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Emily DuBartell
Dr. Jessica O’Hara
Rhetoric and Civic Life- 027
4 December 2014
Plastic Is Not Perfect
Plastic surgery, specifically cosmetic surgery, has grown to be one of the largest
and fastest spreading medical specialties in the United States. This gain in popularity
has become a catalyst for morphing cosmetic surgery into its own market. Why have
our views of plastic surgery changed? Why are these procedures becoming increasingly
common? Now, people not just from the elite classes can choose seemingly simple
ways of improving their physical appearance. The head of plastic surgery at New York’s
Lenox Hill hospital remarked that, for many patients, cosmetic surgery has become the
equivalent of going to Bloomingdale’s and selecting a new sweater (“Cosmetic
Surgery”). This shift seems uniquely American, why? Social critics claim that the ideas
behind cosmetic surgery seem to reflect the American Dream: “recreation, reinvention, and individual transformation” (Freidman). In other countries, such as Great Britain,
cosmetic surgery is looked down upon and seen as vain. The British public generally
associates it with crazy pop stars and does not view it as an option for average citizens
(Friedman). In previous decades, the same was true in America: plastic surgery was
only seen among the elite of society. Now, the number of middle-income patients is
increasing drastically (Friedman). In America, cosmetic surgery has become
commercialized to represent socioeconomic status, beauty, and the skillful escape of
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the effects of life’s “traumas,” such as aging or childbirth. This shift is not limited to one
demographic; instead, the ideals have manifested among women and men, young and
old.
A New Fountain of Youth
Particularly in the 1990’s, the want to stay forever young increased dramatically,
and with the advent of new cosmetic procedures, this suddenly seemed possible. More
and more adult women underwent facelifts to avoid the “trauma” of aging. Also, because
many of the American celebrities that these women grew up with, such as Cher,
seemed to be avoiding the plague of aging, the desire to mimic these stars increased
(Friedman).
This desire took shape in the form of Botox, or botulinum toxin, which paralyzes
the facial muscles to erase evidence of aging (Friedman). Though the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has only approved the use of Botox for use between the
eyebrows, many surgeons inject Botox all over the face per request of the patient
(“Cosmetic Surgery”). Besides resulting in minor side effects, such as drooping eyelids,
Botox can have more serious effects, such as botulism poisoning (Friedman).
Plastic and Money
Plastic surgery has also expanded to indicate socioeconomic status: the artificial
look of breast implants, and other artificial beauty enhancements, such as tanning, fake
nails, and hair extensions, have grown to become symbols of wealth and class
(Friedman). Similarly, celebrities who have undergone various surgeries are being seen
less as “extreme” and looked at admirably by the general American public.
More Than Skin Deep
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Besides the want to demonstrate a certain socioeconomic level, people are
drawn towards cosmetic surgery because of a profound unhappiness with their
appearance. Extending beyond low self-esteem, this is a disordered pattern of thinking
called monosymptomatic hypochondriacal psychosis, which involves delusions of
hideousness and misshapenness (Bradbury). Despite learning strong evidence to the
contrary, they will often hold fast to their original perceptions. They perceive their
appearance as “socially unacceptable,” and sometimes become very introverted
because they become afraid of offending others with their appearance (Bradbury). For
many, cosmetic surgery seems like the cure to these intense issues. Many patients
have unrealistic expectations of how they will look after or how the quality of their life will
dramatically improve (“Cosmetic Surgery”). When their lives remain relatively
unchanged, deeper psychological issues can result, and the delusions continue to
persist (Friedman).
Problems with Plastic
With the spread of plastic surgery, one of the main concerns, the physical risks,
have been largely ignored in pursuit of the perfect body. Several deaths have been
reported to occur during surgery, often anesthesia related or because of cardiac arrest.
Most patients survive, but many suffer from poor results. Liposuctions may be uneven,
causing thighs of different sizes or creating bulges that were nonexistent before. Breast
reductions can result in uneven breasts. And, breast implants sometimes rupture or
move to a different part of the body. They can also deflate and cause silicone to leak out
of the eyes and ears, or leak into internal organs, such as the brain, lungs, and liver.
