Plastic Surgery Con’s and Pro’s, Essay Example

Medical science has come a long way over the last few decades and one only needs to look at the state of plastic surgery to be convinced. Plastic surgery is not limited to correcting minor scars anymore but instead now it is also possible to change literally any aspect of physical appearance. The original intention of plastic surgery might have been to help victims of accidents or medical conditions that affect physical attributes, most of the procedures are now performed for aesthetics purposes. The decline in costs as well as easier access to plastic surgeons has contributed towards abuse of the plastic surgery privilege and it is not uncommon for individuals to opt for cosmetic surgery without properly educating themselves. The excessive demand for plastic surgery is a dangerous trend and the public needs to realize the cumulative costs of plastic surgery usually outweigh the benefits.

Celebrities have emerged as an effective ambassador of plastic surgery from cultural point of view while the media has promoted the trend for economic purposes. Celebrities are always in the limelight and feel pressured to look perfect due to which they opt for plastic surgery. The looks achieved by these celebrities are then promoted by the media as standards of beauty because media has economic incentives in strengthening public fascination with celebrities as well as establishing ties with marketers. This constant coverage gradually gives birth to new cultural perceptions of beauty which are often unrealistic but nonetheless inspire individuals to opt for plastic surgery to eliminate any deviations from the ‘perceived beauty standards’ in their appearance. The unfortunate reality is that plastic surgery is usually approached just like any other commercial product or service, without proper understanding of the costs which could turn out to be life-altering.

Plastic surgery was probably meant to helping people lead normal lives by correcting abnormalities in physical appearance that draw unwanted attention and may even subject the individual to discrimination. Unfortunately, the plastic surgery trend is now damaging the self-esteem of vulnerable individuals some of whom suffer from psychological disorders such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) (Mayo Clinic). In other individuals, it has created dissatisfaction with natural looks because plastic surgery shows them the dream of obtaining celebrity-like features and enhancing physical attractiveness.

It is surprising yet true that the awareness regarding the benefits and costs association with plastic surgery remains low, despite the popularity of the procedure. This is why the demand remains strong because most of the candidates have based their decision upon unrealistic expectations. At the same time, media also does a poor job of educating the masses and refuses to give as much coverage to plastic surgery mishaps as it does to the ‘miracles’ of plastic surgery. Even rarer is the media coverage about plastic surgery deaths that could lead to more responsible social attitude towards plastic surgery.

Plastic surgery also threatens the great progress society has made towards creating more equitable environment for women. Christine Rosen is mindful of the dangers plastic surgery poses to the progress towards greater women rights when she claims that society has once again become obsessed with physical attributes in both professional and private arena. This is contributing towards decline in moral standards as well as mental wellbeing of the average person. Rosen also expresses her concerns that our freedom and individuality are at stake and trends such as plastic surgery increases the pressure to conform to society’s expectations rather than being ourselves (Rosen).

In order to effectively tackle the social and cultural challenges posed by plastic surgery, one should take the efforts to identify the factors contributing towards the popularity of plastic surgery. One major factor behind plastic surgery’s popularity is the psychosocial changes in young people which force them to develop unique personal identity and increase their awareness of how society perceives them (Cherry). For some young people, plastic surgery offers the best solution to escaping bullying or taunts as a result of particular aspect of their physical appearance (Goddard). Similarly, we all desire to enhance our physical appearance and gain popularity with the opposite sex which makes plastic surgery quite a tempting choice. As previously noted, media also contributes towards popularity of plastic surgery by constantly bombarding us with images of individuals who achieved perfect results with plastic surgery and social media has only worsened the situation by increasing exposure to these images. Social media has also increased the pressure to look good because sharing pictures is a major activity on social media and young people are particularly sensitive to comments regarding their appearance.

Given the stakes involved, it is important to understand both pros and cons of plastic surgery. First of all, plastic surgery may increase confidence if one is able to achieve the ‘desired’ looks and this will significantly boost self-esteem. Plastic surgery is also blessing for individuals who face discrimination or draw undesirable attention due to an abnormal injury or medical condition which alters appearance (Coila). Similarly, plastic surgery can help people boost their career prospects in professions where looks are important

As far as plastic surgery’s cons are concerned, many may simply consider it a harmless procedure and don’t realize that it can even prove life-altering or life-threatening. Similarly, not all plastic surgeons have similar skills and some patients only end up looking worse. Some people also overestimate the ability of the procedure in achieving perfect, natural look and the final results fall short of expectations. Similarly, plastic surgery is not cheap and it is not uncommon for procedures to cost tens of thousands of dollars. Plastic surgery can also become an addiction for vulnerable individuals with psychological issues. Last but not least, many people just take the direct costs of plastic surgery into account such as the fees they pay for the procedure and ignore the opportunity costs such as lost income during the recovery period or missed school days (Coila).

Plastic surgery’s origins might have been in noble intentions but now it is mostly utilized by people who have no need for it. The trend has mostly been a negative social and cultural force in the society and by placing undue importance on physical appearance, it threatens to reverse some of the progress towards gender equality. Media and celebrities have played a major role in popularizing the trend and have helped turn it into a commodity. The shocking reality is that most people don’t take the effort to properly understand the potential costs of plastic surgery which can be quite high in some cases. In addition, the trend has led to an increase in psychological disorders such as BDD as well as discontent with one’s physical appearance, especially among teens. Instead of celebrating natural beauty, the society has become obsessed with perfectly symmetrical yet unnatural looks.

References

Cherry, Kendra. Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. 10 April 2013 <http://psychology.about.com/library/bl_psychosocial_summary.htm>.

Coila, Bridget. What are the Pros and Cons of Cosmetic Surgery? 4 May 2011. 10 April 2013 <http://www.livestrong.com/article/71935-pros-cons-cosmetic-surgery/>.

Goddard, Jacqui. American teenagers resort to plastic surgery to beat bullies. 2 September 2012. 11 April 2013 <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9514215/American-teenagers-resort-to-plastic-surgery-to-beat-bullies.html>.

Mayo Clinic. Body dysmorphic disorder. 10 April 2013 <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/body-dysmorphic-disorder/DS00559>.

Rosen, Christine. “You – Only Better.” Nature. n.d. 612-616.