Is the increase in Cosmetic Surgery for women (and some men) a cause for concern or celebration?

Question

Now we can all get the perfect nose, women can have the breasts they dream of and men can add an inch or two in all the right places....

Are we simply lucky to be able to get body modifications of choice, or..

is the desire to modify our bodies a consequence of celebrity images that apply unreasonable pressure on normal people to aspire to images of beauty that are only truthfully obtainable with the aid of very good camerawork?

Should we be concerned, or should we celebrate?
Should we do a little of both?

Answer 1

It's big business. A 'plastic surgeon' is an MD who has been highly trained (an area of specialisation) and who is experienced. A 'cosmetic surgeon' is an MD NOT REQUIRED to possess any specialised training, skills or experience; these quacks often sell their services on the cheap - and leave plenty of disasters in their wake. The point I am trying to make is that this industry isn't regulated and it should be. Patients should be screened by psychologists FIRST. A good percentage of 'repeat customers' suffer from Body Dimorphic Disorder and should never get anywhere near a scalpel to begin with; it's not a scalpel they need, it's a shrink.

As cosmetic surgery becomes more widely available to more "customers" (as opposed to "patients") disasters are increasing at an alarming rate. Time for the industry to stop and think about what this is all leading to.

Answer 2

There is absolutely nothing to celebrate when you're talking pure cosmetics. Most of the people who undergo such procedures would be better served spending their money on augmenting something other than their external appearance. We in the Western world are preoccupied with the frivolous--celebrities, royalty, reality TV, diets, exercise fads--as if there is nothing at all going on all around us. We continue to contribute to global, environmental problems, we pretend that because we're okay over here, the rest of the world doesn't really exist: "yes, it's a sad situation "over there" but how does that impact me?" We contribute billions of dollars to the cosmetic/cosmetic surgery industry because we believe we're not quite good enough. I think if North Americans stopped licking their mirrors and moved on to things that have some real value, we'll realize how trivial such things as cosmetic surgery really are. And to the person who mentioned Gattaca, I second your recommendation. Excellent movie.

Answer 3

Concern, cause that means some people think "Beauty is all" and is not.

Unless with the body tune-up there's a brain tune-up too, with a manual on how to use it...

Celebration only for those that had an accident, or something alike, but in general no.

Answer 4

I'm more concerned because it shows that everyone is obsessing a little too much over what they look like. I think lots of people in past centuries would have had it done if it had been available to them, though. But there are more important things to improve and better uses for the gobs of money that go into it.

Answer 5

I'm concerned about it.

We're putting too much emphasis on looks and not about character. We're spending millions on cosmetic surgery while people need to have their most basic health care needs met.

Doctors are not supposed to do 'harm' to a healthy body - Hippocrates is probably rolling over in his grave, as the expression goes

Answer 6

Concerned, very much so. Watch "Gattaca", and see that the slope doesn't have to be very slippery at all, really.

Sorry such a simple answer to a good question, but I don't want to give away too much of the movie -- it's a brilliant one!

Answer 7

i think it all depends on what the cosmetic surgery is used for. keep in mind that several people may have been in disfiguring accidents or just born that way and want to appear "normal". my dad had a nose job to correct his breathing.

its just a matter of who and what part of it you look at

Answer 8

Concern. I think that all this is causing people to be insecure, to want to look like their fav celeb or just to attract men/women. I mean get real?? Wouldn't u want someone to like u for u?? I mean who would want someone fake? I sure wouldn't, but then again that's just my opinion.

Answer 9

We should be a little concerned. That's because people are being led to believe that plastic surgery will fix all their problems when if fact, it won't.

Answer 10

i don't have any issues with cosmetic surgery. but i do wonder if those who choose it shouldn't have a disclaimer tattooed on their bum "caution may produce ugly offspring". it's only fair...