Cosmetic Surgery and the Mask of Aging in Western Societies Essay

A mere 50 years ago women who are considered to be “fat” now, were considered to have the ideal body and were very satisfied with themselves and their natural appearances. Take into consideration Marilyn Monroe, a sexual icon of the ages and one who is still seen as such is not that runway model that we see on TV now a days. Our Western culture is one that has been developing at an astounding rate in the amount of women and young teenagers that are seen walking into plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery clinics to get a consultation to have an alteration done to their body. As our culture is changing its mindset on the modification of the human body, the patients are in sense wanting to alter their appearance due to internal, external and psychological

107) Second, magazines geared toward women often run stories focusing on the ordinary woman’s experiences with surgery of the benefits of surgically improving one’s appearance. Also, advertisements typically promote the benefits of cosmetic surgery using gendered stereotypes, with men represented as concerned with virility and professional competitiveness whereas women are investing in aesthetic improvements. Therefore, the idea of personal transformations and self-improvement is not particularly novel but standard approach that has become entrenched in mass media representations of cosmetic surgery (Adams, 2009, p. 108). However, the potential health risks are downplayed and negative outcomes are attributed to the unpredictability of the aesthetic results or poor surgeon selection. More importantly, these frames tend to diverge from the actual surgical experience, which rather being neat and instantaneous, is often complex and painful. Nevertheless, it is the media-mediated frame that dominates the broader social discussion of cosmetic surgery and often reduces it to a consumable lifestyle option as opposed to a complicated medical procedure fraught with potential risks and uncertainties.

The abuse of plastic surgery over the years has gotten out of control. Due to the high demand for fillers, laser, and Botox, physicians perform cosmetic procedures that are non-surgical with no training. Society has unofficially banned wrinkles, fat deposits, and sun-damaged skin. An ethical concern for patients and healthcare providers is that these so-called problems should be enhanced and dealt with rather than result in aesthetic surgery. Although body image is important to certain people, the outer image does not define a human being. “The real value of a person cannot be reduced to his/her appearance, and medicine as an art, should feel the obligation to resist these modern ideologies and should attempt to help people get a more authentic attitude about themselves.” (Mousavi, 2010) If a person is unhappy with himself or herself, they should rely on a more natural solution. Aesthetic surgery should only be an option for people that have suffered an accident or born with a deformity. Having small lips, tiny wrinkles, beauty marks, or dark hair is not a deformity, they’re simply things the body produces over the years.

Flipping through the pages of Vogue's latest edition, 23 year-old Susan seems quite upset. She struggles with the thought of lacking the perfect body and delicate features in order to be considered attractive. Surprisingly, Susan is not alone in this kind of an internal struggle. In contemporary society, every other woman aspires to have the lips of Angelina Jolie and the perfect jaw line of Keira Knightley. Society today looks down upon individuals that do not fit in, whether in terms of body shape or facial attractiveness. This forces them to consider the option of 'ordering beauty.' Since cosmetic surgery is no longer a social taboo in America given its widespread popularity, more people are promoting it which

Plastic Surgery has become a worldwide epidemic in today’s world. The number of plastic surgeries continues to increase since 2010. In today’s day and age, plastic surgery is one of the most popular and requested procedures. Females are opting to have plastic surgery because they dislike their body image. Society has impacted many people by brain washing them to believe that a person’s body has to be perfect. In order for one to be considered beautiful, television and media influence people’s perceptions of beauty.

In this assignment I will be focusing on the Attitudes towards cosmetic surgery women. The key question which I will be analyzing will be on (why do early middle age women go though cosmetic surgery?). I will use the current issues in cultural consumer and historic affect on cosmetic surgery for early middle age women. I will be using recent theories and literature on identifying the key elements such as, (body image, aging anxiety, being overweight, media exposure, body dissatisfaction, also a feminist and post feminist perspective of cosmetic surgery for women, gender and appearance in which will show why women use cosmetic surgery as an alternative to solve their problems. “An age is obsessed with youth, health and physical beauty. “Television images dominant the vision of media, we chain our persistent reminders that the graceful body, the dimpled set an attractive face is the way we should be” (Stone, Hepworth, Turner, 1996: 177).

