The Picture of Cosmetic Surgery - Term Paper Example

The Present Generation On Cosmetic Surgery, Solariums and the Youth Cosmetic surgery has more or less become a fad or better still a fashionstatement, especially among the younger generation and which keeps gathering momentum as the years go by. The younger generation has been smitten with the fashion bug that has made a great impact on both men and women alike. Is it safe or not is yet another question that keeps popping into people’s minds making them apprehensive to the whole procedure. The analysis carried out in this respect would give us a clear cut picture of what Cosmetic surgery and Solariums are all about. But for all its popularity, cosmetic surgery has an ugly side to it and governments are trying to legislate rules and regulations against dangerous procedure and hard-core marketing techniques. Introduction Everyone wants to be beautiful, but at the cost of what? This point doesn’t seem to feature in the picture especially when it relates to cosmetic surgery and the final outcome of it. Yes, one of the burning issues of the Modern Generation – especially targeting the young people is the use of Cosmetic surgery and Solariums. I chose this topic because I found it to be exceptionally interesting, especially for the fact that recently the boom in the cosmetic industry and its attraction to the youth of the present generation has been phenomenal. Body Image is not just a problem only for the women because as studies have shown that a great proportion of men too “are dissatisfied with, preoccupied with, and even impaired by concerns about their appearance”. (Pope HG, Phillips KA, Olivardia R., 2000) These preoccupations are irresistible and may occupy many hours of their time each day. “Body dysmorphic disorder affects as many men as women and consists of a preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance that causes clinically significant distress or impairment in functioning”. (Phillips KA, Diaz S. Perugi G, Akiskal HS, Giannotti D, Frare F, DiVaio S, Cassano GB). The Good, Bad and the Ugly: Attraction of the youth towards cosmetic surgery and solariums: Young people, including children and teenagers are a very vulnerable group of people and are highly influenced by their peer group. They are still growing physically, emotionally and socially and have a deep seated desire to adhere to the existing “stereotypes”, in order to be “in” with the group where attraction, confidence and acceptance play major roles. The industry of cosmetic surgery, though thriving, is highly competitive in catering to the general public with young people as their core clientele. Besides this, the manufacturers as well as distributors play a major role in referring patients and promoting their products. Cosmetic surgery is used to change various physical aspects in a person in order to enhance their beauty and increase their confidence and acceptance level in society. These procedures have become extremely popular among the young generation of today, who have little or no knowledge of the dangers that it entails which at times could be life threatening too. Yet, there is a clamor especially by the present generation youth who place a lot of emphasis on outward beauty or appearances. Looking at the good aspects of cosmetic surgery we understand that it helps to reconstruct a person’s physical appearance thereby enhancing their appearance making them more acceptable in society and building up their confidence. But on the flip side we know that it is not 100% guaranteed that one would get the desired results. When one is faced with such a situation it scars them for life both physically as well as psychologically. Cosmetic surgery is of two kinds- 1. The invasive procedure: These operations are done by tearing open the skin and either removing excessive fat or carrying out implants for increasing size. Such procedures include enlargement of the breast, surgery of the nose (rhinoplasty) tummy tucks, facial lifts, and liposuction using injections of collagen and botox. 2. Non- Invasive procedures: These procedures don’t usually tear open the skin. These include laser hair removal, chemical peels, and microderm- abrasion. These procedures take place for non- medical purposes and are purely cosmetic. However, procedures done on medical grounds do not fall in the category of cosmetic surgery. They are performed to rectify some physical condition of a person that causes them problems- such as, corrective rhinoplasty surgery for a disfigured or crooked nose, breast reduction in men (gynecomastia) and surgery of the ear (Otoplasty). Solariums - Sun beds or Tanning beds: A Solarium is an in-door tanning machine that utilizes an artificial source of ultra-violet rays for radiation that is focused directly over the surface of the skin to make it looked tanned. Medical use of UV rays for conditions such as psoriasis is not referred to as a “solarium”. There is a general international concern from analysts as well as the public that using solariums increase a person’s liability to get cancer and so ““legally enforceable standard to govern the use of solariums, including a prohibition on their use by people under 18, amid growing international concerns