Are We in an Ethical Dilemma in Aesthetic Medicine?

Abstract

Introduction: The business, medical community, and patients are under tremendous strain due to advancements in aesthetic medicine and the rising demand for cosmetic therapies. It is impossible to overlook the financial benefits. Social media may have both beneficial and detrimental effects in the marketing of aesthetic services. Several ethical considerations need to be carefully considered, such as beneficence and maleficence as well as the rights of the patient. Is monetary gain the main goal? There must be an answer to this query. Medicine requires a high standard of professionalism and ethics, and the same rule applies for aesthetic medicine and surgery. Methods: This is a questionnaire-based study targeting the practicing doctors and the general population. A sample size of 100 per segment was selected. The participants of the study were from various ethnicities from around the globe. Results: The results of the study clearly implicate that most of the participants agree that Aesthetic Medicine is facing an ethical dilemma. Serious measures need to be taken to regularize the field of aesthetics in the form of training of the doctors, strict measures by the regulators, and harmonization of the marketing through social media. Conclusion: Aesthetic medicine and surgery have become a commodity rather than a recognized medical specialization due to their high evolution index and commercial incentives. This study argues that operating based on market categories can lead to a loss of focus on patients' true needs. If aesthetic medicine doesn't recognize itself as part of ethical medicine, it may become a part of the beauty business, prioritizing profit over public needs.