With plenty of shows like Extreme Makeover, Nip/Tuck and the advent of the Discovery Health Channel, the idea of plastic surgery has been gaining a lot of ground. But just because you can get plastic surgery, it doesn't always mean that you should! As a matter of fact, a lot of the things that women want to repair with plastic surgery can be remedied without the costs or risks that surgery entails. When it comes down to it, how sure are you that plastic surgery is your best (or only) option? You're just about to find out!

Should You or Shouldn't You?

Wondering if plastic surgery is the only way to fix your flaws? Honestly, it probably isn't. You'd be surprised at the number of different maladies which don't require plastic surgery to treat or correct. Instead, they can be treated with less invasive options like Botox, acidic peels, microdermabrasion or even over-the-counter remedies.

Which ailments dont require surgery?

Dark, under-eye circles
Fine wrinkles under the eyes
Smile lines around the eyes
Dry or blotchy skin
Discoloration or other pigmentation problems
Those little lines at the corner of the mouth (they look a bit like parentheses)
Vertical frown lines between your eyebrows
Fine wrinkles on your cheeks
The infamous double chin
Or a slight fullness (or plumpness) along the jaw line.

Conversely, the following conditions can only be remedied by a skilled plastic surgeon:

Excessive eyelid skin
Puffiness or deep under-eye circles
Deep vertical frown lines between the eyebrows
Jowls hanging over the jaw line
Hanging skin and deep facial wrinkles
Very lose neck skin
Loss of cheek fullness
A nasolabial fold (a deeper, more severe version of the nasolabial line) etched into the skin.

You'll notice that we didn't list a few cosmetic surgeries you might have expected, like breast augmentation, nose jobs, and so on for a very simple reason - the emotions and the importance of major surgeries like these is hard to measure on the Should You or Shouldn't You scale. If you're in the market for this type of surgery, don't worry. Your plastic surgeon will help you by going over the reasons, options and other tough-to-work-out issues before any surgery is performed.

Regardless of whether or not you ultimately decide to have plastic surgery, it's very important to pick up all of the facts. Any type of surgery, no matter how seemingly minor, comes with serious risks and discomforts. If you're still convinced that surgery is your only way to regain your full confidence, do your homework and find a well-trained, highly recommended surgeon to guide you through the process.