Introduction
The medical field of plastic surgery is growing in popularity among people. Statistics have shown that the rate of awareness and plastic surgeries that have conducted has actually doubled in size and number. It has been found that within 1996 and 2000, the number of cosmetics surgeries that have been conduction has doubled from about one million to three million in the United States (Loftus, Jean) while between the year 2000 and 2008, the rate as actually double again making the procedure one of the fastest medical procedures in the U.S (Loftus, Jean). The rate is being speculated to be more within the next few years. The reason for this projection has been based on the increased incidence of use among people of all ages. Older Adults are considering it while parent are even considering the procedure for their children and also the media hype as regards to beauty created by plastic surgery among artists and celebrities (Loftus, Jean). This mode of surgery is also being considered especially for children with clinical conditions that warrant the need for restoration or cosmetic enhancement in such child. In cases of cleft lip, there is always a need for the use of plastic surgery for the restoration of the lip form of the child. Apart from the aesthetic restoration aspect in the cleft patient, function will also be restored making the child perform better.
Plastic surgery is meant to correct or restore forms and function of the body especially in cases of defects resulting from accidents. This is a surgical specialty that major on reconstructive forms of surgery, microsurgery, cosmetic surgery, burns management and hand surgery. The most popular subspecialty plastic surgery is the cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery provides different forms of aesthetic plastic surgery. It is the aspect of plastic surgery which focuses on maintaining people's appearance, helping to restore their lost beauty or facial appearances. It also helps in enhancing the appearance through different surgical or medical techniques. The quest for beauty has popularized cosmetic surgery. Various factors contribute to such quest for beauty. People wanting to be a model, celebrity, artists and so on, are those that are majorly looking for more ways to either maintain their beauty or enhance it. The rush towards plastic surgery is evident by previously highlighted data. People go to different extent to have plastic surgery done. Regardless of the financial implication and side effects that has been noted to be associated with the surgical procedures, many go to different extents to ensure their facial forms are restored for beauty. There are even TV shows that encourage cosmetic surgery for winners and there are several young people are doing all what they could to get into the show and this could have several psychological effects on both winners and losers (Dittman, Melissa). This type of TV show will definitely influence people’s perception. The complications and the psychological effects would be avoided to promote the program. The procedure will be portrayed as the best thing someone could do to become a model.
This paper explores people's freak or craze for plastic surgery and also the common complications or side effects. It is important to note that there are many medical situations whereby cosmetic surgery is medically indicated i.e. different situations whereby plastic surgery must be done. In such situations, cosmetic surgery will provide various forms of augmentation or enhancement of defects that has occurred from birth or results from trauma. That surgical indication will actually justify a need for plastic surgical reconstruction. The commonest forms of cosmetic plastic surgery include: abdominoplasty (also known as tummy tuck and involve reshaping or refirming of the patients abdomen), Mammoplasty (has many components which include: breast augmentation, reduction, lifting), and buttock augmentation. There are several other forms of cosmetic surgery which are used to enhance other parts of the body. The craze or obsession on plastic surgery especially the cosmetic form could be related to increased media attention to beauty and perfection. This is because of most celebrities that are turning into plastic surgery for enhancement and augmentation of their body part to look more accepted. This paper will also highlight this aspect of celebrities and their impact on the society at large.
Plastic surgery has had much negative impact on people's lives. Actress Demi Moore is an example of client with several years of experience in receiving different forms of plastic surgeries (PopSugar). Now she is now having some forms of side effects that is somewhat complicating her previous years of beauty. She has been reportedly to have had plastic surgeries including: liposuctions, breast implants in the pasts with the most recent surgery being saggy knee correction (Pop Sugar). Almost all her body parts had already experienced the surgeon’s knife and manipulations. Her past procedures are somewhat assumed to be as a result of her status and being accepted by her husband that is 15 years younger. Taking a look at this situation also shows her to be too more conscious about her beauty hence performing all sorts to make sure she maintains the beauty. Psychologically now, she is attached to the plastic surgeries as the solution to her beauty. The implication of this is even when aging sets in fully, she will still believe that she wants youthful look. This actually does not make her husband to love her more and the stress those surgeries could cause on her body will definitely be increasing. Her husband has been found to have commented on her beauty several times that from his own point of view, he actually does not care about how Demi Moore looks but this is of less significance towards her obsession to plastic surgery. The financial implication of her several years of receiving different plastic surgeries has been estimated to be around $420,000, hence making her body cost more than someone could ever think of. The inference from her action is simply, she does not love herself. This is more of psychology making her go for all those extraordinary acts. Despite having some of the experience of the negative impact of the surgeries especially that of her sagging face and showing bony chest, she still went on for the saggy knees correction because of her extreme addiction. This could also create on her children some sort of psychological dependence on plastic surgery as the power to restoration in cases of loss of beauty or aging.
