The morality of surgery for aesthetic purposes in accordance with principlist bioethics

Abstract The cult of beauty emerged in the West with the goddess Aphrodite, and reigns today in social media, driven by the worship of celebrities’ images. The “fever” of selfies fuels the desire to change. In 2013, Brazil led the world ranking of plastic surgery, overtaking the United States, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery report. This excessive practice concerns the organizations responsible for medical practice, such as the Brazilian Federal Council of Medicine and the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery. As they have a huge impact on patients’ lives, aesthetic surgeries should preferably be carried out by specialized doctors. Patients have the right to have these surgeries and to choose their doctors; nevertheless, their autonomy is not absolute. The professional has the duty to inform the patient about the risks and contraindications of the procedure, and has the right to refuse to perform surgery if it is considered potentially harmful or hazardous to the patient’s health.