that they significantly increase the risk of melanoma”. It has been officially confirmed and investigated by the Health Department that usage of standards governing the use of solariums shall be legalized. In a recent report issued by World Health Organization, “people, who use sun-beds before the age of 35, raise their risk of developing melanoma by 75 percent”, it was therefore recommended that, “people under 18 should not use sun-beds because of their greatly increased risk of developing cancer”. According to reports, different European countries including “France and Sweden have legislation limiting the maximum proportion of UV-B exposure, and France has also prohibited sun-beds use for less than 18 year olds”, but however, the government of United Kingdom has yet to introduce legislation on the usage of sun-beds. The United Kingdom is vulnerable to achieve the highest rate of melanoma in the world, therefore the critics have stressed upon legally enforceable standards governing the use of solariums in order to reduce the risk of cancer. The government of United Kingdom has planned to launch an education campaign aimed at sharing the concerns affiliated with the usage of solarium, “there is a perception that solariums provide a safe way of getting a tan, despite the fact that research shows solarium use increases the incidence of melanoma, cataracts and premature ageing in people who use them” (Philips, 2001), and such perceptions can only be rectified provided that we deliver and exchange information on the negative consequences of sun-beds and solarium". The medical research has proven that, “using a solarium can increase ones risk of melanoma because sun-beds also emit UVA and UVB radiation from above and below your body”. (Philips, 2001). The British College of Dermatologists, The Cancer Council of Britain and its affiliated member organizations recommended that, “the public avoid the use of any type of artificial ultraviolet radiation tanning device (solarium) for cosmetic purposes, the public be informed of the risks associated with solarium use, the government be encouraged to implement comprehensive legislation governing the operation of solariums that prohibits access for those under 18 years of age, provides for informed client consent, bans unsupervised solarium operations and ensures adequate training of staff” (Philips, 2001). Cosmetic Surgery: An Analysis Cosmetic Surgery is a procedure by which an operation is carried out to reconstruct or reshape a person’s normal features or structure in order to improve a person’s physical appearance. This procedure tends to boost their confidence and personality by making them more attractive than what they had been before. The reason for going in for cosmetic surgery is because the normal structure of the person isn’t good enough or is unattractive. According to Robin, “which include facial or body features”, such features are beside abnormalities “caused by injury, birth defect or diseases that bother patients’ normal body function” (Robin, 1998). The popularity of the cosmetic surgery and enhancement operations has gained momentum, and has influenced Medical Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. According to recent reports, Cosmetic Surgery has been advancing in popularity in the United Kingdom since the year 2000, This spurt in growth is due to the rising affluence and the value given to outward appearances in today’s Western society. In the United Kingdom, the living standards have improved therefore “cosmetic surgery is even within the reach of an assorted group of people ranging from middle-class teens to aging baby boomers. J. Walker Smith and Ann Cluman who were senior executives of a consumer research firm and who coined the term “baby boomer” had this to say, “Compared to older people in the past, boomers will actually have a greater opportunity and ability to live a youthful old age”. (J. Walker Smith & Ann Cluman, 2007) In the United Kingdom, the percentile of the teenagers who register for cosmetic surgery on annual basis has amplified. The statistics issued by United Kingdom Society of Plastic Surgeons has revealed that “over 333,000 people 18 years and younger had cosmetic surgery in 2005, up from about 306,000 in 2000” (Paul, 2001). It is understandable that through cosmetic enhancement techniques the youngsters are able to secure benefits in different prominent aspects of life. The teenage patients can secure privileges in their “relationships, self-esteem and quality of life by correcting unattractive body and facial features” (Paul, 2001). The critics have raised their concerns towards growing popularity of the cosmetic surgery, public health concern is based upon the fact that such cosmetic surgery craze is not only responsible for the creation of an unhealthy overemphasis on physical appearance on young people, but also is potentially dangerous to the health of the young patients. The analysts have identified the concerns relevant to cosmetic surgery and have concluded that “adolescence is an age in which teenagers are still growing physically and mentally, and the side effects of cosmetic surgery in their later life would definitely damage self-esteem and permanent health” (Paul, 