People could be so obsessed with plastic surgery to the point of taking loan or doing it their self. The case of Neikei Reno, 33, shows her level of obsession with the surgery by taking a loan to pay her surgery debt (ABC News). The surgeries cost around $83,000 for her to get the face and figures she preferred. She had nose (Rhinoplasty) surgeries first and then other surgeries such as facial surgery, four breast augmentations, liposuctions and either other plastic surgeries (ABC News). Rheno's case just depicts the extent obsessed ones can actually go to have plastic surgery done. She only considered the end result of their surgery and not the financial aspect. She believed that she is not born beautiful or not everybody is born beautiful hence she can change herself to a model. If this perspective is considered critically, she is psychologically attached to plastic surgery has the only means of achieving her desired beauty. Hence, from this perspective and her previous actions, her use of plastic surgeries for beauty can never end like that. She will definitely go for more as aging come into play. The immediate goals might have been achieved now; the consequences of multiple plastic augmentations will definitely come into play at the nearest future. This might be in form of financial aspect, psychological part or side effects of her body. These issues with Neikei are more of self-esteem related simply because of her not accepting to being born beautiful and can only achieve hers by going under the knife for manipulations.
Obsession to plastic surgery is a major issue in recent times. Heidi’s case is another example of what people do to get their body fit for modelling or celebrity status (The CBS News). This could be related to the people’s perception that’ you can do it until you have it’. Meaning you can only be a celebrity with beauty. She has had numerous surgeries done such as enhancements, suction, reduction, lifting and so on and she never denied it. She even believed herself that she is obsessed with plastic surgery (The CBS News). All majors’ sensual areas of her body have received one or more forms of plastic surgeries. Her degree of addiction to such surgeries led her to having done 10 procedures in a single day. This case could simply be considered as an extreme obsession if there is a word to describe her type of obsession to plastic surgeries. Having received minimum of 10 procedures at age 23 years says so much about her. So what would have happen to her body at 35 years above when aging effects will start manifesting? The implications of that medically were not considered. The question that needs to be asking is ‘why on earth would you want to rush yourself of surgeries that could lead to several complications or paralysis or even death’? The answer to that is simply because of her high degree of obsession to going under knives. Keeping a surgical procedure away from families means a lot. She might actually be shy of the people’s perception towards such procedure.
Late pop singer Michael Jackson's is a major example as regards to people's obsession towards plastic surgeries. His experience with plastic surgeries has been used to create different photographic history and compilations (The Anomalies). No one actually needs to tell you before you know it that Michael had several plastic surgeries done to improve is facial outlook. His obsession towards the plastic surgeries supported the later complications that could be seen on his face (The Anomalies). An African American young boy turning into a White skinned pop celebrity. Can we say, it is actually the skin change that led to the celebrity or it was his status being a celebrity that actually led to the changes that were later obvious along his career? The later seem more acceptable than the former. This is because; he became a solo star at 14years and since then has been releasing several albums with hit tracks (The Anomalies). Hence, celebrity states put more demand on people to maintain their beauty hence having much plastic surgery done. This is a case with majority of the artist. A sample of Michael Jackson's photographic history was that which commented on the age related changes seen as Michael undergo different procedures. Some of those changes were highlighted and the effects were also mentioned by The Anomalies (2003). Michael Jackson’s is something that could be referred to as a major complication or effects of plastic surgeries for beautification. An important complication was that of the deterioration of his nose that led to several public attention and comments on his obsession for plastic surgeries (The Anomalies). This article shows how far a person is willing to do plastic surgery for their personal satisfaction and the danger to ones obsession to plastic surgery.
