In the eve of the 21st
century, aesthetic surgery has made enormous progress. That which 20
years ago was utopia, has become actual reality. Surgeries are more and
more daring, the patients and surgeons more and more ambitious. This,
however, does not eliminate the limitations of surgery itself;
expectations must be compatible with a certain realism.
It is essential that
the patient's dreams meet surgical possibilities at some point. The
latter rise more and more with technical improvements and the surgeons'
experience but it is important to realize it cannot be limitless. In
other words, honesty requires that the surgeon point out and explain the
surgical limits to the patient and advise him of the price to be paid in
pain, scars or in other forms of inconvenience; just as it is desirable
that the patient voice his expectations to the surgeon. These are
reasonable most of the time and do meet surgical possibilities.
Only in extreme
circumstances do dreams and reality not meet; hence the importance of
the pre-operative interview in order to avoid any misunderstanding.