2001). The cosmetic enhancement and solariums is widely popular among the young people of the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, the young people have expressed their annoyance with their inherited physical features. In 2001 a survey was conducted to estimate the concentration of the young people interested in cosmetic surgery, more than fifty percent females and forty percent males expressed their dissatisfaction with their inherited appearance and physical features. The data gathered by British Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has revealed that, "cosmetic procedures i.e. surgical and non-surgical performed by plastic surgeons, dermatologists and otolaryngologists increased 119% between 1997 and 1999" (Philips, 2001). The survey further stated that, "more than 4.6 million such procedures were performed, with the top five being chemical peels i.e. 18.3% of the total, botulinum toxin an injection i.e. 10.8% of the total, laser hair removal which was 10.5% of the entire cases, collagen injection i.e. 10.3% of the total, and sclera-therapy which was 9.0% of the total cases, Rhinoplasties were performed on 102,943 young people i.e. 2.2% of the total number of procedures, and there were 100,203 facelifts, 191,583 breast augmentation procedures and 89,769 breast reductions" (Dufresne, 2001). Such procedures were facilitated by variety of different practitioners, including cosmetic physicians, dermatologists, and plastic surgeons. The majority of young people have preferred cosmetic interventions to feel good about their looks, "one would anticipate that cosmetically successful procedures would lead to enhanced self-esteem, mood, and social confidence" (Rankin, 1998). The young people expressed their satisfaction towards the adoption and results of the cosmetic surgery, "this was particularly the case for females undergoing reduction mammoplasty, domains of functioning showing improvement included self worth, self esteem, distress and shyness and quality of life" (Thompson, 2004). The Ugly side of Cosmetic Surgery It is important to resolve the uncertainties related with the poor psychological outcomes, the uncertainties are based upon the "factors are associated with an unsatisfactory psychosocial outcome after cosmetic procedures" (Philips, 2001). The common factors related with the unsatisfactory outcomes include "being male, being young, suffering from depression or anxiety, and having a personality disorder". The analysts have proposed that the "nature and degree of surgical change is an important predictor of outcome, more extensive procedures i.e. rhinoplasty, breast augmentation are expected to result in serious body-image disturbance than restorative procedures i.e. face-lift, botulinum toxin injection" (Veale, 2000). The physicians in United Kingdom has identified different diseases inherited by young people after undergoing cosmetic operations, which includes Skin death or Necrosis, Asymmetry, Slow Healing, Numbness, Seroma, Blood clotting, Brain damage etc. According to physicians, young people in the UK have complained of some side effects which lasted on temporarily basis, “of which some are incurable and permanent”. According to psychiatrists, “cosmetic surgery is potentially dangerous and may destroy self-esteem and health”, there have been instances when the young people have complained of serious mental trauma. A survey was conducted by social worker Roberta Honigman and psychiatrists Katharine Phillips, MD, and David Castle, MD, to assess the psychological consequences of the cosmetic surgeries on the young people. The survey concluded that such enhancement schemes have been responsible for the "positive outcomes in youth, including improvements in body image and possibly a quality-of-life boost too" (Veale, 2000), however "several predictors of poor outcomes, especially for those who hold unrealistic expectations or have a history of depression and anxiety, youth who are dissatisfied with surgery may request repeat procedures or experience depression and adjustment problems, social isolation, family problems, self-destructive behaviors and anger toward the surgeon and his or her staff" (Philips, 2001). It has been observed that such cosmetic enhancement schemes have affected "youth relationships, self-esteem and quality of life in the long-term" (Thompson, 2001), and critical issues related to "health and safety issues for females, children and families" have emerged. The issues are a preamble to "fascinating issues for psychologists to look at from the cultural phenomena to the interpersonal phenomena to the mental health and self-esteem issues" (Castle, 2004). Cosmetic Surgery and Government Legislation The civil authorities of United Kingdom have expressed its serious reservations towards the cosmetic enhancement techniques adopted by young people, and have urged the government of United Kingdom to impose restrictions on such operations. The civil society has urged that the youngsters shall be allowed such operations only after the approval of the parents, “teenagers should be allowed to undergo elective cosmetic surgery with their parents’ permission only”. The issue has been regarded as old controversy, “it is an urgent social