Is plastic surgery a sin?

We can see no reason why you shouldn’t have plastic surgery to remove permanent scars or other conditions. It is only natural to want to feel and look “normal.” However, be careful that vanity is not your reason for the surgery. When vanity motivates a person to undergo surgery, he/she has become his/her own idol. The Bible warns us not to be vain or conceited (Philippians 2:3,4) and not to draw attention to ourselves by the way we look (1 Timothy 2:9). 

The most important thing to do before making the decision to undergo plastic surgery would be to consult God about the issue. The Bible tells us that God cares about every worry and concern we have. Therefore, it is paramount that we take our problems to Him in prayer (1 Peter 5:7). When we ask for His wisdom and guidance, we will have the ability to make decisions that will please and honor Him. 

Is it wrong to have plastic surgery to remove permanent scars from a past surgery? If the scars are disfiguring, we would say that such a surgery is certainly not sinful. A problem may arise when plastic surgery is used to enhance otherwise healthy body parts or as an anti-aging tool. In any case, beauty should always “be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentile and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.” (1 Peter 3:4-5)