Further, these implants can indirectly increase chances of breast cancer. Having these
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implants affects the accuracy of mammograms, so it decreases the chances of
detecting cancer in the breasts. Despite these risks, breast augmentations are still the
most common cosmetic procedure among women.
Changing the Chest
Despite the possible long-term negative effects, a growing number of people
choose cosmetic surgery, causing it to become increasingly “commercialized,”
especially in regards to breast implants. America, compared to other cultures, places a
substantial emphasis on the size and look of breasts (Taylor). This emphasis, which
causes women with smaller chests to think they are somehow deficient in their
femininity, and thus not fully women, has caused them to flock to silicone implants.
Various plastic surgery clinics will advertise breast implants as “the round shape” or “the
teardrop shape” (Taylor). When meeting the surgeon for a consultation, women will try
on different bras which mimic different implant shapes, helping women envision the
“look” they desire (Taylor). The view towards this procedure is shifting from a surgical
outlook to a shopping outlook: the procedure seems to be nothing more than trying on
different styles of clothing.
Teenagers under age eighteen can even undergo breast augmentation, with
parental permission: girls as young as age fourteen have reported undergoing the
procedure (Taylor). In more urban areas, breast augmentation is becoming a “cool” gift
for parents to give to their teenage daughter (Taylor).
Women vs. Men: Who Suffers?
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Though both women and men harbor insecurities in their appearances, over 92%
of cosmetic procedures, both surgical and nonsurgical, are performed on women. While
the number of men who undergo cosmetic procedures has increased, reaching 800,000
in 2008, they are still far outnumbered by the number of procedures performed on
women. Since both populations wrestle with doubts and insecurities about their
appearance, social critics wonder: why are women much more likely to opt for cosmetic
surgery?
According to a study performed by the University of Kent in the United Kingdom,
women and girls are subject to much greater objectification towards their bodies than
are men and boys (Calogero, Pina, and Sutton). Females are likely to internalize this
hurtful pattern, and thus be more likely to fall prey to television shows and other media
promoting messages of the necessity of physical perfection. The study suggests that
media messages and the sexual objectification of females promotes the idea to young
girls and women that their bodies are simply a “collection of malleable parts” that can
and should be improved with surgery (Calogero, Pina, and Sutton). By the ages of six
to twelve, one-third of American girls have already tried dieting (Calogero, Pina, and
Sutton). And, 27% report that because of the media, they feel pressure to always look
perfect (Calogero, Pina, and Sutton). For adult women, the study also found that
females were more likely to undergo plastic surgery if their partner suggested they
should (Calogero, Pina, and Sutton).
The Media: Promoting Plastic
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The media taps into these widespread insecurities through rather blatant means.
Shows such as Extreme Makeover and The Swan feature contestants who feel
unhappy with their looks, meet plastic surgeons for consultations, undergo multiple
procedures in a short time, recover, and then “reveal” themselves to family and friends
in a grand finale (Friedman). Both shows exaggerate the effects of plastic surgery and
omit the painful parts of these procedures. Unbeknownst to viewers, the patients are
never taped immediately following surgery, thus failing to demonstrate the harsh side
effects. One contestant, a man who underwent a facelift, had fluid seeping from his
scalp in two places. He later revealed to the public that his wife had to drain and
measure the fluid from these sites: an instance that never went on the air (Friedman).
Critics of the shows argue that they minimize the negative effects and over exaggerate
the positive effects, making cosmetic surgery seem like a simple, painless solution to
achieving one’s dream body (Friedman).
At the end of The Swan, contestants compete against each other in a beauty
pageant after recovery from their procedures. Social critics claim that, because of this,
The Swan is even more damaging than Extreme Makeover (Friedman). Social critics
argue that the most problematic part of The Swan is the psychologically-damaging
message it sends to young girls and women. By conveying a message to young girls
and women that even after achieving “physical perfection” one is still not good enough,
the show implies that physical perfection is everything, and without it, one is not
sufficient (Friedman). Both shows tap into the already prevalent problem of eating
disorders and other mental health issues, among females in particular.
