The shift toward more natural-looking plastic surgery highlights the importance of patient-surgeon relationships and open discussions about the expected results.

The ever-changing beauty trends have largely impacted the nature of plastic surgeries, and this year, it is all about looking natural. With people going for more real-life looks—smaller breast and buttock implants, contoured and fit rather than overly altered forms— plastic surgeons are balancing the tight line between managing the patients’ expectations and offering the options most suitable to them.

Although the current global shift toward a more natural look is heavily impacted by the trends prevailing in media, surgeons are more concerned with thinking long-term instead of following the trends.

Dr Andrius Pajeda, a plastic surgeon at Nordesthetics Clinic, says, “Fewer patients want a “fake” look regarding breast size and other body contouring procedures. That said, the immediate surroundings and the beauty standards existing there are still strong contributors to the patient’s decision to alter their body parts surgically”.

“However, trends are temporary, and beauty notions change constantly. As surgeons, we always think long-term and how the person will look five or ten years from now. It is essential they feel as good about themselves post-surgery as many years after it.”

Individual aesthetic goals—surgeons’ priority
While technological advances have resulted in more high-tech procedures like performing rhinoplasty using computer software, 3-D analysis, and an ultrasonic saw to achieve more accurate results, the end result depends heavily on patient-surgeon communication before the procedure.

At the same time, having an honest discussion about what the person expects from the surgery is at the top of the pre-procedure checklist.

“People often do not know what to expect in terms of post-op results, which is why consultations with the patient before the surgery are crucial. Coming up with realistic goals for the post-op results, talking about what a natural look means to them, and how they visualise their desired bodies helps to manage their expectations,” the surgeon added.

Therefore in some cases, plastic surgeons use simulators that visually convey the realistic post-operative results and serve as a communication device to be on the same page regarding the end goal.

Finding a surgeon that matches the person’s understanding of beauty and has the same values is another must for achieving the desired results. For this reason, Dr Pajeda recommends discussing the relationship between the beauty and function of the body with the surgeon.

“Although the prevalent notion is that the patient tells the surgeon what they desire, it is essential to have a two-way discussion before the procedure so that the specialist can see whether the patient is prepared for the surgery and whether their expectations align with the realistic surgical possibilities. The surgeon can refuse to operate if there is doubt over that,” Dr Pajeda maintained.

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