Created by: Omry Levgold
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Arguments for and against
(table)
Statistics
Summery
Conclusion
Bibliography
*Article and Session Logs
(attached separately)
Introduction
The word plastic comes from the Greek word "plastikos", which means to mold or give
form. Plastic surgery enables us to model or reform the human body. The plastic surgery
specialty encompasses both reconstructive surgery and aesthetic surgery, popularly
referred to as cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery restores or improves physical
function and minimizes disfigurement from accidents, disease or birth defects. While not
essential to physical health, aesthetic surgery can make a significant contribution to the
quality of life by improving the appearance of normal body features and enhancing selfimage.
In earlier years, plastic surgery was seen as Hollywood extravagance, and most people
marveled at the facial and body changes and unnatural youthful appearance of celebrities
like Joan Rivers. Now this couldn’t be farther from the case. With financing options
now available, plastic surgery has worked its way into new markets including men and
the middle class, and most patients are very open about the procedures that they have had
done, often having coming out parties to show off their new look.
The show “The Swan” began with 16 women chosen to be “Swans” and undergo a fulllife makeover. This included plastic surgery with procedures such as breast
augmentation, liposuction, facelift, rhinoplasty, and others. These cosmetic plastic
surgery procedures were performed by plastic surgeons Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr.
Randal Haworth. Reconstructive and cosmetic dentistry was performed by Dr. Sherri
Worth and provided dental services including Veneers and Teeth Whitening. Contestants
also had to get into shape with the help of fitness trainer Greg Comeaux. They also
received weekly therapy from therapist Dr. Lynn Ianni and coaching from Life Coach
and creator of "The Swan" Nely Galan.
The very concept of this particular show seemed to strike a raw nerve among viewers,
who posted several hundred messages in what turned into a surprisingly heated debate
over whether television is our fairy godmother, the ultimate Big Brother, or just a boob
tube.
Arguments for and against
Pros
Doctors should heal, not waste their talent
on appearance. Precious talent and
resources are spent on this frivolous
activity. Surgeons should do medical
operations that are needed, not cosmetic
procedures that are desired.
Cons
People pay handsomely for cosmetic
surgery. It costs the state nothing, except in
situations in which the operation is
necessary medically. Cosmetic surgery can
turn a profit for hospitals that is put
towards more general medical areas. And
doctors receive training and practice in
difficult techniques which can then be used
to help patients in genuine need.
We live in a world that is image obsessed,
That’s nice. But given that the reality is
and this kind of procedure panders to that.
that we’re judged on our appearance all the
We should promote the idea that
time, it’s perfectly rational to want to look
appearance is not as important as character. good. Nobody’s forcing anyone to have
People should be content with themselves
cosmetic surgery – the market is driven by
and not be so hung up on their looks.
demand.
There’s a fair debate to be had here about
How do you define cosmetic surgery?
what we all know we mean when we talk
Much of the “cosmetic” work done greatly
about cosmetic surgery. Balloon-breasted
improves not just appearance, but quality
Barbie-doll models and self-indulgent
of life. Operation Smile, which fixes oral
collagen boosters are the issue, and trying
and facial deformities found in poor
to squirm out of defending them by
children across the world, is doing
pointing to sad children is pretty weak.
“cosmetic surgery.” Sure you can survive
Because the answer is obvious - hare lip
with a hare lip or a cleft palate. But your
correction is legitimate surgery. Collagen
quality of life – your self esteem,
injection to hide aging is not.
employability, acceptance in a traditional
society, etc – is much better without one.
Following this principle, breast reduction
or augmentation or the removal of acne
scars can be just as important.
If the opposition is right and plastic surgery You can spend your money how you like.
is desirable, then such surgery is unfair.
Why shouldn’t people be allowed to make
Only those that can pay for it get it. So if it the personal choice to change their
has the advantages the opposition claims,
appearance with their own cash? Better that
the rich will look good, and the poor will
than ask others to contribute through the
not.
state. Furthermore, the appearance division
the proposition seeks to suggest between
rich and poor is much more dependent on
quality of diet. Diet is a universal factor
that affects complexion, height, etc, while
cosmetic surgery is a relatively
insignificant factor in statistical terms and
one that only affects the particular thing on
which surgery is conducted.
In fact, often, people look appalling after
That might be true. Let people choose what
plastic surgery. Celebrities with “trout
pout” overblown lips, or absurd, balloonlike breasts, are only the most well known
examples.
Pointing to accidental side-benefits of
cosmetic surgery will not cover up the fact
that its intention is to make money, not
make people better. If a fraction of the
efforts pumped into it went into proper
medicine, the medical world would be
much more advanced than it is today. And
the fact that the benefits arise from chance
merely serves to highlight the greed that
constitutes the essential nature of cosmetic
surgery: those benefits ought to be all of
medicine’s aim, not an accident resulting
from it. Certainly people make money and
careers in normal medicine, but they are
giving treatments that aim to make people
well, not look different.
happens to their bodies for themselves. For
every horror story, there are hundreds of
people who are happier with their
appearance after surgery – whether you
prefer their new appearance or not.
The development of cosmetic surgery over
the years has been intertwined with that of
reconstructive and more general medical
surgery. Cosmetic surgery has greatly
aided reconstructive surgery. For example,
maxillofacial surgery, or surgery of the
jaw, has developed with insights from both
plastic surgeons and oral surgeons. It’s
impossible to say in some areas who
contributed the greatest advances, the
cosmetic or the mainstream. To shut down
cosmetic surgery would be to cut off a
valuable outlet for research and discovery.
