Cosmetic surgery is a $10.1 billion dollar business and women make up 91% of these patients. Cosmetic surgery is a growing problem driven by media’s definition of beauty and the strong urge to “fit in.” This wouldn’t be such a big problem if our society didn’t have nearly unattainable standards of what beauty looks like. Contrary to mainstream media’s definition, beauty is found in many different forms, and is within us all. No one is born wanting to be exactly like the girl that all the guys stare at. Sadly, from a very young age, advertisements, social media and the entertainment industry define beauty in a very stereotypical way, with a body type and features that most women do not and can never have. This portrayal is what drives people to have cosmetic surgery, and it needs to stop. I do not believe all plastic surgery is bad, in some cases it can help correct disfiguring injuries resulting from accidents or life-threatening birth defects. However, the surgery that women undergo to change their appearance to match the image presented to them by the media is unnecessary and can be life-threatening. The pressure to live up to society’s definition of beauty has taken a toll on the lives of many with tragic consequences.
Hang Mioku, a woman from South Korea, unfortunately, became addicted with cosmetic surgery after she stumbled upon a clinic offering silicone injections. She went inside and decided to get silicone injected her face to make her face appear larger to match the appearance of models in Korea. When the doctors eventually told her that she could not get any more injections, as it is not good for her, she began injecting herself with cooking oil on her own in her own home. This is Hang Mioku normal (Left) and that is her after the silicone injections numerous times (Right). As she went home and injected her substitute substance, cooking oil, her face became irritated, and then inflamed. Mioku is one of many people to get this surgery done, as it is very popular in Korean culture.
According to Joseph Hullett, a physiatrist, many of these patients that undergo cosmetic surgery are never fully prepared for the mental and emotional costs of the consequences of cosmetic surgery. The effect that cosmetic surgery can have on a person is immensely underestimated. Many people may say that getting cosmetic surgery, can boost an individual’s self-confidence. Based on an article by Health Research, many cosmetic surgeries result in ¨issues including allergic reactions, blood clotting under the skin, scarring, a drop in blood pressure, and the death of skin or nerve tissue.¨ Overall, getting cosmetic surgery done to make you feel better and boost your confidence, in my opinion, is like getting a haircut to have longer hair.
In the United States alone, there are 14.6 million cosmetic plastic surgeries performed every year. 50% of these surgeries are Botox procedures. Botox is a procedure in which the doctor stretches out stiffened muscle (no more wrinkles!). Some patients going underneath the knife expecting to come out looking fresh and 10 years younger actually end up with serious scarring or worse complications. Now do you honestly think it’s worth it?