Cosmetic Surgery: Do it for the Right Reason

So many people nowadays have an unhealthy obsession with attaining physical perfection. This is largely due to mass media, which has transformed cosmetic surgery into a pop culture phenomenon.

Thanks to modern technological advances, cosmetic surgery has become increasingly available to the public. Medical procedures which were frowned upon a few years ago are now accepted as just another costly beauty regimen.

Media has defined beauty as a flawless, godlike image of unreachable perfection which is far removed from reality. Anybody who strays from society's exacting standards feels the pressure to fit in by any means possible. This has resulted in a rapidly increasing number of both men and women who choose to go under the knife.

There are patients with valid reasons for cosmetic surgery. These people might have a physical deformity that has causes them to be ostracized. These deformities cripple their daily lives and cause severe physical and psychological trauma. By undergoing cosmetic surgery, they improve their state of being and are able to live without shame or fear.

Far more common, however, are those patients who go under the knife to get rid of imaginary imperfections. As "ugly" as these flaws may seem, they are not considered to be threats to a patient's well-being. These are the patients who return again and again for nose jobs, face lifts, liposuction, and other such procedures. They simply do it to appease their vanity. Some patients become addicted to the "high" of feeling "beautiful." They feel they can compensate for their low self-esteem by having more and more cosmetic surgeries.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are advocates of natural beauty who condemn cosmetic surgery. They see it as a perversion of the laws of nature. Others see cosmetic surgery as a means to an end. They are merely harnessing medical breakthroughs to serve their personal needs.

When do people take cosmetic surgery too far? Where do we set the boundaries? When do we cross the line? It is truly a subjective matter. We can never set a universal standard of beauty because there are so many different cultures and viewpoints in the world. Some societies value tiny, rosebud lips while others prefer large, wide lips. Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. We have no right to impose our standard of beauty on others. You should decide for yourself whether or not you should undergo cosmetic surgery.

Ultimately, cosmetic surgery is nothing more than a tool to enhance or repair one's physical appearance. It cannot repair your self-esteem or any other psychological problems. For that, you'd be better off visiting a therapist.

*Choosing Cosmetic Surgery, MedicineNet.com