The Disadvantages and Dangers of Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery involves the reconstruction or alteration of the human body. Cosmetic surgery is an elective surgery that is performed on normal parts of the body with the only purpose of improving a person’s appearance and removing signs of aging. The most popular ones include botox, liposuction, eyelid surgery, breast implants, nose jobs and facelifts. Cosmetic surgery techniques were known to the ancient Egyptians as early as 600 BC. The move towards plastic surgery for cosmetic rather than reconstructive purposes has been attributed at the beginning of twentieth century emphasized individual freedom, and the freedom to change one’s body was made possible by advances in anesthetics and anti-infection drugs.

By 2014, the demand for cosmetic surgery had been increased in Canada for the surgical alteration of female genitalia. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, in 2011, over 220,000 cosmetic procedures were performed in Canada. With cosmetic surgery, social respect and care given to the elderly is disintegrating. It erodes people’s finances and health.

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Cosmetic surgery also perpetuates the racialized standards of beauty.

People should reconsider going under the knife as it is pricey, can be addictive and is a risky business. Firstly, there are many risks and dangers associated with cosmetic surgery that outlay money. Kerry Deligiannis (April 2, 2011) documented in the article Billions wasted on cosmetic surgery each year that “it may not just be a one off “under the knife” operation” (para 12). There are many health related risks that include infection, nerve damage, blood complications, emotional conditions and people end up needing another operation to correct something wrong with the first one.

Secondly, people start off having one or two cosmetic procedures and can then find themselves unable to stop. Kelly recently posted in her blog Island chicc 77 that “It is a risk that can occur when someone tries to be happy by changing their appearance” (2017, para 10). Developing an addiction to cosmetic surgery could result in a number of problems. It is a very expensive habit, and it could end up taking over your life. It could go beyond working on different body parts into repeatedly altering the same thing. Thirdly, health related risks include incredible pressure for people to spend huge amounts of money to look a certain way. Jenna Goudreau gave her opinion in an article expressed by Forbes Contributors the Hidden Dangers of Cosmetic Surgery “many patients borrow money for the initial surgery. If they need an additional procedure, follow-up costs can devastate their financial lives” (2011, para 8). A person who is already insecure about an aspect of their appearance may suffer a severe blow to their confidence if the surgery goes awry. If there is a problem and the patient is not emotionally stable or financially secure, the results can be disastrous. One may not realize that an obsession for perfect appearance that extends to plastic surgery is actually the price of perfection that goes deeper than the pockets.

Cosmetic surgery promotes societal emphasis on personal appearances. Moreover, the relationships between people and their bodies are changing in response to the standards set by cosmetic surgery, which detracts from important, time-honored cultural traditions and principles. First, men and women who choose to age naturally may be considered abnormal or unattractive. Melanie and Lambrick (2016), published in their article, Cosmetic Surgery is an Unnecessary Risk that “the societal respect and care given to the elderly will be further eroded, as aging is increasingly viewed as disagreeable” (para3). Cosmetic surgery is re-enforcing the society’s obsession with youthfulness and promoting the idea that aging is optional and even undesirable. Secondly, modern western society is obsessed with achievement, youth, and beauty. Roberta and David (2006), documented in their article, Aging and cosmetic enhancement that “Beauty is the apparent new indicator of social worth” (para 1). Youth has become valued and privileged above age and life experience. This contrasts with cultures where age is revered and elders are deferred to with respect. Thirdly, older people feel insecure at the workplace today. Bob Sullivan recently published in his article, More men turn to surgery in bid to stay competitive that “People do tend to look at external appearance. When your clients think you are younger, they think you are more savvy with technology, social media“(2017, para 7). People have long been attuned to the problem of being judged by appearance in the workplace and it is pretty dramatic and pervasive problem to feel that if one does not have surgery, might not have a job. The growth of cosmetic surgery is not a reflection of the increasing ugliness of people but a reflection of our increasing negative self-perception.