Cosmetic Surgery has been around ever since the early wars to repair scars and injuries. Today, as stated in an article titled, The Risk of Cosmetic Surgery Should Not Be Ignored, “cosmetic plastic surgeries outnumber reconstructive ones in many countries.” (Edmonds, 2012, p. 134). Cosmetic surgery continues to grow in popularity all around the world. It has now evolved to beautify an unattractive physical appearance. In 2013, Americans spent more than seven billion dollars on cosmetic surgery according to Healthline website article, “The 10 Most Common Plastic Surgery Complications”. Cosmetic surgery may sound ideal for someone who is unhappy with a physical appearance, but it can be very dangerous. Reported by the article titled, “The Culture of Beauty”, “analysts agree that because of reality makeover television shows, some teens may believe that ideal beauty can be achieved with a scalpel” (Gerdes, 2012, p. 110). In 2012, Donda, mother of the famous rapper Kanye West passed away after “developing complications following a tummy tuck and breast reduction” (Kleeman, 2007, p. 27). Although death may not be the ultimate harm for everyone, there are still other complications that could happen. On the other hand, Joan Rivers, a famous American actress, comedian, and television host was very successful and had many cosmetic surgeries such as surgery on her nose,

Cosmetic surgery companies offer many options in which to finance cosmetic procedures for individual of all income levels. There were over 10 million surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed in the United States in 2008, as reported by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). (Surgery, 2009) The statistic mentioned, clearly shows how many of us now would be willing to undergo cosmetic surgery. But, have you asked why? In today’s society, plastic surgery is the number one chosen alternative decision for the augmentation of physical appearance, scar repair and for the repair of a deformity, whether it be a birth defect or disfigurement from an accident.

Otoplasty. Rhinoplasty. Liposuction: adults are not the only ones resulting to plastic surgery to maintain or enhance their appearance. Many people are riveted by the fact that at the age of fifteen years old, Jen Selter had plastic surgery because of her “large” nose (Victoria). Caitlin Clemons, age eighteen, had surgical breast augmentation in order to “fulfill” her self- esteem (Victoria). These cases are what have shifted natural beauty to the idea that reflection is everything. The development of cosmetic surgery has evolved from the need to repair gross deformities to changing perfectly normal appearances. In today’s society, the priority is placed on the ability to appear youthful and vibrant. The phenomenon urged by the media is expressing that if a female is not young, beautiful, or the ‘correct’ weight, then they are deemed socially unacceptable. Teens face a great deal of stress to keep up with society’s definition of “attractive”, and they are constantly bombarded with images of unrealistic men and women who are held as the social norms. Needless cosmetic surgery for young, developing women is misleading girls to have a false sense of identity, to risk their lives, and to have a continuous stereotype of the “idealized” woman.

People are more and more drawn into thinking that their identities and bodies are similarly plastic, flexible, liquid. Karen Donley-Hayes, who is contributor to Cosmetic Surgery Times, Dermatology Times, and the Journal of the American Medical Association, contends: "An extreme makeover culture is emerging. As procedures and techniques improve and become more affordable, cosmetic surgery has turned from luxury to a prerequisite in a society that emphasizes appearance over merit. Additionally, global economic and technological forces, promote disposability and constant upgrading; people pursue surgical enhancement to reinvent themselves and remain competitive" (Donley-Hayes, 2011).

As economic conditions improve for the average citizen, more people can afford to worry about their looks. A shift in cultural values has led to an increasing demand for plastic surgery as well as plastic surgery reality shows on television. Whether to improve their chances of getting a job or to diminish signs of natural aging, more and more people are following the leads of participants on

At the end of the 80 's, the first plastic surgery was carried to our knowledge and has been an outlet for those people unsure of their physique. Since plastic surgeries became a trend, ceasing to be an exclusive practice of actors, actresses, and celebrities, and becoming a trend in people of different socioeconomic groups. Its consumption has spread to all social classes. Acceptance, glamour and better self-esteem, are some of the reasons why people have cosmetic surgery.

Sophia Loren once said, “Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.”Cosmetic surgery is enhancing, not improving the function, a person’s natural beauty through surgical procedure. Cosmetic surgery used to be for mostly the rich and famous because of its cost. Although, it is still not covered by health insurance, it has become affordable, making an option for almost anyone who which to alter their appearance. Some of the most popular surgeries are facelifts, brow lift, breast augmentation, rhinoplasty(nose), tummy tuck, and liposuction. Although cosmetic is marketed as safe by surgeons, it is unnecessary because it is not forever, it can become addicting, and there are many risks associated with it.

Cosmetic surgery is defined as “any medical operation which is intended to improve a person’s appearance rather than their health” (Cambridge Dictionary, 2003, p.275). By definition, cosmetic surgery is a common practice used to modify the physical outlook of people, especially for women. This is definitely a luxury, which is not necessary to the public. Starting from the 20th century, however, cosmetic surgery is no longer a luxury but a necessity to the affluent. Based on a survey carried out by Lloyd and Gordon (2004), the number of people received cosmetic surgery had increased for more than 40% between 1992 and 2002. A growth in affluence of the general public’s

People have created the 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 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 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 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 performed, which increased doubled in seven years. The figures pointed 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 hidden risks in surgical elective plastic procedures, people are getting more and more elective plastic surgeries because the obsession with beautiful body image, social criticism because being ugly, and addicted to elective plastic surgery.