It wasnt too long ago that we all felt a sudden wave of plastic surgery obsession. Before plastic surgery became an accessible option, women used creams and facials to stay young. During the late 80s and 90s, we saw a boom in the presence of plastic surgery via celebrities such as Pamela Anderson and Lindsey Lohan. Women now have the option to be a sex symbol and create exactly how they always wished they looked. Television franchises such as the Real Housewives series promises that just because youre getting older doesnt mean you have to look like you are. We now have the ability to turn back time in a dramatic way thanks to modern medicine.
In 2012, 330,631 Americans underwent plastic surgery according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery seeing an increase of 31 per cent from 2010. Plastic surgery is not just for those who seek to turn back the time on their youthful looks anymore. In 2010, nine per cent of those who receive plastic surgery were under the age of 18. Thats astounding, if you consider just how much image affects youth in todays society. I remember what an awkward time it was growing up as a teenager especially when it came to fitting in and image was a huge part of it. However, plastic surgery was never an option for me and, like most youths at that time, we were forced to embrace the good parts of how we looked and used cover up to hide the flaws.
These statistics tell us that plastic surgery is on the rise and more of us are accessing it, but do we actually think plastic surgery is attractive? Its obvious that fashion is largely marketed towards thinner people and larger bust lines are often vetoed from high fashion magazines. In a recent survey of 2,000 men, 89 per cent preferred women who kept their natural breasts. Cosmopolitan magazine also interviewed 50 men and asked them to share their thoughts on plastic surgery. Most men were not in favour of plastic surgery unless it was a necessary procedure.
Heat magazine also found that 87 per cent of men think that bigger isnt always better and would trade a fake pair of breasts for natural. Twenty nine per cent of men also thought that padded bras were false advertising. Men reported that confidence was key when it came to the level of attractiveness in a woman. Women who were engaged in healthy practices were also perceived as highly attractive. If data suggests that most men are not in favour of plastic surgery, why do we continue to alter our bodies?
Changing our perceptions of beauty can be difficult and plastic surgery often has more to do with striving towards perfection than simply attracting attention. We now believe that we can change anything we want to and acceptance is a sign of defeat. The illusion and hope beauty offers is the American dream and many are buying into that at the expense of their childhood. While changing your appearance can provide a temporary fix for how you feel about yourself, its not a cure.
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