I frequently see female patients who have recently been divorced and  are interested in having plastic surgery. Their motivation is that they want to look better and feel better about themselves before they start dating again.  I try to approach these patients cautiously to make sure they have the right motivation and are emotionally healthy enough to have plastic surgery.

Most frequently, these divorcees have gone through pregnancies that have left their breasts and  abdomens with a less than satisfactory appearance.  They tend to be very self-concious about these changes and are  interested in some significant improvement.The most common procedures these patients are interested in are breast augmentations and tummy tucks.   Ideally, these patients feel good about themselves and simply want to look as good as they feel so they can be comfortable dating.

Unfortunately, I see women who have not emotionally recovered from the severe trauma of a divorce and they are simply not in good enough health to undergo the further stress of plastic surgery. Even worse, some women think that looking better is either a way to "get even" with their ex-spouse or it will somehow bring him back.  In these cases, I discourage any elective surgery until these women are in a better place emotionally.

Plastic surgery can be a great way for newly-single women to feel good about themselves physically before they begin dating again.  However, plastic surgery is not a substitute for dealing with the complex issues of divorce.  It is usually best to speak frankly with your plastic surgeon about these matters so they can give you the best advice possible about when to proceed with surgery.