Habal, Colon & Himel, in the book titled “Key Issues in Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery.”(1999), described the past and present of the plastic surgery and people’s perception regarding the surgery. This book actually shows the view of beauty in the past and that beauty was not considered as the main thing or pleasurable (Habal, Colon & Himel). Plastic surgeries were done then because of the necessary surgical indications which make it a must to be done then. In recent times, a lot of people now see plastic surgery as a must to have because some believed that beauty is what they make their body of (Habal, Colon & Himel). That is they can shape their body the way they want it hence going for plastic surgery because they wanted to and not that they need to do it. Habal, Colon, & Himel in the same book titled “Key Issues in plastic and cosmetic surgery” also highlighted the various forms of malpractices that could be associated with the surgery. Those changes or effects were considered to a major issue in the surgical practice. This is because of the issue with several forms of complications and side effects. However, it has been said not all those aspect are considered (Habal, Colon & Himel). The main things those people consider these days are the immediate results. The issue is because the person thinks he or she actually needs to do the surgery by all means because without doing, many believed that they are incomplete (Habal, Colon & Himel). In some situations, the financial implications are not usually considered; they can go to any extent to borrow to look beautiful.
Janes Elliot (2004) actually highlighted the results and complications of plastic surgery and the need to take time to consider various aspects of the surgery with complications before taking a decision. She actually pointed out the fact that plastic surgery intended to enhance people's beauty end up leaving scars and some deformity in some cases. In such situations, before beauty state would be better than after beauty state. It's being said that anyone considering going for plastic surgery must ensure that he or she gets appropriate information regarding the surgery and understand the complications. The options of the complications must be considered rightly to prevent aftermath. This is because plastic surgery is an act of restoration that can lead to life threatening side effects. It is not something you jump into. You’ll need to take your time before taking your decision to do it or not.
Some people are so obsessed with the plastic surgery to the extent that they want to practice it themselves at home. The case of Mary is an example of such cases. She had some forms of scars on her lips and having hearing that you can remove such scars with the silicon injection into the region (Andrea Canning and Jessica Hoffman). She then believes she can do by searching for materials to be used, buying them and doing it herself. This looks absurd but she never considered the problems that could arise from her ‘Do it yourself’ act. She got a cheaper price lubricant silicone from the internet and then injects herself at the region (Andrea Canning and Jessica Hoffman). The consequences of the effects were so much that at the end of the day she lost so much more. More on the financial aspect because of the need for surgical management of damaged tissues. This action seems unbelievable because I don't think someone not a professional can manage to practice.
Conclusion
This paper has been able to provide a review of the use of plastic surgery in beautification. The people’s perspective as regards toward the use was also considered. People with previous experience of such plastic procedure tend to have some changes in their lifestyle. It can be noted that media play an important role in influencing people’s attitude towards having a plastic surgery done. Those with previous history do have several forms of complications both health-wise and financial. Evaluation of such complications and the lifestyle of the affected individual, it is best concluded that those people are obsessed with the surgical procedure. This is because of their multiple and continuous need for surgery despite having complications. Despite most promoters will never reveal such obsessions and complication, so as to attract more people for such procedures.
Work Cited
Andrea Canning and Jessica Hoffman. Woman's DIY Plastic Surgery
'Nightmare' ABC News. 2009. Web. 2 December,2011.
The Anomalies. A Photographic History of Michael Jackson’s Face With blithering,
yet witty commentary. The Anomalies. 8 Jan. 2003. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.
The PopSugar. Demi’s Body Cost Lot Of Money. 25 Oct. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2011
Dittman, Mellissa. Plastic Surgery: Beauty or Beast?. American Psychological Association.
Eliza, Gold. Demi Moore Looks Frail One Day Before Her 49th Birthday. The US Magazine.
11 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 Nov. 2011.
The CBS News. Heidi Montag’s Plastic Surgery Obession.1 June 2010. Web. 10
Nov. 2011.
Jane Elliot., Do not rush into cosmetic surgery. BBC News.2004. Web. 2 December, 2011.
Loftus, Jean M. “Smart Woman’s Guide to Plastic Surgery.” 2rd ed.
MacGraw-Hill Professional. 617.9/5 (2007): 17. Print.
Loftus, Jean M. “Smart Woman’s Guide to Plastic Surgery.” 2rd ed.
MacGraw-Hill Professional. 617.9/5 (2007): 18. Print
Habal, M.B Colon, G.A. Himel, H.N. “Key Issues in Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery.” Karger.
Oct. (1999): 1-12. Print.
Habal, M.B Colon, G.A. Himel, H.N. “Key Issues in Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery.” Karger.
Oct. (1999): 141-144. Print.