Cosmetic surgery immortalizing the racist standards of beauty and people becoming more pressured to conform to superficial beauty standards. Firstly, getting plastic surgery to improve one’s appearance might seem like a quick and efficient remedy, but when their lives fail to improve, their mental health problems worsen. Nowak and Rachel documented in their article When Looks Can Kill that “people who go under the knife in the quest for a more attractive body or face are more likely than the average person to be suffering from psychiatric problems” (para 3). People more likely to experience an emotional letdown after a plastic surgery procedure. The emotional and social challenge associated with gazing eyes or disapproving looks from others can produce feelings of isolation or anger, presenting with mental illness. Secondly, more people are going the extra mile to stand out to employers in person. More companies are hiring young adults, putting older individuals at a disadvantage. Morassuti and Melanie (April 2008) documented in their editorial the anti-surgery view “Older faces aren’t as employable; that older wives get left for younger ones; that a furrowed brow makes us look severe and unapproachable. Even if all of these things are true, don’t we want to make a stink about it?”(Para 5). Cosmetic surgery is re-enforcing society’s obsession with youthfulness. Aging is increasingly viewed as disagreeable. Women are undergoing surgeries in the hopes of attracting better career or romantic prospects. Lastly, men and women undergo cosmetic surgery, spending huge amount of money, in an attempt to conform to the largely unattainable ideal body images presented by the media. Burgerjon, Paula, 3 Clydesdale, Jacqui published in their recent article Body Image & the Media: An Overview “Cultural critics concerned about the physical and emotional damage being inflicted on people have suggested that media education be made available to the public in order to demonstrate to media outlets their impact on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of public” (2016, para 4). Social status plays important role in how people feel about how they look, media plays a role in this perception, as it almost always ties success, acceptance and happiness with being thin and white. Girls are feeling unhappy about their own natural body shapes. This is leading to serious health problems like disordered eating, taking drugs and unnecessary surgeries. In conclusion, the practice of cosmetic surgery promotes values that erode people’s finances, diversity, acceptance of the aging process, and even health. Yet, financial resources, diverse experiences, wisdom, and health are much of what holds families, communities, and countries together. Therefore, cosmetic surgery should be seen as an unnecessary and undesirable procedure, which promotes, rather than eradicates, inequality.

However, the dangers of cosmetic surgery largely outweigh its benefits but it is a legitimate choice for many people who want to correct their aesthetic problems, or simply change their appearance to ensure their success in a world where quality of life has a direct correlation to physical appearance. Physical appearance affects such aspects of life as job opportunities and career advancement. In Charla Krupp’s bestseller How Not to Look Old, she makes the case that, “it is more than important, but imperative to appear younger in order to ensure job security” (2008). Finding a job is much easier if the person appears to be young. Prematurely aged skin can be a ticket to permanent and premature unemployment. If and when one reaches the interview stage with a lined brow and sagging skin often work against the candidate. Making hiring decisions based on non-job-related factors is detrimental. Young people want themselves to be notified and so want fine results out of everything.. The vibrant face with prominent cheekbones has become an instant, recognizable marker of wealth and status. Sabrina Maddeaux (2017) recently updated her article The rise of rich face: Why so many young women are getting cosmetic surgery, stating that “Lightning-fast trend cycles and endless cheap imitations have heralded the decline of fashion as an easy visual marker of wealth, the most expensive dress in the world can scream cheap and tacky”(para. 7). Puffed lips and spiny cheeks are becoming a source of pride. People post on social media that they just came from the dermatologist with a photo of them giving duck lips, portraying that getting the look is not certainly cheap. Appearance- Obsessed selfie culture is apparently driving today’s youth to cosmetic procedures, such as getting botox injections, dermal and lip fillers and skin lightening. We should want to live in a world where we hear people being called intelligent or hard working far more often than beautiful or hot. People should be encouraged by matters of depth and perseverance and accomplishments, because doing so is much more of a favour to them than living with the false idea that a perfect appearance induces a perfect, fulfilling life. Cosmetic surgery is an undesirable procedure that perpetuates beauty ideals that are harmful to society at large. Standards that cosmetic surgery place on physical appearance eradicate tolerance and acceptance of physical variation. Physical diversity will decline and the standards through which beauty is judged will become narrower and less interesting.

Availability of cosmetic surgery promotes the idea that aging is something that is optional, even undesirable. The myriad of benefits that comes with aging, such as wisdom and experience, become devalued in comparison to the physical appearance of the body. Cosmetic surgery patients run with adversely affected immune systems and long term health risks and this is also gnawing on people’s finances. People become more pressured to conform to superficial beauty standards and this promotes the societal prejudice of women being judged based on their looks, rather than their intellectual or emotional merit. Many women have sought out these procedures to possibly enhance sexual performance and satisfaction, which will eventually promote inequality. The practice of cosmetic surgery eradicates people’s acceptance of aging process, deteriorates their health and wealth.