If you are a parent and have chosen to undergo plastic surgery, your decision comes with a unique concern: should you tell your kids about your procedure, and if so, what should you tell them? In this blog post, plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Maguire of Physician’s Center for Beauty shares his thoughts on how to approach the subject with your children.
Consider Your Child’s Age
Determining how to talk to your children about your upcoming procedure will depend on several factors, including their age. For instance, many young children can get scared by seeing their mom come home with bandages and bruises or get worried by hearing their mom is undergoing a change. For these reasons, young children do not need to know the details of your surgery. If possible, try to schedule your procedure while they are away at camp, a friend’s house or a grandparent’s house. Or, consider recovering at a friend or loved one’s house. Keep in mind that surgical procedures like facelift and body contouring procedures require plenty of rest and time off from work, exercise and heavy lifting, including children. Recovering away from your little ones can help ensure you heal as safely and quickly as possible!
If your children will be around as you recover, you should let them know ahead of time that you are undergoing a procedure. You may decide to not tell them the nature of your procedure, but you should at least prepare them to expect change. Reassure them that although they will see bandages and bruises, you will be OK. Some patients have found that saying “Mommy has a boo boo” makes it easy for young children to understand that their mom is hurt (but not seriously) and needs to rest.
If your children are older, consider using the opportunity to discuss body image with them. Naturally, you don’t want to give your children and teenagers the impression that vanity is everything. Explain to them that cosmetic surgery is a way to enhance one’s individual beauty, but is not meant to radically change appearance or personality.
To be clear, there is no one right way to talk to your children about your impending plastic surgery procedure. Be sure to tailor your words and approach to your child’s age and developmental stage. To learn more recommendations on how to talk to your children about plastic surgery, contact Dr. Maguire’s office. Please call Physician’s Center for Beauty at (502) 897-7546.
