What is cosmetic surgery?
Is cosmetic surgery an operation for beauty? Cosmetic surgery could be defined as a procedure that serves only to beautify. However, not all plastic surgery operations that are described by laypeople as cosmetic surgery are to be understood as such. In fact, there are medical reasons for many operations. However, this does not mean that the costs of such operations are covered by health insurance.
Medical indications can relate to emotional distress with reactive depression. Various conditions can cause skin folds that lead to maceration and inflammation. Even in the case of congenital malformations, it is not possible to speak of cosmetic surgery.
Which operations are medically justified and when?
In this paragraph, some so-called cosmetic operations are described with regard to their medical indication.
Is a tummy tuck a cosmetic operation?
A tummy tuck is often not a cosmetic operation. After multiple pregnancies, the abdominal wall and abdominal skin are often massively overstretched and weakened. This results in a rectus diastasis, which means that the straight abdominal muscles are stretched out and the abdominal wall weakens. An umbilical hernia is often also present. Eczema and other inflammations develop in the folds and sagging skin. In addition, there is often the psychological stress caused by this visual disharmony. With these symptoms, there can certainly be no question of cosmetic surgery.
Liposuction is not only used for cosmetic surgery.
There are also some indications for liposuction that speak against the term cosmetic surgery. For example, fat deposits in unfavorable areas can lead to mechanical irritation. Typical areas here are the inner thighs, the inside of the knees and the inside of the upper arms. Liposuction also often leads to an improvement in lipomatosis, which often causes enormous suffering. Large lipomas can also often be treated well with liposuction without leaving large scars.
This is not about ‘beautifying’ the patient through cosmetic surgery, but rather about normalizing the findings. If symptoms / complaints are in the foreground, there can be no talk of cosmetic surgery.
Is ear correction in adults a cosmetic operation?
In the case of ear correction of protruding ears, many health insurance companies seem to make the medical indication dependent on the patient’s age. The costs are usually covered before the patient starts school. After that it becomes more difficult. In adults, ear correction is usually considered a cosmetic operation and the costs are rarely covered. The consideration of psychological distress does not seem to apply to adults.