problem because it interferes with the society’s public health”. Some of the legislators of the United Kingdom have agreed that the teenagers shall be authorized to approve for the cosmetic operations without the decree of the parents, however the critics are of the opinion that “young people have not yet had knowledge to understand the potential side-effects, so they are not mentally mature to make this decision”, and therefore the parents shall be authorized to decide over such issue. The United Kingdom is split into divisions, where the first group has advocated the personal rights of the teenagers and has advised the government to authorize the teenagers to independently opt for the cosmetic surgery with appropriate needs, whereas the group firmly believes that “vast majority of the procedures performed on teenagers are reasonable and appropriate because teens have personal rights”. Considering the example of the cosmetic enhancement of the nose organ, the surgery can be conducted in precautious manner on teenagers, “because most teens’ facial structures reach adult’s size at age sixteen”, similarly the “breast augmentation would be appropriate in a girl under eighteen who have breast asymmetry with markedly differing breast sizes, or no breast, whatsoever”. The group has vowed that such cosmetic enhancement techniques are responsible for the alleviation of important psychological sprain, the techniques recovers their self-esteem and teenagers have the rights to have access and should not be excluded merely because of their age. The other group has firmly opposed the concepts and proposals on the issues, and has stressed that “teenagers should be allowed to undergo cosmetic surgery only with parents’ permission”. It has been researched that the teenagers are not content with their “appearance in this image-obsessed society”, and after the dawn of reality makeover shows, the teenagers have developed understanding based upon their ideology concentrated on the fact that “ideal can be easily accomplished with a knife and a few thousand pounds”. The group has strongly challenged such ideology, “the fact is that teenagers have not yet become accustomed to their own bodies, and they are not mature enough to consider about the possible side effects before decisions”. According to the group, the teenagers of the United Kingdom or anywhere across the world shall not undergo any cosmetic enhancement techniques, “breast enlargement is not done before the age of eighteen because late development may occur”. The growth of the body of teenagers is at its threshold during that particular age period; therefore such cosmetic techniques should be avoided because such techniques “have potential health risks in life later”. The government of United Kingdom has urged the school administration and teachers to discuss the contents of cosmetic surgery, and share the physical and mental consequences of the treatment. More than thirty percent of the teenagers who have undergone cosmetic treatment have referred to the psychiatrists for mental consolation, therefore “teenagers should have serious consideration with their parents before undergoing any surgery”. It is evident from the debate that “potential health risk and psychological effects are generated by cosmetic surgery, and such problems need to be solved”. Considering the example of Delise Stiles, she initially complained about her masculine looks. Delise is a therapist and captain in the Army Reserves, however the individual "morphed into a beauty queen after a slew of plastic surgery procedures, a brow lift, lower eye lift, mid-face lift, fat transfer to her lips and cheek folds, laser treatments for aging skin, tummy tuck, breast lift, liposuction of her inner thighs and dental procedures" (Veale, 2000). The purpose behind such cosmetic surgery is also to participate in different kinds of beauty shows. According to reports, programs like The Swan, Extreme Makeover and I Want a Famous Face are widely popular among the masses, and these programs have fascinated young people about their looks, therefore the majority of the youth are more conscious about their looks and features. The psychologists have warned and expressed their apprehensions that such cosmetic changes and enhancement will be responsible for the psychological impact, the psychologists have warned about lasting psychological consequences. According to recent survey conducted in 2004, the number of cosmetic procedures has increased by forty percent. The British Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has officially recorded 12 million cosmetic enhancement surgeries in 2004, "including non-surgical procedures like Botox and surgical procedures like breast augmentation or liposuction" (Castle, 2004). The parents have expressed their concern towards the rising influence of the media which has motivated the children towards their body image and life-style; the parents are upset to learn about the plastic surgery of their children. A study was published by Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery conducted by British Society of Plastic Surgeons concluded that "only five percent of college-age females have actually had cosmetic surgery, despite the low percentage of