Every year, millions of people undergo plastic surgery to keep them looking as young and beautiful as the airbrushed celebrities in popular magazines. Adults and even teenagers hand over thousands of dollars to surgeons to reconstruct features of their body.
Today, many argue that such surgery is wrong because surgery to change one's appearance is vain and ridiculous. I, on the other hand, believe the opposite. I think plastic surgery is a new technology that can help self-conscious people feel better about themselves.
Cosmetic surgery has been prevalent throughout the history of the United States. In World War I, plastic surgery was performed on soldiers with facial wounds and burns. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons was created in 1931, and modern plastic surgery became popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Since the beginning of the cosmetic surgery craze, people began to view the procedure as a helpful way of changing one's body image. Instead of relying on diet fads or facial creams, males and females can now pay money to achieve their ultimate body image goal.
Nobody is completely thrilled with the way he or she looks. Don't we all have a secret wish to correct a few body parts that could stand some improvement? Today it seems that all you have to do is visit a doctor, and in a few short hours you can return home with a tuck here, a boost there and an entire new look. Of course, it is not that simple, but procedures that were once limited to the rich and famous are now being performed on everyday citizens. The surgeries are now safe, simple and have a fairly quick recovery period. These surgeries can make a huge difference about the way people see themselves and their outlooks on life.
In today's society, there is no escaping the inherent mindset to look "perfect." Many people have an attitude that being beautiful means being thin and wrinkle free. Human beings are vain by nature, and the media help shape these disturbing attitudes. One does not have to search far to notice that the "ideal" body is thin, fit, healthy, young and beautiful. Although I look down on America's push toward perfection, I believe that people should do whatever they can to improve their self-esteem. For example, if a woman is displeased with the shape of her nose, she now has the ability to correct her imperfection to make herself feel more confident and comfortable. If a man has spent years losing weight successfully, but cannot get rid of the excess skin surrounding his stomach, he should have the opportunity to undergo surgery to fix his personal body image. While those who oppose plastic surgery argue that people should learn to be happy with the body they were born with, others argue that there is no point in living life unhappily when there is an easy way to change what a person does not like about himself.
Even America's reality-television craze has focused on the miracles of cosmetic surgery. ABC's "Extreme Makeover" gives ordinary people the ability to change their lives. Contestants on the show are chosen from thousands of applicants to leave their homes and undergo plastic surgery to give them the physique of their dreams. America is hooked on this prime-time wonder because almost everyone can relate to dreams of achieving the body type they have always wanted.
Yes, plastic surgery is a great way to improve self-esteem, but no, I am not recommending that every student run to his or her nearest doctor this afternoon. Plastic surgery is not a procedure to take lightly. In 2002, I received a very small cosmetic procedure to correct something that had been bothering me for years. My parents and I discussed my options and decided to research the procedure. Most people successfully undergo plastic surgery after careful research and planning. Those who get plastic surgery casually without much thought are usually the people who are disappointed with the results. The best patients are those who have realistic expectations. They realize that the procedure will not fix broken relationships or solve other emotional problems. People who are otherwise pleased with themselves but dislike a specific physical characteristic tend to be good surgical candidates. In spite of sometimes long recoveries, women and men have decided that the better looks and greater self-confidence that come with surgery outweigh the temporary pain and inconvenience. I was very pleased with the results of my procedure and would recommend such actions to people who dislike small characteristics of their bodies.
