards

Should I Spend Less Time on Social Media?

Whether you love it or hate it, the “selfie filter” has turned each of us into a picture that can be easily judged, admired, and compared. Face filters might be harmless to some, but others have developed deep insecurities about how they look without those filters. This has led many younger people towards plastic surgery for unwarranted reasons.

The best way to fight these insecurities is by regulating the time you spend on social media. Turning off your social media notifications can reduce the impact those “perfect” faces have on your psyche. You can also track and limit the time you spend on your phone with anti-distraction apps.

Cosmetic facial procedures are great for targeting a specific concern, such as an irregularly shaped nose or aging concerns, but it cannot change how you emotionally see yourself.

How Can I Appreciate My Own Beauty More?

One of the best ways to appreciate your beauty more is by celebrating it in writing! Form a list of your 10 favorite features about yourself. This can be a great exercise in self-appreciation and self-love. 

Start your list with one region of your face and move to the next, listing features you love and would never get rid of. Then, go through each of these features and explain in writing what you love about them. By creating a catalog of the things you love about yourself, you may even come across new ways to celebrate your individual traits. 

Should I Find Community Support if I’m Struggling With Beauty Standards?

Social media’s most significant achievement might be the democratization of what it means to be beautiful. Today, anyone can post content that redefines beauty on their own terms, and in doing so, you can find a community that looks like you. 

Join a community by searching body-positive hashtags like #effyourbeautystandards and #loveyourself on your favorite social media app. 

Can Healthy Beauty Standards Improve My Cosmetic Treatment Results?

Sharing inclusive and diverse beauty expectations with a thriving community can be empowering, but sometimes we could still use a little help. 

If you are looking to receive cosmetic treatment, it is essential to find a plastic surgeon who will affirm your cultural and individual identity, not erase it. For example, if you are of Asian descent, receiving an Asian nose job can enhance your nose’s shape while maintaining your unique Asian features. 

People who struggle with their beauty should visit a surgeon who will encourage them and guide them in a way that is body positive. Sometimes, all a patient needs to get the results they are looking for is a simple thread lift or skin-resurfacing treatment

Your surgeon should consider a conservative approach to your cosmetic issues and suggest non-surgical solutions before taking more aggressive measures. 

Want to Learn More?

Talking with a plastic surgeon who supports your beauty can help you dispel discouraging and harmful ideas about yourself. Dr. Haena Kim provides a warm and friendly environment so that you can do just that! 

Contact her office by calling (925) 891-4135 or filling out our online contact form.