The purpose of cosmetic procedures is to restore the function and form of the human body. Take the case of those suffering from having a cleft palate which affects their speech or those suffering from a second or a third degree burn. However cosmetic procedures have created a wide market for cosmetic surgeons offering treatments such as the very popular botox. Botox or is an abbreviation of a neurotoxin chemical produced by Clostridium botulinum (Montecucco). In the world of beauty, botox has been applied for people who want their wrinkles and crow’s feet probably gone. Dr. Binder has demonstrated in his research that botox injection can prevent visible lines to develop. It has also been shown that the chemical can also reduce crow’s feet and that no adverse effects in 13 years of botox treatment that has been reported. Thus the regular botox treatment is well tolerated in his observations with aging twins. On a personal opinion, if a doctor is licensed to perform such a cosmetic procedure then there shouldn’t be much concern about it.
But there is a social issue that needs to be considered in cosmetic procedures. That the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” may not be relevant to this day and age as the notion of beauty becomes treated as a commodity (Gimlin). Some surgeons also capitalized on the idea that plastic surgery is the best solution to improve self-esteem. However this should not be the case. That there is a defined construct on what is beautiful tend to make other people insecure and cause them to resort to further surgery. Still, plastic surgery is a personal choice but careful considerations must be made before deciding to undergo a cosmetic procedure.
Works Cited
Gimlin, Debra. “Cosmetic Surgery: Beauty as Commodity.” Qualitative Sociology, 23.1 (2000): 77-98.
Montecucco, Cesare and Jordi Molgo. “Botulinal Neurotoxins: Revival of an Old Killer.” Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 5.3 (2005): 274-279.
Binder, William J. “Long-Term Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox) on Facial Lines: A Comparison in Identical Twins.” Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, 8.6 (2006): 426-431.