young females who had cosmetic procedures, many of the students had a favorable attitude toward cosmetic surgery". It has been realized that majority of the adult population believe that teens are enthusiastic about cosmetic surgery, "many college-age females see cosmetic surgery as an acceptable thing to do". In one of the survey which focused upon young people aged between 17-24, "among the five percent of females, had cosmetic surgery, and chemical peel was the most common procedure, followed by breast augmentation, nose reshaping and breast reduction, it was learnt that young women care about her physical appearance, the more likely she will view cosmetic surgery positively". Cosmetic Surgery: Research Analysis According to local agencies, the popularity of the cosmetic enhancement techniques has grew immensely after 2000, it can be inferred from the fact that in 2000, more than 2,000 physicians were registered with United Kingdom Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, whereas the registration of the physicians have crossed 5,000 in 2005. It has been researched that the TV serials and makeover shows on BBC and Sky influenced teenagers, and attracted them towards cosmetic surgery. The influence of the mass media on the young people of the United Kingdom has been so immense that young people more openly seek to look their best, irrespective of their ages. According to statistics, more than 500,000 cosmetic surgery procedures were conducted in the United Kingdom in 2000, “cosmetic surgery has steadily increased its popularity every year”. In 2004, more than a million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in United Kingdom. The public health concerns have risen mainly due to the lack of medical studies of the potential side effects and inflated demands. The research activities have been conducted in United Kingdom, the objective of which is to identify the expected and potential risks of cosmetic enhancement techniques. The government of United Kingdom is association with British Society of Plastic Surgeons has recommended that “adolescents be at least eighteen years of age before getting aesthetic breast augmentation”, the status of the recommendation is voluntary advisory, therefore no law has prevented the under age to exercise cosmetic surgery. The issues related to the cosmetic enhancement "will increasingly affect clinician psychologists, and the area will offer new roles for them, such as conducting pre- and post-surgical patient assessments; as the popularity of plastic surgery continues to grow, many psychologists likely already have or will encounter a patient that has thought about or undergone a cosmetic procedure", therefore "it will be increasingly important for psychologists to be able to talk with young people about their appearance concerns and what may make some one a good or bad candidate for cosmetic surgery" (Thompson, 2001). The situation will require the special focus of the psychologists to resolve the issues pertaining to the psychological impact of the cosmetic enhancement operations. According to the survey conducted by the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation and the Center for Human Appearance at The University of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine, "ninety percent of youth reported satisfaction following their surgery, including improvements in their overall body image and the body feature altered, they also experienced less negative body image emotions in social situations" (Thompson, 2001). The critics have observed a link between plastic surgery and poor post-surgical outcomes for some youth, "particularly for those with a personality disorder, those who thought the surgery would save a relationship and those who held unrealistic expectations about the procedure" (Thompson, 2004). The worst consequences related to the failure or psychological stress of the cosmetic surgeries includes suicide attempts. The research conducted in 2001 by The National Cancer Institute concluded that "young women who had breast implants were four times more likely to commit suicide than other plastic surgery youth of the same age" (Philips, 2001). The safety aspects of the cosmetic enhancement surgeries have been a critical debate, "the Food and Drug Administration has denied the approval of silicone gel breast implants because of a lack of longitudinal research ensuring their safety" (Castle, 2004). Some of the researchers have concluded that the suicide rate is expected to be two to three times greater than the expected results; the research has observed "a causal relationship between breast implants and suicide. Some researchers speculate that some of the surgery recipients may hold unrealistic expectations of it or have certain personality characteristics that predispose them to suicide" (Thompson, 2004). The government of the United Kingdom has planned to launch an education campaign aimed at sharing the concerns affiliated with the usage of solarium, “there is a perception that solariums provide a safe way of getting a tan, despite the fact that research shows solarium use increases the incidence of melanoma, cataracts and premature ageing in people who use them” (Philips, 2001), and such perceptions