By Plastic Surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer. 

I saw an article that a plastic surgeon has described himself as an artist, as he says he improves his patients' confidence by helping them feel more beautiful. I am fully in agreement with this. Plastic surgery can greatly improve a person's self-confidence, giving them what they feel to be a better body balance and increasing their self assurance.

One definition of art is “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form”. By this measure plastic surgery is surely art. Great plastic surgery results need artistic vision, as well as expert knowledge and meticulous technique.

Cosmetic surgery is about aesthetics, as my clinic's name suggests. Aesthetics and art are closely related. Aesthetics are the principles that govern the nature and appreciation of beauty. The word comes from the Greek aisthanomi, meaning perception by the senses. Plastic surgery is about creating a look that is sensually pleasing.

Ideas of what are pleasing are different both for individuals and across different times and cultures. Postmodern aesthetics focus on the emotional experience. Rather than seeking some eternal ideal of beauty, what is truly important is finding the aesthetic that appeals to you, that gives you confidence and a sense of harmony.

Some people want to fit in with their culture’s ideal of beauty, whilst others desire to be unusual and to stand out. Across the world, we see many different ideas of beauty. In many Western cultures, a thin figure is desired, representing self-control and health. In other cultures, such as Nigeria, fuller figures are considered attractive because it denotes fertility. Similarly, in times and places where food is scarce, a larger body shape can indicate wealth and status.

We have all seen pictures of bad plastic surgery in magazines and online. Like all forms of art, plastic surgery can become kitsch and tacky if done badly. But this does not invalidate cosmetic surgery as an art. It simply shows the importance of finding a plastic surgeon with a genuine aesthetic sense who will work with his patients to bring out the best in their natural features with procedures like my TBT Facelift.

The appearances that give most people confidence and pleasure will include harmony and proportion. There is no one “right” look, simply the balance that works best for you. It is not just about physical harmony but harmony between body and mind.