Can plastic surgery be permissible under certain circumstances?

**ameerkam** · 11-18-2018

Salaam

If someone has a physical deformity such as an abnormally large ear, can plastic surgery be used there? What about prosthetic limbs? The main reason why someone with an amputated arm to have a prosthetic one is to look like others and that is kind of changing yourself for beauty. So under these circumstances, would plastic surgery be permissible for serious cases?

Jazzakallahu Khair

***charisma*** · 11-18-2018

Originally Posted by ameerkam

Salaam

If someone has a physical deformity such as an abnormally large ear, can plastic surgery be used there? What about prosthetic limbs? The main reason why someone with an amputated arm to have a prosthetic one is to look like others and that is kind of changing yourself for beauty. So under these circumstances, would plastic surgery be permissible for serious cases?

Jazzakallahu Khair

Walaikum Assalaam

Corrective surgery, a type of plastic surgery, is allowed in the cases where there are abnormalities (eg. cleft lips, removing excessive skin after weight loss, etc). These types of surgeries are often necessary. Plastic surgery where enhancements are done are not allowed (eg. face lifts, nose job, etc) because they are more for vanity reasons and are changing the creation of Allah.

External prosthetics like limbs aren't considered as plastic surgery. They actually provide a functioning body part for amputees and are not simply for looks.

**Mandy** · 11-19-2018

A prostethic, lets say a leg is not there to make the person "look like someone else". It is there to help that person be functional in life. A bit like a walking stick would for older people.
Plastic surgery used to enhance or modify someone while there is nothing wrong is not allowed.

The question is more concerning the intent than the precise medical act. For instance, reconstructing the nose of someone who was bitten by a dog would be permisssable. Changing the shape of the nose because the person thinks it is too long, short, narrow, wide, etc would not be allowed.

**MazharShafiq** · 11-20-2018

Praise be to Allaah.

Your question revolves around the ruling on performing plastic surgery, on which we will give you a brief summary.

Doctors who specialize in plastic or cosmetic surgery define it as surgery performed to improve the appearance of part of the body. This may be done by choice, or because it is necessary.

Plastic surgery that is considered necessary is that which is done when there is a need for it, when something does not look right, when something is missing, if there is too much or too little of something, or because something has been destroyed or deformed. At the same time, it is regarded as cosmetic surgery because it results in improved appearance.

Faults may be of two types: physical or congenital faults and faults which result from illness. Congenital faults include abnormally turned-out lips, hare-lips, twisted fingers or toes, etc. Faults which result from illness include the scars left by leprosy or other skin diseases, or scars caused by accidents and burns. There is no doubt that such faults and scars cause physical and psychological pain and harm, therefore Islam allows people afflicted with them to remove or reduce them by surgical means. They cause the kind of mental and psychological pain that allows this surgery as an urgent need, where necessity permits something that is ordinarily forbidden. Any cosmetic surgery which comes under this heading of need because of the fact that the reason for the surgery is causing harm is permissible, and is not considered to be changing the creation of Allaah.