Beauty is only skin deep, but that crucial layer is vitally important to many individuals, and its preservation is crucial at times. There are many uses for cosmetic surgery, not the least of which is to repair physical defects and damage done to an individual’s body through countless encounters that can leave scars and undesirable marks upon the body. The most noted use of such surgery however is that which is glamorized and showcased more often on newscasts and in regards to celebrities and those who can afford to go under the knife. Once a risky and rather controversial topic, cosmetic surgery is now one of the more trendy practices of those who possess the means and the income to receive such augmentation. Cosmetic surgery has become the means of preserving an individual’s appearance far beyond what nature would allow.
There is no doubt that America has become the most prevalent nation in the world when it comes to the addiction to plastic surgery. To state that it is an addiction is fairly accurate as many upon many individuals have taken great pains to alter or preserve their appearance in an attempt to remain pleasing to the public eye. Tummy tucks, breast enhancements, nose jobs, and skin tightening are just a few of the procedures that are known to take place among the rich and famous, as social image and the demand for beauty within American society has increased. Yet for all that it has become a trend, cosmetic surgery has ruined just as many individuals as it has helped. Being known for the nation that allows the attempt at continual youth to set the bar for what is beautiful has its benefits and its drawbacks.
On the plus side of cosmetic surgery the procedures that are decided upon can in fact help individuals who are suffering from health conditions that are visible to the world and are also causing them pain. A very good and well-known example is the issue of women with overly large breasts. As many women can attest to having an ample amount of cleavage is challenging enough at times, but having too much can cause problems that can eventually become a real health concern. The lower back becomes too strained and eventually women who suffer through such a development will find themselves unable to even walk properly. In this case the reduction of breast size, performed by a plastic surgeon, can be quite beneficial.
In other cases plastic surgery is often used as an enhancement, either to improve upon
ones looks despite their health being adequate and in no danger of decline. Vanity in this case is
the driving force of cosmetic surgery, and a means by which those who undertake the process
can remain widely accepted by society. Movie stars and other celebrities in particular are
commonly seen to protect their image by having minor surgeries that can keep them looking
young and healthy rather than allow the normal effect of time to take hold. Such unnecessary
surgery is not always overly questionable or even harmful, but taken in excess it very well can
be. The act of creating an image that is greater than what is present is a very powerful motivator.
Plastic surgery is not typically performed on young children unless there is dire need, meaning that it can help to save the child’s life in some way. The age limit is typically young adolescence and older, which could be as young as 13. Unfortunately for those at such young ages cosmetic surgery is typically seen to be highly unnecessary unless it is to alleviate pain or decrease a health risk, or both. For instance, women who wish to receive breast implants are normally required to wait until the age of 18 to 20, as the female body is still developing in the younger years and could cause complications if implants were used. At 18 and up the body of a
young woman is still growing and changing, but the risk has lowered and the maturity level of such women to make an informed consent is much greater in regards to their own health.
It is at times unfortunate, but there do exist surgeons who are either money-hungry or scissor-happy as the saying goes and are as addicted to performing surgery as some individuals are to receiving it. Trudi Bonomi (2014) goes into some detail about the fact that the money aspect of surgery is no doubt a very attractive lure. The average cost of cosmetic surgery can run roughly $4,000 and up. But this is not the worst part as surgeons can become enamored of their own work and make suggestions to clients that might otherwise never see the light of day. In bringing up such a subject to those who are already addicted to surgery however it enables such individuals to continue to hack away and modify their bodies until the point comes when their body can take no more. In up-selling their clients, surgeons prove to be just as addicted to surgery as their patients.
Individuals who are overly critical of their own body to the point of feeling the need for plastic surgery are said to be suffering through body dysmorphic disorder (Worth WebMD), or BDD. This typically results in a body flaw that is inconsequential or imagined, and is a driving force behind the desire for surgery. There is only a small number of people who suffer from this mental disorder, but it is enough to be a concern. Those individuals who do exhibit this type of disorder are often consulted and in some cases turned away by plastic surgeons if they feel the risk is too great. It is often seen that surgeons will not perform work on individuals afflicted with mental disorders, as the liability is simply too much of a gamble.
The human body is made to withstand great amounts of punishment. However, the
continual stress placed upon the body by constant surgical operations can cause damage that is
irreparable over time. Nose jobs can cause breathing problems if performed too often, tummy
tucks can cause distress to the body if more body fat than is safe to lose is taken out, and any surgery done around the eyes runs the risk of drying out the corneas. In short the body can handle a great deal, but when subjected to what amounts to torturous and needless procedures to preserve an individual’s looks it will eventually wear out.
Plastic surgery is like stretching a rubber band until it becomes worn. The constant procedures and the drying out of the skin eventually begin to wear away at the natural elasticity of the skin. Once that natural quality to bounce back from injury and/or trauma of any type is gone the skin will begin to weaken, sag, and droop in ways that are best described in some cases as a health concern. Many patients eventually have to continue their surgeries as a matter of maintenance in order to remain functional.
Cosmetic surgery around the world is not a new development. According to doctor Martin Donahoe however its popularity in America didn’t grow until the 1950’s when the first woman to receive breast implants (2006) was elevated from a B to a C cup. From there the popularity for body enhancement and plastic surgery became a popular trend in American culture. In the beginning the procedures were quite invasive and very painful, but as time went on new methods were developed and new products were created that could reduce the likelihood of rejection.
Given the risks and the knowledge that surgery can only accomplish so much it might seem futile for such a process to still be so popular. As it has been proven however the public eye and its constant scrutiny of every flaw and blemish is more than enough to keep plastic surgeons in business as they are recruited to fix what time seeks to ravage. Surgery does not erase every track that time etches upon a body, but this does not stop many from trying. Vanity is a very powerful motivator in attaining good looks, but it can also be a detriment.
Works Cited
Bonomi, Trudi. “Average Cost of Popular Plastic Surgery Procedures.” Westlake Dermatology.
2 May 2014. Web. 21 April 2016.
Donahoe, Martin MD. “Women’s Health in Context: Cosmetic Surgery Past, Present, and
Future: Scope, Ethics, and Policy.” Medscape: Ob/Gyn 11.2 (2006). Web.
Worth, Tammy. “Extreme Plastic Surgery: How Much Is Too Much?” WebMD. 11 June 2012.
Web. 21 April 2016.
