Examination of Attitudes to Cosmetic Surgery - Essay Example

Examination of Attitudes to Cosmetic Surgery Beauty is perceived variedly among various age-groups, which makes the respective attitude analysis among various ages taking up cosmetic surgery an important topic of highlight. Alternatively, attitude assessment among the genders can be used to reveal the apparent distribution of perceptions between females and males regarding plastic surgery. According to ASAPS (2009, para. 1), different age-groups have different preferences regarding physical beauty perceptions, with young people having more than preferred attributes than the old. In terms of the best features and attributes that a particular age-group desires can be relied upon to illustrate the ease with which beauty enhancement can become an option. Cosmetic surgery to enhance beauty can be expected to be high among the young, which is however subject to attitude concerning such level of enhancement. On the gender front, women are likely to be under pressure to feel attractive and young than men (Frederick, Lever and Peplau, 2007, p1408). However, research needs to be conducted to reveal the exact patterns based on recent changes of uptake of cosmetic surgery across gender and age giving attention to attitudes as this study attempts to highlight. Literature Review Increased demand for appearance enhancement procedures shows that more men are taking beauty enhancement to an all-time high level. According to recent popularity surveys, the society has increasingly become open and less judgmental to cosmetic surgery (Delinsky, 2005, p2013). An improvement in medical technology applied in the surgical procedures can be attributed to the increased numbers, but changes in attitudes among men also play an important role. The modern society has experienced dramatic changes in the perceptions held about beauty among the genders, making it easy to adopt appearance enhancement than it previously was (Tiggemann and Slevic (2010, p67). Apparently both genders have changed their attitudes over the years to the extent that beauty can be applied in lifestyles. According to ASAPS (2009, para. 6), the reasons of uptake of beauty enhancement have evolved beyond low self-esteem to include factors such as career. According to Crerand and Sarwer (2004, p100), while there is a significant increase in general demand for cosmetic surgery among women, there is a relatively higher demand among the middle-aged women (those who fall under the 40-55 years bracket). Tiggemann and Slevic (2010, p66) reckon that several factors affect the attitude that middle-aged women have towards cosmetic surgery. Among the most disturbing factor among the younger ages is the fear of aging and the portrayal of appearance enhancement in the media. The authors also attach an increase of demand of general beauty enhancement products and procedures over the last decade, a factor that has contributed to significant increase in demand for surgical procedures of enhancement. Favorable attitudes on cosmetic surgery can be attributed to changes in lifestyles, media popularization and advancements in technology, which make traditionally uninterested groups change attitudes (Barrett and Robbins, 2008, p40). The effective drivers for different genders and cohorts preferences to cosmetic surgery are varied across the categories. Among the men, social factors carry more weight in influencing the specific attitude towards embracing cosmetic surgery (Bazner, 2002, p14). The author reckons that the most applicable explanation for men to continually easily embrace cosmetic surgery is purely on personal development for instance for career. On the other hand, there are several appearance considerations in women alongside career or social reasons. Women consider social reasons less importantly than men, despite the fact that other body appearance reasons may cut across social factors as well. Among the most prevalent reasons for appearance consideration leading women to cosmetic surgery include; aging anxiety, body image and appearance investment. The role of cosmetic surgery in women is largely attributed to the general attractiveness and the fear to become unattractive (Brooks and Henderson-King, 2009, p134). According to (Markey and Markey, 2009, p169), negative feelings about self-esteem, body as well as face satisfaction have been major concerns among women which contribute to influence apparent perceptions on cosmetic surgery. The author associates the impact of media to the apparent improvement in attitudes among women and explains that there are indications of increased influence among men. Different ages among female cosmetic customers have different drives for appearance but beauty is equally important among women of all ages. Brooks and Henderson-King (2009, p135) highlight the differences of men