In Pursuit of Beauty: Medical Cosmetic Procedures - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... plasticsurgery.org. The reason for this staggering number could be attributed to a lot of factors.
Those who want to lose unwanted fat deposits have liposuction. Breast enlargements can be saline-filled silicone implants or soy-filled ones. Wrinkles, big noses, droopy eyelids can now be erased or reshaped through facelifts, nose lifts, and eyelid surgeries.
For those who are afraid of being cut up, non-surgical procedures like Botox and collagen injections, laser removal of superfluous hair, warts, and other skin imperfections, and reduction of acne and chicken pox scars through dermabrasion are available.
Let's face it; society puts a lot of value on beauty. Society also creates its own criteria for beauty-what type of hair and skin is good, what shape of body is better. Since no one wants to be branded by society as ugly or funny looking, a lot of people are trying so hard and spending so much just to conform to society's rules.
Sullivan (2001) states, "The pursuit of beauty is big business in modern societies. Americans spend $20 billion annually on products advertised to enhance appearance. Cosmetic surgery inscribes our gendered beliefs about appearance, physical fitness, and age in our flesh."

Of course, the manic pursuit for beauty of many celebrities helps imprint society's rule even deeper. If celebrities like Cher or Michael Jackson or Pamela Anderson, who are supposed to be beautiful already, still go for plastic surgery, then ordinary Janes or Toms should follow to achieve even just a tiny portion of these stars' good looks.

Psychological beliefs
Sullivan further notes:
for many, this (enhancing appearance) is not enough. Dissatisfaction with personal appearance is widespread, particularly among women. Surveys indicate that one-half are unhappy with one of more aspects of their bodies (Cash 1997). They would like to change, rather than merely enhance, their appearance. More than one-third would like to alter their thighs. One-fourth would like to change their buttocks, and about the same proportion would like to erase their facial wrinkles. Nearly one in five want different breasts and one in seven want different noses. Although American men do not express as much discontent as women with their personal appearance, about one-fourth would like to modify one of more of their own body parts.

With cultures that compel people to always be beautiful, it is no wonder that many members of today's societies feel inferior about their bodies. They've been brought up to think that to be accepted, promoted, and even loved they must change their appearances. Afterwards they can feel the joy, get the ...Download file to see next pagesRead More