February 20, 2006
Slicing into Issues with Cosmetic Surgery
Plastic surgery—is it an invaluable way to attain beauty and confidence, or does it promote narcissism and offer empty promises?
With 78 percent of women claiming that they make an effort to enhance their looks, it is not surprising that the cosmetic surgery sector is booming. Popular television programs like Nip/Tuck and Extreme Makeover have brought cosmetic surgeries into the mainstream, minimizing taboos and deflating what were once extremely high costs.
From involved surgeries like liposuction, nose reshaping, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, and facelifts to minor procedures like Botox® injections and collagen treatments, people are chasing after the fountain of youth. Young women are looking to correct imperfections and middle-age women are trying to turn back the hands of time.
The extreme emphasis on appearance is alarming for many baby boomers, who grew up during a time when veneration accompanied aging, modesty was preferred over vanity, and inner beauty was what fashioned your identity. Our plastic world has come to rely heavily on appearance as a source of self-awareness.
Here are some interesting facts on plastic surgery from 2004*:
- 9.2 million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed, up almost 25 percent from 2000
- 1.7 million surgical procedures were performed, an eight-percent decrease from 2000
- There was a 24-percent increase in breast augmentation from 2000 to 2004
- The top five surgical procedures were liposuction, nose reshaping, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, and facelift
- There was a 280-percent increase in Botox® from 2000 to 2004
Many psychologists worry that people who seek out cosmetic tailoring are attempting to compensate for what they are lacking in other areas of life and will find themselves no happier than they were before they had their tummies tucked and lips plumped.
In addition, the prevalence of cosmetic surgery and the popularity of combining more than one procedure at a time has masked the reality that there are a multitude of risks, including infection, nerve damage, blood loss or clotting, and cosmetic blunders.
Advances have made procedures less invasive and more affordable, with shorter recovery times. Coupled with mainstream acceptance of cosmetic alterations, these developments have made plastic surgery attainable for the masses.
With the severe physical and emotional ramifications, however, is it time to temper the slicing, tucking, lifting, and injecting with a new focus on positive body image, mental wellbeing, and healthy lifestyles?
*Statistical data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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