Die ästhetische (Gesichts-)Chirurgie in ethischer Sicht

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for aesthetic surgery as our culture has become more and more concerned with appearance and beauty. At the same time aesthetic surgery has been challenged by many ethically relevant aspects, such as risk-benefit analysis, care of underage patients, social implications (peer pressure, competitiveness), the dangers of medicalization, changes in the physician-patient relationship, aspects of quality assurance and finance, as well as diagnostic evaluation. However, in a pluralistic and liberal society, none of the aspects mentioned above justify a categoric ban or extensive restrictions on aesthetic interventions. It is all the more important, therefore, to carefully check that the preconditions for purely aesthetic interventions are fulfilled. The main precondition is that the patient receives open and honest information and is able to give their “informed consent”. Furthermore, well-defined quality standards are required. Given these conditions, there are no objective arguments which speak against aesthetic surgical interventions in adults – as long as they do not tend towards any degree of mutilation, as, for example, in cases of extreme body modifications. However, as far as children and adolescents are concerned, clear constraints are necessary.