NationStates Jolt Archive

Whether we're talking about a simple brow lift, the classic electrolosis, the stock-standard botox or "ass implants", plastic surgery is fast becoming a fad for our public faces (and every other part) as well as an ever growing encroachment into our everyday lives, and wallets. Whilst there is no doubt that certain procedures can help to correct embarrassing natural defects or improve self-image, has this billion dollar industry gone too far?

Quietly, without admission, much of the world waits for a viable and worthwhile penis enlargment procedure to appear.....

Way too far, I think.
It's ok for people who really do suffer from having noses that are completely out of shape, or from having ears like Dumbo, or from having no visible chin to speak of to do something about their feeling of inferiority by attacking the source of it and getting an operation.

But I find it simply ridiculous how many people get these operations done these days, and also the things they get done. Getting a perfectly fine nose corrected just because it's not pointy enough, or getting breast implants cause they're a B cup instead of a C, or getting face lifts... I think that all leads to a rather dangerous "we all have to look like Barbie dolls" culture. Well, to a more extreme one than the one we have already, that is.

Plastic surgery is for vain, self concious people who want to have the perfect face/body and have too much money to play around with. Why can't people just make do with what they have got? Most people look uglier after plastic surgery anyway and, personally, I don't see why it is necessary to undergo surgery just to look "more beautiful". Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Quietly, without admission, much of the world waits for a viable and worthwhile penis enlargment procedure to appear.....

Luckily, I don't need to worry about that. My fiance's black. Haha.

Plastic surgery is for vain, self concious people who want to have the perfect face/body and have too much money to play around with. Why can't people just make do with what they have got? Most people look uglier after plastic surgery anyway and, personally, I don't see why it is necessary to undergo surgery just to look "more beautiful". Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Is make-up for vain, stupid people? Is dressing nicely for vain, stupid people as well? You've attacked those undergoing the knife rather than the industry itself, and while I believe only a person can make his or her own decisions regarding cosmetic surgery (or anything else, for that matter), the media & advirtising have a huge effect on self-esteem, and thus can lead even the smartest, down-to-earth individual to doubt their image.

Is make-up for vain, stupid people? Is dressing nicely for vain, stupid people as well? You've attacked those undergoing the knife rather than the industry itself, and while I believe only a person can make his or her own decisions regarding cosmetic surgery (or anything else, for that matter), the media & advirtising have a huge effect on self-esteem, and thus can lead even the smartest, down-to-earth individual to doubt their image.

Doubting your image is fine as is dressingly as you like and wanting to wear make-up. However, are you really telling me that plastic surgery to try and become more beautiful is not vain? The whole industry is disgusting as it preys on people who are self-concious of the way they look. Most people I feel are not swayed by the media unless they are of the opinion that they are "ugly"....the industry is a fault for making them believe that surgery is a valid option to make themselves "more beautiful". Outside of medical needs, Plastic surgery is only there to serve the vainest of our society.

Is make-up for vain, stupid people?

When did I ever say they were stupid? Vanity is completely different to stupidity.

meh, let people do what they want, it doesn't really hurt anybody exept themself. and i don't really see a lot of difference between plastic surgery and for instance very expensive clothing or tatoos.
what i do find quit disturbing are all those television shows in wich people undergo plastic surgery, something with makeover in the title. and especially that show in wich people get surgery to look like their favorite popstars.

meh, let people do what they want, it doesn't really hurt anybody exept themself. and i don't really see a lot of difference between plastic surgery and for instance very expensive clothing or tatoos.
what i do find quit disturbing are all those television shows in wich people undergo plastic surgery, something with makeover in the title. and especially that show in wich people get surgery to look like their favorite popstars.

Yeah those TV shows are very disturbing and unethical.

If somebody feels ugly and has the cash, they have every right to to have plastic surgery or whatever if it makes them feel better.

Yeah those TV shows are very disturbing and unethical.

stuff like that sells i guess, not much to do about it.

If somebody feels ugly and has the cash, they have every right to to have plastic surgery or whatever if it makes them feel better.

If you feel that you are ugly wouldn't it be better to try and solve the mental side of the problem. Plastic surgery is a quick fix but the problems will still exist...they are just dormant. Before somebody takes plastic surgery I feel that running through their issues with a psychologist may help them more than expensive surgery ever would.

If you feel that you are ugly wouldn't it be better to try and solve the mental side of the problem. Plastic surgery is a quick fix but the problems will still exist...they are just dormant. Before somebody takes plastic surgery I feel that running through their issues with a psychologist may help them more than expensive surgery ever would.

Ever stop and think that maybe these people are genuinely ugly? I'd also wager that a lot of these people who have plastic surgery actually do feel better about themselves. Of course you are right in that some of the people would have some weird mental complex and a nip/tuck won't necessarily help or be healthy. But they can still be used positively IMO.

Plastic surgery isn't all that bad. Some of my professors' bread-and-butter include fixing harelips, ankyloglossia (tongue-tie), or those who are in need of reconstruction (i.e. victims of fire, or operations such as rhinoplasty, etc.). This is called reconstructive surgery. What can be debatable is cosmetic surgery.