At Risk Adolescents
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Among the general population of females, women and girls with a history of
eating disorders are particularly vulnerable groups to the media and the effects of the
cosmetic surgery boom. Sometimes, women who perceive themselves as highly obese,
but are of normal weight in reality, undergo extreme liposuctions to abolish their
perceived defections, which can be physically harmful (“Cosmetic Surgery”).
Adolescents are also vulnerable to this trend since they are vastly concerned
with fitting in and mirroring their peers’ looks (Bjorklund). But, at ages sixteen and
seventeen, the body is still changing somewhat, so procedures such as breast implants
are physically unnecessary (Bradbury). The Board of Ethics at the University of
Pennsylvania Medical School argues that cosmetic surgery sends a message to
teenagers that, if they lack certain features, they were built incorrectly and they should
be altered (Bradbury).
A Brand New Mommy
Young girls are not the only major group targeted. Another area of cosmetic
surgery that continues to gain widespread popularity is the “mommy makeover.” After
childbirth, many women feel intense pressure to regain their pre-pregnancy physique
and the same type of sexuality they had before. In 2007, over 400,000 women opted to
undergo the “mommy makeover”: a series of procedures involving a breast lift, tummy
tuck, and liposuction (Salzhauer). This “package” has become so common that a 2008
children’s book was released to aid mothers undergoing the surgery in familiarizing their
children with the concept of cosmetic surgery. The book is titled My Beautiful Mommy
and was written by Dr. Michael Salzhauer, a cosmetic surgeon popular in the realm of
mommy makeovers. The book plays into the damaging ideologies mothers constantly
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battle after childbirth and endorses the idea of attaining worth through physical
attractiveness. For instance, the mother in the book who undergoes surgery is referred
to as “pretty” by her daughter (Salzhauer). However, upon seeing her mother sporting a
Barbie-doll physique after surgery, the daughter clasps her hands in awe and identifies
her as “beautiful” (Salzhauer).
Looking to the Future
Besides the physical complications that can result from the surgery, the effect of
having a “new mommy” can be psychologically damaging for the children, particularly
for young daughters: a principle not addressed in the book (Abate). Undergoing the
“mommy makeover” may suggest to young girls that self-worth and confidence is only
achieved through a certain physical physique. Especially in early childhood, children are
still developing a sense of self and a sense of personal beauty (Bjorklund). Thus, young
girls are particularly likely to internalize this message and begin questioning and feeling
insecurity in their own appearance, especially as they reach adolescence (Abate).
The prevalence of all branches of cosmetic surgery among the specific demographics is
predicted to continue spreading. The Foundation on Economic Trends, which is largely
against much of cosmetic surgery, suggests that people have begun to regard
themselves as “blank canvases” (Friedman). Rather than seeing ourselves as people,
are we truly starting to look at ourselves as a collection of changeable pieces?
Though plastic surgery is predicted to become more widespread, perhaps with
increasing awareness of the vulnerability of certain demographics, such as moms and
teenagers, awareness will spread and the damaging ideals these groups face will no
longer hold so much influence. The only way society’s view of what is physically
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acceptable will change is if we change first. We must learn to accept and appreciate
ourselves, rather than turning to artificial means to alter our bodies.
Works Cited
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Abate, Michelle A. "Plastic Makes Perfect: My Beautiful Mommy, Cosmetic Surgery, and
the Medicalization of Motherhood." Women's Studies 39.7 (2010): 715-46. Taylor
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Bjorklund, David F. "Social Development." Psychology. By Peter Gray. 7th ed. New
York City: Worth, 2014. 480-84. Print.
Bradbury, Eileen, M.D. "The Psychology of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery." Aesthetic Plastic
Surgery Summer 18.3 (1994): 301-05. Springer Link. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.
Calogero, Rachel M., Afroditi Pina, and Robbie M. Sutton. "Cutting Words." Psychology
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"Cosmetic Surgery." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2014.
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<http://library.cqpress.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/cqresearcher/document.ph
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Taylor, Jacqueline S. "Buying and Selling Breasts: Cosmetic Surgery, Beauty
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