Dr. Kiran Gill is a Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon with specialty fellowship training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breast, and body. In 2018, she founded Naples Aesthetic Institute Boutique Surgery and Skin Spa– the only female-owned premier boutique plastic surgery and aesthetic practice in Southwest Florida. Dr. Gill and her team offer surgical and non-surgical options for both men and women including face, breast, and body rejuvenation procedures as well as a variety of non-invasive skin and spa treatments in a private, tranquil, state-of-the-art environment.

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Does how you look affect how you feel? It certainly can. Every one of us has experienced the benefits of feeling good about the way we look at a moment in time—the confidence, self-assurance, and happiness it can elicit. We’ve all also likely experienced those moments where the opposite is true: you don’t feel good; you don’t think you look particularly good; your whole demeanor is different (and not in a good way).

It’s true: Our appearance affects us emotionally. It’s one of the primary reasons we emphasize fashion, clothing, hair and makeup—all of these can help to maximize positive self-image and project confidence. So why do some still struggle to accept the role plastic surgery plays? Is it really any different?

Some believe plastic surgery is simply “superficial.” Manufacturing youth and beauty isn’t natural. It is vanity at its apex. You’ve cheated the natural aging process. And on top of it all, it looks fake and everyone knows it.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Plastic surgery does not exist in this narrow, black and white space. At Naples Aesthetic Institute Boutique Surgery and Skin Spa, for example, we don’t turn out manufactured Barbie and Ken dolls. It’s the mom of 2 who’s reminded every time she gets dressed or undressed that she’s lost more than just her time and sanity since having children and wants her body back (breast lift/augmentation/tummy tuck). It’s the woman with back pain from her very large, natural breasts (breast reduction/lift). It’s the person who spent way too much time in the sun 3 decades ago who wants a second chance at healthy skin (laser resurfacing/chemical peel/lift).

Photo Credit: ShutterstockAs an all-female team with a keen understanding and sensibility for our patients, we take an intuitive approach to delivering natural—and many times very meaningful—results using a combination of plastic surgery and non-invasive skincare treatments.

Any plastic surgeon with the right training should individualize these procedures to each person’s body proportions, overall facial structure, and personal preferences. No one else’s. Results are natural and become another tool in the toolbox for positive self-image and confidence.

And despite the fact that society has conditioned us to believe we should accept aging (with grace), value wisdom over beauty, and rise above external appearance, and value substance, the truth is the majority of us aren’t looking for perfection; we’re just looking to feel a little bit better and project more confidence. These are not desires without reason. I don’t call that vanity. I—as do many of us—call that self care.