Cosmetic Surgery : A Social Fixture

In the past few years cosmetic surgeries popularity has increased, with wanting to look a certain way, the way that the media perceives body image for women, usually they use Botox, aesthetic surgery, and a reconstructive surgery; to fix facial features and body parts after a horrible accident. However the controversy begins is, how it can be harmful to every ones body and minds. Most people do not realize the damaging side effects with what is being injected into their bodies.

Brazil is known for being a country for great economic inequality, so it is quite shocking that there are so many people paying for plastic surgeries. It seems like everyone from celebrities, models, to working-class women, to maids are getting plastic surgeries. In the book we learn that Brazil offers state subsidized surgeries to people. Surgeons believe that everyone has the right to be beautiful and to be shaped into someone beautiful. They want everyone to have the chance to spend their money into becoming someone

In today’s society we constantly see people not accepting the imperfections in themselves and others around them. It’s good to always look for ways to improve yourself but if you take it to a superficial route it can become a severe problem. Plastic surgery is an example of some form of cosmetic ‘improvement’ that can become a severe problem. Plastic surgeries used for cosmetics take place all over the world and it is not strictly limited to wealthier countries. A luxury such as this may be thought of being taken upon by mostly wealthier people, but Brazil is an example of a poorer country that has many plastic surgery operations. Having only a GDP of 11,208.08 USD (gross domestic product) per capita as of 2013, it is home to 13% of all plastic surgeries performed in the world. Compared to wealthier countries, such as Luxembourg, which has a GDP of 110,697.03 USD which only has 8% of total adults in the country having partaken in some form of plastic surgery. So we see people regardless of wealth going to great lengths to fix their imperfections.

“Be who you are not who the world wants you to be” (Unknown). Society constantly uses the phrase “Be yourself”, however at the same time indicates beauty standards such as body type; tall, skinny, incredibly tiny waist, light skin, the list seems everlasting. Cosmetic surgery, the surgical process of changing one’s physical appearance for cosmetic reasons, has become the solution for thousand of men and women seeking to reach society’s expectations. Nearly sixteen million cosmetic surgeries, most commonly known as plastic surgery, performed in 2016 in the U.S, claiming to help patient with their self-esteem and overall improvement to their future. Changing by the aspects of others and becoming someone else should not have a place in the twenty-first century, the danger, cost and personal impact of the rigorous medical procedures seem unacceptable. Having a low self-esteem and struggling with the different social beliefs of beauty aspects have other solutions rather than plastic surgery.

Have you noticed that some parents who are extremely young beauty pageant contestants contest that competitive can provide confidence for their children? Or students who are trying to show their individuality by negotiating abandoning uniform policy? Or, that some companies are more willing to hire a person when they are attractive? Nowadays, people are more focused on external beauty than inner beauty. Sometimes, older people joke that pretty people have a better future than less attractive people. Thus, society judgement is unfair to those who were not born with beautiful faces and often they resort to plastic surgery. However, resorting to plastic surgery to enhance one 's beauty is an improper way to correct people’s opinion. Teenagers should not resort to plastic surgery for several reasons.

Cosmetic surgery is becoming trendy not just in the United States, but internationally as well. We are surrounded by media that constantly reminds the society of the ways in which we should appear. The media imprints a message that happiness and success come from beauty. Media establishes this through only showing certain body figures on celebrity television shows and magazines. Because of this self-esteem begins to plummet, and people consider cosmetic surgery in hopes to boosting their self-esteem. As the articles below indicate, cosmetic procedures are viewed differently from an array of cultures due to social contact, and determining who is a good candidate for these specific procedures. Both articles are in fact reputable sources,

Over time, plastic surgery has become a lot more popular. Plastic surgery isn’t just what’s seen on TV and on social media; plastic surgery is much more than facelifts, rhinoplasty, and breast enhancements. In fact, “plastic surgery is anything that undergoes the process of reconstructing or repairing parts of the body.” (Reconstructive Surgery) The facelift Kris Jenner recently had done is equally considered plastic surgery as an everyday person removing an extra finger they were born with. These are both types of plastic surgery a patient could get; however, they’re treated completely differently. A woman who obtains cosmetic surgery is scorned for getting the procedure done, yet the person who went in to remove their extra finger doesn’t. In reality, these issues are quite similar. Plastic surgery is often the last resort for those who want to desperately alter how they look; those who obtain plastic surgery are quickly judged for doing so; however, both men and women should consider the reasons why a person might desire plastic surgery; the reasons behind this may be deeper than one thought.

Aesthetics according to the English Oxford dictionary is defined as a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty. In today’s society beauty is all around mankind from advertisements on billboards, magazines, and in the palm of every human’s hand: cellphones. Often times, there is a dilemma for each individual, that is the old saying that “beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.”. For many young impressionable girls ranging from the ages of thirteen to nineteen roughly 64 thousand cosmetic surgical procedures were performed (ASPS). By analyzing the social media, culture, and societal influence these ideas can be used to better understand the impact beauty standards brought upon from media can do to young girls in the twentieth century.

The obsession with beauty is universal and transcends all regions and cultures (Kalantar-Hormozi et al. 359). The attention to the attainment of physical attractiveness has increased tremendously over the past few decades. As such, more and more people are opting to alter their physical features through cosmetic surgery. However, there are varying attitudes and opinions over whether one should undergo such a drastic procedure. Factors such as self-esteem, peer-pressure, socio-economic status and the influence of the media towards perceived body-image play a major role in one’s decision to undergo cosmetic surgery.