The market can sometimes create great
benefits: people work hard in pursuit of
profits and often their work can help us all.
Plenty of people make a good living from
normal medicine and they are not
criticized, the same should be true for
privately provided medicine: there’s
nothing wrong with turning a profit
Statistics
According to a big study that was done by Geocartography Company, 34% of the Israeli
people see cosmetic surgeries as a positive manifestation, 33% of them are apathetic to
the phenomenon and only 25% of the Israeli people are thinking that plastic surgery is a
negative phenomenon. 57% of the participants are considering plastic surgery to be risky
and even life threatening.
Additionally, judging from the survey results, cosmetic surgery is more acceptable by the
adult public.
Likewise, every 1 Israeli out of 25 is already post surgery.
Plastic surgery is not merely for a select and wealthy few. In the United States alone, over
10 million cosmetic procedures both surgical and non-surgical were performed during
2005 in areas ranging from Botox injections to tumor removal. The statistics show that in
a solid economy, more citizens are willing to invest in anti-aging remedies such as
cosmetic plastic surgery.
The US statistics for 2005 are:
Surgical cosmetic procedures increased 4 percent, with more than 1.8 million procedures
performed in 2005. The top five surgical procedures were liposuction (324,000), nose
reshaping (298,000), breast augmentation (291,000), eyelid surgery (231,000), and
tummy tuck (135,000). This is the first time in six years facelifts did not make the top
five surgical procedures, according to ASPS statistics. Minimally-invasive cosmetic
procedures jumped 13 percent to nearly 8.5 million procedures performed in 2005. The
top five minimally-invasive procedures were Botox (3.8 million), chemical peel (1
million), microdermabrasion (838,000), laser hair removal (783,000), and sclerotherapy
(590,000). This is the fourth consecutive year that these minimally-invasive procedures
have been ranked in the top five. Reconstructive plastic surgery, which improves function
and appearance to abnormal areas of the body, remained relatively stable in 2005. The
top five reconstructive procedures were tumor removal (3.9 million), laceration repair
(344,000), scar revision (181,000), hand surgery (172,000) and breast reduction
(114,000).
Summery
“The Swan” is a controversial reality show about extreme makeovers. The show picks 16
women and transforms them into so called “Swans” with the help of a specialists crew
including a personal trainer, a life coach, a therapist, a nutritionist, a plastic surgeon, a
dentist and a stylist.
Once chosen, contestants must go trough an intensive “Boot Camp” of exercise, diet,
therapy and inspiration to achieve their goals.
Each episode features two women, but only one of them will qualify to compete in the
beauty pageant to be held at the end and have a chance to become “The Ultimate Swan”.
Television critics have slammed “The Swan” as setting a new low in reality television’s
willingness to exploit human insecurity and low self esteem for high ratings.
“The Swan” draws its power from controversy, mainly because the very concept of this
particular show seemed to strike a raw nerve among viewers.
Those who defend the contestants’ right to explore any possible path on the road to selfimprovement and even happiness. According to them the show emphasis on the whole
woman, from self esteem to hair color.
On the other hand most damaging assumption of shows such as “The Swan” is that
women require a great deal of help to “improve” themselves. More accurately, they have
no true “selves” to improve, rather are created from the outside in, by beauticians and
counselors.
In conclusion whether “The Swan” is sending a bad massage to the audience or not, it is
one of fox best reality show. It is clear nowadays than ever that plastic surgeries are here
to stay, whether you like it or not!
Conclusion
In conclusion, I have learned that plastic surgery is a sensitive issue that not many have
yet to accept it. But with the progress of technology and science it is almost rare to find
someone who never thought about having something “done” these days. You can’t deny
that Plastic surgery whether cosmetic or reconstructive encourages and promotes a
strong, positive self-image. Even a small change on the outside can create an
extraordinary change on the inside, allowing an individual's self-confidence to blossom.
As economic conditions improve for the average citizen, more people can afford to worry
about their looks. A shift in cultural values has led to an increasing demand for plastic
surgery as well as plastic surgery reality shows on television. Whether to improve their
chances of getting a job or to diminish signs of natural aging, more and more people are
following the leads of participants on television makeover shows such as The Swan ,
Extreme Makeover , and I Want a Famous Face, or characters on the hit drama Nip/Tuck,
and going under the knife themselves. Depictions of plastic surgery on these shows
suggest to viewers that such a cosmetic makeover will transform their lives, solving
problems ranging from saving a marriage to earning a job promotion. But is treating
your face like a piece of raw meat really going to solve anything? These shows are
outrageous, for they send the completely wrong message to viewers, telling fragile
patients to mask their psychological flaws through physical perfection.
People are getting the wrong message these days. Plastic surgery is being abused. It
should not be used as an escape or easy way out to avoid the inevitable. There are much
easier, safer, and healthier options to battle obesity or aging than the procedures of
liposuction or face lifts. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are much safer routes to
achieve goals than surgery. You can't honestly say that subjecting yourself to a ten-hour
procedure involving your skin being torn from the underlying tissue, fat being sucked up,
and excess skin trimmed away is more appealing than adding more vegetables to your
diet or talking a walk every day. Beyond that, the results of these procedures are only
temporary. Natural beauty, on the other hand, is much longer-lasting and actually much
more aesthetically pleasing, in my opinion.
Bibliography
1. http://www.alternet.org/story/18373/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_Surgery
3. http://www.answers.com/topic/plastic-surgery
4. http://www.tv.com/theswan/show/25662/summary.html?full_summary=1&om_act=convert&om_clk=summary
sh&tag=showspace_links;full_summary
5. http://www.ilovereality.com/Shows/theswan.html