and women in uptake of cosmetic surgery, where it is reported that men are likely to be attracted to social reasons of acquiring the procedures unlike in women who have a host of other reasons. Materialism which guides the capitalist cultures has influenced consumer behavior around the cosmetic market which has an efficient marketing campaign to paint cosmetic surgery as a pleasant beauty option (AARP, 2007, p13). As observed earlier, very young women do not have several complicated issues with their appearance to warrant procedures such as cosmetic surgery. Middle-aged women are the largest cohort of beauty products consumers with under the largest pressure to enhance their appearance than any other group across the genders. Aged women have least appearance and beauty concerns since they are more concerned with their health issues before others (CPA, 2011, p2). It therefore follows that beauty procedures likely to compromise the health status of the aged are less likely to be preferred by many in this cohort. A few isolated cases have however been reported involving the old women categories. Attitude differentiation across men cohorts illustrates higher preference among the middle aged men and little uptake among boys (Cash et al, 2011, pp472). Due to the social attachment particularly on the career front, young adult males are more involved in appearance enhancement than younger groups for other purposes. However, increased celebrity profiling of appearance is likely to attract higher following and change of attitude towards cosmetic profiling in the future (CPA, 2011, p3). The role of the media cannot be underestimated in the apparent transformation of attitudes among male cosmetic customers. On the other hand, a spirited campaign by the commercial sector on the popularization of cosmetic products and procedures is likely to target the consumer for the lucrative returns attached to the untapped male market. Medical reasons have equal importance across the sexes due to the life changing impact accorded to the reconstructive surgery patients (Griffiths, 2010, para.1). References AARP (2001) Public Attitudes Toward Aging, Beauty and Cosmetic Surgery. [online] Available from [accessed 31 October 2011] AARP (2007) Focalyst Insight Report: Getting Older and Looking Good. [online] Available from [accessed 31 October 2011] ASAPS (2009) How Do Our Attitudes about Beauty Change As WE Age? [online] Available from [accessed 31 October 2011] Barrett, A. E., & Robbins, C. (2008) The Multiple Sources Of Womens Aging Anxiety and their Relationship with Psychological Distress. Journal of Aging and Health, 20, 32–65 Bazner, J. (2002) Attitudes About cosmetic Surgery: Gender and Body Experience. McNair Scholars Journal vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 10-16 Brooks, K. D. & Henderson-King, D. (2009) Materialism, Sociocultural Appearance Messages, and Paternal Attitudes Predict College Women’s Attitudes about Cosmetic Surgery. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33, pp133-142 Calogero, R., Diraddo, A., Harwin, M. & Park, L. (2009) Predicting Interest in Cosmetic Surgery: Interactive Effects of Appearance-Based Rejection Sensitivity and Negative Appearance Comments. Body Image, 6, pp. 186-193 Cannold, L. (2007) Our Attitude Towards Cosmetic Surgery Needs A Sharp Facelift. [online] Available from [accessed 31 October 2011] Cash, T., Menzel, J., Sarwer, D., Small, B., Sperry, S. & Thomson, J. (2011) Internalization of Appearance Ideas and Cosmetic Surgery Attitudes: A Test of the Tripartite Influence Model of the Body Image. Sex Roles, vol. 65, no.7-8, pp. 469-477 CPA (2011) Attitudes to Ageing and Older Age. [online] Available from [accessed 31 October 2011] Crerand, C. E. & Sarwer, D. B. (2004) Body Image and Cosmetic Medical Treatments. Body Image, 1, pp. 99–111 Delinsky, S. S. (2005) Cosmetic Surgery: A Common and Accepted Form of Self-Improvement? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35, 2012–2028 Frederick, D. A., Lever, J. & Peplau, L. A. (2007) Interest in Cosmetic Surgery and Body Image: Views of Men and Women across the Lifespan, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, vol. 120, no. 5, pp.1407-1415 Griffiths, K. (2010) Attitudes to cosmetic Surgery: US versus UK. [online] Available from [accessed 31 October 2011] Heyes, C. J. & Jones, M. (n.d) Cosmetic Surgery in the Age of Gender. [online] Available from [accessed 31 October 2011] Markey, C. N. & Markey, P. M. (2009) A Correlational and Experimental Examination of Reality Television Viewing and Interest in Cosmetic Surgery. Body Image, 7, pp.165-171 Tiggemann, M. & Slevec, J. (2010) Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Surgery in Middle-Aged Women: Body Image, Aging Anxiety and the Media. Psychology of Women Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 1. Pp.65-74 Read More