In an ideal world, the perfection of beauty would merely be a myth. Beauty would not determine one’s worth. In a perfect world, body image would simply be a physical characteristic, not a defining factor. People would not be labeled based on looks. In a perfect world, the beauty standard would not exist. Regardless of appearance, everyone would be beautiful in one’s own way. Although the truth is undesirable, today’s society is far from perfect. The beauty standard is evident and demeaning. It is not uncommon for one to be judged by one’s body image. The desire to become beautiful fuels an enormous money-making industry. Makeup is used as a temporary beauty solution. When one grows tired of a daily makeup routine, one may turn to plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is more permanent; therefore, it has a much higher price. Although the prices are outlandish, people are willing to pay for beauty. This desire for beauty would not be possible without the media. From magazine to magazine, young, thin women are plastered on the pages. These women, although beautiful, portray an unrealistic image of beauty. The pictures in the magazines are photoshopped to catch the eyes of its readers. The natural beauty of the models is concealed. Does this mean natural beauty is something of a shameful matter? Women are constantly objectified based on body image. The objectification of women causes self-esteem issues. As one’s self-esteem lowers, the desire to become beautiful can turn lethal.

Women and men are constantly being criticized for not having the perfect body. Only 1% of the population have this ‘ideal body’ type which is unrealistic and photoshopped. Due to the unattainable standards that young teens look up to they become unhappy with their body leading to depression, eating disorders, and invasive beauty procedures, 53% of girls at age 13 are not satisfied with their body, this raises to 78% at age 17 (Missrepresentation). 65% of women have an eating disorder which can put their lives at risk (Missrepresentation). In order to achieve today’s beauty standards, women undergo harmful and extensive surgical procedures, most commonly botox, nose jobs, and lip injections. These alterations can cost up to $11,000 which is definitely not a small price to pay. Cosmetic surgeries have become even more popular due to the media constantly raising the unrealistic standard to be a woman. However, the double standards the female population meets in their everyday life contradicts the beauty myths in today’s culture. Wearing makeup and doing plastic surgery is considered ‘fake’ and disgusting. No matter what women do they are punished and beaten down for the choices they make. Men want a girl who is natural but when girls take off of do not want to

People have created modern technical methods to serve the beauty needs of everyone. Aesthetic technologies are going along with the change of beauty needs over the time and adjusting the perception of beauty. Not only does natural beauty bring criterion for beauty’s definition, but also artificial beauty is mutating the standard prescript and the view of beauty. Elective plastic surgery is becoming an acceptable solution for anyone who would like to improve their appearance. In a report from Medical News Today, Christian Nordqvist showed that approximately 65,000 surgical cosmetic procedures were performed in 2008 in the UK - 50% more than 2003. Additionally, the official statistics of cosmetic surgery in the U.S. was far more popular. In 2007, there were a total of 1,435,444 surgical cosmetic procedures. The number of non-surgical cosmetic procedures was 7,113,914, which were higher than the number of surgical cosmetic procedures. In 2014, about 15,622,866 non-surgical cosmetic procedures were performed, which doubled in seven years. The figures pointed out that more and more people try elective plastic surgery to achieve the level of perfect beauty. So why have these figures growth? Despite knowing the hidden risks in surgical elective plastic procedures, people are getting more and more elective plastic surgeries because of their obsession with having a beautiful body image, social criticism because of being ugly, and they are addicted to elective plastic surgery.

People have created the modern technical methods to serve the beauty needs of everyone. Aesthetic technologies are going along with the change of beauty over the time and changing the perception of beauty. Not only nature beauty brings criterion for beauty definition, but also artificial beauty is mutating the standard prescript and the view of beauty. Elective plastic surgery is becoming an acceptable solution for anyone who would like to improve the appearance. The statistics in Medical News Today shows that “approximately 65,000 surgical cosmetic procedures were performed in 2008 in the UK - 50% more than 2003.” Additionally, the official statistics of cosmetic surgery in the U.S. was far more popular. In 2007, there were a total of 1,435,444 of surgical cosmetic procedures. A number of non-surgical cosmetic procedures were 7,113,914, which were higher than the number of surgical cosmetic procedures. In 2014, about 15,622,866 non-surgical cosmetic procedures were operated which increased doubled in seven years. The figures point that more and more people come to elective plastic surgery to achieve the level of perfect beauty. So why have these figures that growth? Despite knowing the risks latent in surgical elective plastic procedures, people are having more and more elective plastic surgeries because the obsession with beautiful body image, social criticism because being ugly, and addicted to elective plastic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery is unlikely to change your life; it just changes your outward appearance to others. Cosmetic surgery can be very successful, but it is not risk-free; even though laser cosmetic surgery poses fewer risks than invasive surgery. After selecting and meeting with physicians for your cosmetic surgery, you will have to pick the one that fits your budget and personality. As people grow older, certain things play a big role in making skin look wrinkly and old that cosmetic surgery cannot correct. Although cosmetic surgery is progressively becoming more within everybody 's financial range, the thought of everyone getting plastic surgery is not really good.

The impact of cosmetic surgery in the society and daily lives is bigger than one may realise and with the on-going growth and innovation of this sector, women are continuously looking for ways to adjust their outer appearance through cosmetic surgeries, despite the economic stagnation, collective attitudes and stigma. Additionally, the cosmetic surgery market saw a global growth with Brazil and China leading the list as the second and third country, respectively, with the most cosmetic procedures (ISAPS, 2012). This essay will analyse and explain the reason behind this increasing trend through looking at the role that motivation, culture and reference groups play in different demographics in terms of pursuing cosmetic surgery.