can only be rectified provided that we deliver and exchange information on the negative consequences of sun-beds and solarium". Medical research has proved that, “using a solarium can increase ones risk of melanoma because sun-beds also emit UVA and UVB radiation from above and below your body”. The British College of Dermatologists, The Cancer Council of Britain and its affiliated member organizations recommended that, “the public avoid the use of any type of artificial ultraviolet radiation tanning device (solarium) for cosmetic purposes, the public be informed of the risks associated with solarium use, the government be encouraged to implement comprehensive legislation governing the operation of solariums that prohibits access for those under 18 years of age, provides for informed client consent, bans unsupervised solarium operations and ensures adequate training of staff” (Philips, 2001). Conclusion There is a growing interest among the youth of today as they have expressed their positive views towards cosmetic surgery in order to have attractive looks and stream-lined figures which would make them more confident and more easily acceptable in society. According to Castle, "physically attractive youth often receive preferential treatment and are perceived by others as more sociable, dominant, mainly healthy and intelligent than less attractive youth" (Castle, 2004). However, some young people have had a negative response towards any cosmetic procedures, since they have what is called a psychiatric disorder commonly known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder. The Body Dysmorphic Disorder is "characterized by a preoccupation with an objectively absent or minimal deformity that causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning" (Philips, 2001). Psychologists have explored several areas and addressed options about the concerns of the young people, and to treat their psychological lapse, the clinical roles have been identified to support cosmetic surgery on youth, the plastic surgeons have been encouraged to conduct assessments to evaluate the psychological impact and concerns of the youth, "for example, plastic surgeons should identify youth who may not adjust well psychologically or psychosocially after surgery" (Castle, 2004), and then seek the support of the psychologist community to resolve their concerns in effective manner. The young people who have traces of "Body Dysmorphic Disorder repeatedly change or examine the offending body part to the point that the obsession interferes with other aspects of their life, several studies show that seven to twelve percent of plastic surgery youth have some form of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and the majority of Body Dysmorphic Disorder youth who have cosmetic surgery do not experience improvement in their Body Dysmorphic Disorder symptoms, often asking for multiple procedures on the same or other body features" (Castle, 2002). The social organizations in United Kingdom has proposed different measures which shall assist in the determination of the fact that whether the young person is “qualified to have the surgery or not”, such measures shall be executed in the form of psychological tests or by conducting risk studies. It has been a standard practice in United Kingdom, as per which the physicians initially have dialogue with the patients to ascertain the causes behind cosmetic surgery, the patients with unreasonable and unrealistic answers or expectations are considered inapt and inappropriate. However, if the young person is able to justify the need for cosmetic enhancement, and has the personal satisfaction of the patient, then such reasonable responses are accepted, and the patients are allowed to undergo the cosmetic surgery. According to social organizations, “there is currently no evidence that effective screening is widespread in the United Kingdom because of the absence of longitudinal research, so it is not possible for physicians to warn patients and their parents about the risks with evidence” (Robin, 1998). Many social organizations have urged the government of United Kingdom to implement regulations that will bind the patient’s parents to bear the liability in case of an unfavorable outcome. Such an action would make the parents as well as the young person to be more responsible towards their decision making. Since most young people are prone to be most vulnerable at this stage, the parent should take it upon themselves to be more responsible in making decisions on their behalf while explaining in detail what impact the cosmetic surgery would have in their lives. Prevention is any day better than cure, but if one desperately needs it, then great caution should be exercised on the part of the youth in choosing the right physician and the right clinic to undergo this procedure. Word Count -3512 STUDENT ID- 07003674 References: 1. Castle DJ, Phillips KA. (2002). Disorders of Body Image. Hampshire, UK: Wrightson Biomedical. pp. 213-223. 2. Castle DJ, Phillips KA. (2002). 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Smith and Ann Cluman, Generation Ageless: How Baby Boomers Are Changing the Way we Live Today….and They’re Just Getting Started (2007) p. 97. Read More