Artificial Corpse
by Morgan Thomas
No woman is born with perfect teeth, high cheekbones, and perky breasts. Everyone has physical flaws, but who's to say that your imperfections are flaws rather than simple differences? Why are women turning to cosmetic surgery in pursuit of happiness? Facts show that in 2007 nearly 11.7 million cosmetic surgical procedures were preformed in the U.S. Americans spent well over 13 billion on cosmetic procedures, 8.3 billion surgical, and 4.7 billion non surgical. Plastic surgery used to be preserved for the aging woman, now the numbers are increasing with teenage girls who are turning to surgeons to change their bodies. It's seen as a totally acceptable way to improve their image and self-esteem.
But the issue with a lot of people isn't so much that teenage girls are willing to go to such lengths to create the perfect image, but that many parents are willing to pay for the treatment at such a young age. The most frequent procedures are Botox injection, liposuction and breast augmentation. A survey of plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery facts show that the average "boob job" is $5,000-8,000; Botox ranges from $200-400 per area; liposuction for one area is $2,500-$4,500, and nose jobs are $5,000 to 6,000. In recent years, a growing number of patients seeking cosmetic surgery are visiting other countries to find doctors with lower costs. These medical tourists seek to get their procedures done for cost savings in countries such as Cuba, Thailand, Argentina, India, and some areas of Eastern Europe. The risk of complications and the lack of after surgery support are often overlooked by those simply Seeking for the cheapest option.
This growing crisis never seems to amaze me with Norwegian Cruise Line offering Botox and restyling while vacationing with them. Some even go as far as to offer vaginal cosmetic surgery, a procedure to help women perform better sexually. Now I present you with this question: where are these women finding happiness when the side affects of cosmetic surgery range from severe damage, depression, feeling guilty about the actual procedure, and even financial stress?
The time is now for us, as women of every age, color and social class, to accept ourselves. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not the beast. Don't let media bombard us with these perfect images and expect us to meet their impossible standards of beauty. Change is within.
Citation: www. Surgery.org/pre/news-release