Advantages and Development of Reconstructive Surgery - Essay Example

Reconstruction Surgery is a Modern Miracle Joan Rivers once remarked, “I wish I had a twin, so I could know what Id look like without plastic surgery” (BrainyQuote). America’s love affair with science has made it possible for all of us to be a little different, and maybe a little more, than we would otherwise be. Enhancement technologies have given rise to breast implants, memory improvement, improved physique, and a litany of mental and physical improvements. Often performed under the heading of medical treatment, some critics question whether we have gone too far down the road of vanity only to drown in a sea of disappointment and narcissism. Yet, few would deny the rationale of performing reconstruction surgery on a child that had been disfigured in an accident. As the practice of treating our mental well being has become more accepted by the medical community, the line between medical, cosmetic, and psychological has shifted and blurred. For millions of people, self-image has become as important as cholesterol in terms of overall health and highlighted the importance of these modern procedures. Reconstruction surgery has offered a viable means to improve our self-image, our mental health, and our enjoyment of life. The value of any plastic surgery, or reconstruction procedure, needs to be examined on an individual basis to determine its value to the recipient. With the vast array of options available, what may be right for John Doe, may be wrong for Jane. The value of the procedure needs to be measured at a personal level. When examined one at a time, the effect of these procedures can be measured by the impact they have on the individual involved. Our mental well-being is often a direct reflection of the person we see staring back at us as we gaze into a mirror. For millions, cosmetic surgery has provided a way to view themselves as younger and more attractive. Enhanced by the removal of unwanted facial hair, breast augmentation, and liposuction, these individuals become more self-confident, self-assertive, and more at ease with the world around them. As Caplan asserts, "Medical technology has become, in the popular imagination, a way of revealing and displaying an identity that has been hidden by nature, circumstance or pathology". For some this is a medical imperative, while for others it is a modern convenience. In a world of highly competitive career and business, these improvements give them an edge that would otherwise be missing. Their quality of life is improved as they become more of the person that they want to be, more able to meet the world on their terms and not through the eyes of a judgmental and pessimistic world. Often, plastic surgery is used to correct a feature that society has deemed to be unattractive. This removes the stigma that the person feels in public and provides them a greater sense of individual well-being. This is not excessive. Consider the case of Lucy Grealy, whose face was disfigured by the removal of her jaw during the treatment of bone cancer. She tells of the feeling as, “the deep bottomless pit of grief…called ugliness” (qtd. in Gleeson). Society has an obligation to provide what is often trivialized as technical enhancements to improve the lives of these patients. It was not trivial to Lucy as she laments, “How could I pass up this chance…to fix my face, fix my life, my soul?” (qtd. in Gleeson). This is using science to enhance a life, which results in greater happiness and opens the door to greater opportunity and achievement. Gearys tale of the stigma that was attached to her physical appearance is revealed when she is allowed to go into public on Halloween wearing a mask. Her appearance was all encompassing to her well being. It inhabited every other feeling she knew. Gearys mental condition was directly linked to her self-perception when she says, "It was easier to slip back into my depression and blame my face for everything" (127). Reconstruction was not a luxury for Geary, it was a necessary step to gain self worth and confidence. When she was allowed to cover her face and go out with a mask she reports, "I hadnt realized just how meek Id become, how self-conscious I was about my face until now it was obscured" (128). The face we present to the world is the forerunner of who we are, and how we interact with other people. People, obsessed with appearance, are quick to turn to surgery for help in obtaining their own individual idea of perfection. Younger and younger children turn to surgery to correct a nose or to augment their breasts. For children, it may be unwise to seek plastic surgery for purely cosmetic reasons during their physical and mental formative years. Yet, a child left with a disfigurement such as Lucy Geary, has a well founded right to seek the appearance that she feels at least comfortable with. Reconstruction surgery can help thousands of people as they seek a new identity through a new physical self. Critics have argued that these procedures are unnecessary, vain, and unnatural. They contend that altering our mood or appearance robs the true nature from the person and leaves behind an artificial shell. They point to the possibility of unwanted side effects and even greater sinister dangers. Elliott asserts, “manufacturers of enhancement technologies will usually exploit the blurry line between enhancement and treatment in order to sell drugs” (Caplan and Elliott). This also extends to the marketing of our concept of beauty as we look to our Hollywood idols that never seem to age. Yet, a well-informed public is capable of making reasonable decisions on their health as well as their mental well-being. The nature of man is to act in his own self-interest and seek self-improvement, and the American psyche is uniquely poised to benefit from enhancement technology. We have a tradition of individuals reaching to the edges, improving our situation, and working to elevate the human spirit. Our culture, rooted in the American frontier, calls us to go beyond what was once considered natural and use the tools we have available to build a new life. As Brooks reminds us, “This is the land in which people dream of the most Walter Mitty-esque personal transformations as a result of the low-carb diet, cosmetic surgery or their move to the Sun Belt”. Science has given us the tools to create new ways of being and has continued our history of exploration into the realm of what is possible. For an educated public, this is the only natural course. There can be no doubt as to the value of enhancement technology when it’s used to correct a birth defect on a disfigured child, or to correct the results of a horrible accident. Yet, how do we calculate the level of impairment that warrants the use of new and radical technologies? We should use caution when allowing society, television, or advertisements to sway our judgment as to what beauty and health are, and we should also not ban the individual from determining what they are for their own unique situation. When used by a well-informed public to enhance life and elevate our well being, they can add richness and greater appreciation for life. That’s the nature of man, and that’s the spirit of the human condition. Reconstruction surgery, whether medically mandated or not, offers many benefits that were unavailable in the past and offers hope to those locked in a life of despair and ugliness. Works Cited Brooks, David. "Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia." New York Times 4 Apr. 2004. 5 Aug. 2006 . Caplan, Arthur, and Carl Elliott. "Is It Ethical to Use Enhancement Technologies to Make Us Better Than Well?" PLoS Medicine 1 (2004). 5 Aug. 2006 . Elliott, Carl. "American Bioscience Meets the American Dream." The American Prospect (2003). 5 Aug. 2006 . Geary, Lucy. Autobiography of a Face. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003. Gleeson, Sinead. "Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy." Rev. of Autobiography of a Face, by Lucy Grealy. Bibliofemme Reviews Nov. 2004. 5 Aug. 2006 "Joan Rivers Quotes." BrainyQuote. 2006. BrainyMedia. 5 Aug. 2006 . Read More