Chinese Women Strive to Be Part of Western Culture Through Plastic Surgery

It's a sad truth that beauty has taken hold of the Chinese society in search of finding a better job, or a husband. Young women in China are seeking to appear Caucasian in the hopes of finding success. The cosmetic surgery industry is booming despite the downfall in the global and Chinese economy.

Cosmetic surgery in China is far more common and affordable than in the United States. There are some cosmetic surgeons who are seeing anywhere from five to ten patients a day. The most popular surgeries are breast enlargement, double eyelid surgery and even surgery for height increases.

The double eyelid procedure is a process in which a crease is placed into the eyelid to make the eyes appear larger. The controversial height surgery requires that the Doctor actually break the legs of the patient and insert steel rods into the legs.

All of this craziness for the potential to find a better husband or job is too much for me. However, these women feel that it is a requirement to improve themselves to improve their potential. According to Dr. Lee a cosmetic surgeon, he says that there are displays of the westernized culture everywhere, billboards, advertising and of course television. Unfortunately the Chinese culture is no longer satisfied with being who they were born to be they now feel that they must fall into the westernized culture to be successful. The thought is that because jobs are so highly sought after in China that the aesthetic beauty is imperative in succeeding in China. However at what cost does this beauty come?

At this time while cosmetic surgery is affordable, not everyone can afford it. The most common patients are young high school graduates. It appears that the parents of these young girls are paying for the procedures and the potential opportunities for their daughters undergoing the procedures. However, while there are over 230 cosmetic surgery clinics in Shanghai, many of these centers are not licensed. They are low cost, but there are few regulations in place by the government. While some of the procedures are as cheap as $500, there is no guaranteed outcome.

Apparently there is even a line of makeup available to Chinese women to whiten their skin tone. These products are selling fast. The Chinese women who are purchasing these products want to be westernized as much as possible. With whiter skin, bigger eyes, thinner noses, height and breast implants they are striving to be pseudo Caucasians.

However, not too long ago the Chinese culture frowned upon the westernized culture, and now it seeks to become it. I find it very sad that these people with their own fascinating and unique culture would choose to emulate another culture as opposed to embracing their unique individuality.