IMHO, you have the freedom to choose where you should spend your money. But I think cosmetic surgery had been so much glamorized. Not everybody that wants cosmetic surgery needs cosmetic surgery. I have to agree to a previous poster: maybe a visit to a psychiatrist is in order.

Nothing wrong with it, although I think it's silly. It's no different to buying expensive clothes to make yourself look nice. Of course, radically changing your appearance so it's unrecognisable is rather creepy, but meh. Their money.

I'm of two minds on this. On one hand, it seems really vain to want to just pay to make yourself look nicer. Being physically attractive is not really something that I feel to be worth enhancing yourself for.

On the other, I would be perfectly accepting of a person with a missing limb being able to have this functionality restored by artificial means. Given that the job of most celebrities seems to be simply being a pretty face in a fashion statement, I suppose it would be a reasonable thing to permit.

We have to differentiate between reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. I think they are talking about cosmetic surgery.

It messes with the natural order of things. As cosmetic surgery improves, the genetically ugly will be able to disguise their hideous disfigurements and breed with the attractive. This will lead to a further slowing of evolution, (i.e. more fat uggos) simliar in fashion to the way that modern welfare state has led to an increase in stupids.

[QUOTE=Proggresica;12259751]Ever stop and think that maybe these people are genuinely ugly? I'd also wager that a lot of these people who have plastic surgery actually do feel better about themselves. QUOTE]

What is ugly to some people can be beautiful to others. Cosmetic plastic surgery should never be the answer to problems with the way somebody looks. People should realise there is more to life than looking "perfect" and companies and the media should stop telling people that they are ugly in order to get them to spend money on surgical enhancement.

I have nothing against plastic surgery for genuine irregularities, like having a cleft lip, or because they were in an awful accident and were burnt or terribly scarred. I think it's natural that people in that situation would want to look more 'normal', as I can imagine it can make people around them very uncomfortable. Basically reconstructive surgery is a fantastic development and can hugely benefit people in those sorts of situations.

But surgery to make people look 'beautiful' really annoys me. Reality television programmes that 'reward' so-called ugly people with surgery offend me no end. Not everyone is gifted with great looks, just as not everyone is incredibly intelligent or athletic. Certain things such as education on an intelligence level, or exercising/training on an athletic level can help. But the fact of the matter is, is that the less intelligent person probably won't be joining Mensa, and the less athletic person won't be winning world championships. With plastic surgery you're making somebody jump from the low levels of attractiveness, supposedly to being very attractive.

Look, I'm not an attractive person, hence why I have never posted a photograph of myself on this forum. But I'm relatively healthy, intelligent, and I'm not covered in third degree burns or severely scarred for life. I should be very happy with myself, and I am, despite many people/the media suggesting that I should be feeling grossly inadequate for not being conventionally attractive. But I’m not. I guess that in a sense that goes down to my strength ability to not care what other people think of the way I look. I guess that not everyone is as stubborn as I am.

But from my view providing people with plastic surgery is just jumping a main problem with society; this bombardment of people with images of attractive people, with standards that they can't possibly meet. This glorification of physical 'beauty' is what drives people to desire cosmetic surgery. It's partly due to other people who accept these standards looking down on them for being inadequate, and their own feelings of inadequacy. Most people who want plastic surgery desire it in the hope that they’ll feel better about themselves. Often, I’m sure that they do. I’m just wondering if, 10-20 years after their surgery they’ll be looking any good. Naturally people will start to ‘droop’ (pretty much all over) with age, but what happens when your skin that has been prodded up and sliced in a way that it naturally wouldn’t have gone starts to sag? We see celebrities who have surgery, but they are constantly getting follow-up surgeries/procedures to maintain those standards. What happens when you don’t follow it up? It’ll be interesting to see if you have an ‘Extreme Makeover, where are they now?’ programme in a decade or two…

If you feel that you are ugly wouldn't it be better to try and solve the mental side of the problem.

No. You may be right. You may be ugly.

People against plastic surgery are ridiculous. Self-improvement is what we all should strive for, in every aspect. You improve your mind by going to school...you improve your social skills by being social...and you improve your looks by dressing nicely, grooming, possibly working out, eating right, etc.

However, while dressing nicely will get you looks and working out will get rid of that guy, there's really no natural way to fix that crooked ass nose you have that's otherwise ruining a beautiful face. Plastic surgery can help that. The world is vain...you can't win by fighting it.

Right or not, with that nosejob, or boob job, or facelift, or whatever...you have a better chance of getting noticed, whether it's in the job world, the social world, or whatever.

Meh.

If you want plastic sugery then go for it. But don't think it will make you more attractive:

Fake boobs look terrible when they've not been airbrushed and they don't feel real.
Facelifts strech skin in a way that only looks good on the Undead.
Tummy tucking scars.

But then:

Cheese burgers make you fat.
Alcohol is a poison.
Loud music damages your ears.

Doesn't make then all bad.

Me personally? I don't want plastic surgery. Seems a little creepy to me. But if people want it then I'm not going to lobby against them.