Plastic Surgeon Explains: The Emotional Rollercoaster After Cosmetic Surgery is Temporary

Sometimes patients tell us that even though everyone's telling them they look great after their surgery, they don't recognize themselves. Although this is not a complaint we hear often, it is normal to have these feelings. Patients often ride a bit of an ‘emotional roller coaster for 1-2 months following cosmetic surgery. Their emotions can swing from wildly elated to very impatient during the healing process. Fortunately, like all rollercoasters, this emotional ride after plastic surgery comes to an end.

Our relationship with the mirror is one of the most intimate and complicated relationships we have. It starts when we are around 6 months old and stays with us (whether or not we love it or hate it) to the end. We know, more or less, what to expect from the mirror every time we take a peek.

After surgery, that reflection is suddenly shifted and changes rapidly at first. Keep in mind, we only ever see ourselves in a flattened two-dimensional image, so we may not appreciate the full three-dimensional picture others already see. There may be bruising and swelling that masks your new profile and contour changes others already notice (and, thus, they are not lying to you.)

So, for now, distance yourself from that ‘person in the mirror', and, in time, you will come to recognize and make a new peace with that image. The ride is most intense for the first few weeks to a month, and then it softens and evens out rapidly, usually coming to an end by three months after surgery.

If you're interested in undergoing a plastic surgery procedure, contact us to schedule your complimentary consultation today. Ophthalmic plastic surgeon Dr. Andrea Hass (Dr. A) has been a fixture of the Palm Beach plastic surgery scene for more than 29 years. First trained as an ophthalmologist, she is fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery (cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery).